bitching and moaning

[Konstantinos Kavos]

Are there any people who just can't squat (like me)? Or are there only whiney bitches (like me)?

I've been trying to do the program for NINE months now (that's when I took delivery of SS 2nd Ed).

My squats have wavered between 55 to 65 pathetic kilos (not really any more than I was doing 4 weeks into the program), even though I have gained 10 kgs bodyweight (now 70 kgs) at 5ft7. My technique has always sucked monkey nuts. I know what is wrong, I know what to do, but I just can't seem to do it.

My training partner, on the other hand, at the same height and bodyweight as me (he has gained no weight on the program because he has very strange ideas about what constitutes a good bodyweight and won't eat) now squats 100 kgs and could do more if he showed up to work out with me more than twice a week at best. Could the fact that he has always played soccer help that much?

I've always been able to spot his technique flaws, explain to him how to correct them, give him good mental and physical cues, etc etc, and see the results immediately, on his next set if not during the same set.

He tries his damn best to do the same for me, but it's not working. I'm beginning to think the problem may be that I have a very specific form of mental retardation that only affects the mental processes to do with squats. (Either that or despite my claims above, I actually don't understand anything, but his advantage is that he can improve despite my shitty advice).

(P.S. I also know that I should have gained more than 10 kgs in all this time).

[Mark Rippetoe]

It's probably time for you to invest in a trip to a barbell cert. I don't normally hawk my merchandise here, but you need some coaching. Is there a program offered by the Greek government that can help you with the trip?

[karpasia]

without wanting to be disparaging in any way, squats are hard and sometimes you just need to harden up.

Reading this board many people seem to think your body will just naturally progress and squats will always be easy as they were when you were 4 weeks into the program if you squat and drink your GOMAD. For some gifted athletes, this might be true, but for the majority of us without a coach when the weight gets heavier this program is as much about learning mental application and having some balls as it is learning how to squat. It's not meant to be easy. And if it was, it wouldn't be worth doing.

When you lift a weight you've never lifted before, it will be hard and form will degrade to some degree. Sometimes, it's only once you get over that hurdle and continue to progress that form will no longer degrade at the previously difficult weight. There is obviously a line where form degrades so badly that it carries the risk of injury. But part of the learning process in SS for me has been learning how to use my brain to tell my body to do the right thing when the weight is heavy enough for my body not to want to do it.

Also, sometimes concepts like hip drive for us mere mortals don't make sense until you actually have to squat heavy - because tightening up, shoving out the knees, driving with the hips makes the weight go up easier than not doing those things.

Once the motor pattern of squatting was established with heavier weights my form degradation got less and less serious when attempting new PR 5RMs.

Obviously having a coach there to shout at you to do the right thing is a massive advantage and I mean no disrespect to the initial poster if a coach is needed to help get past this hurdle. I know I could do with a good coach too!

So this is nothing personally directed at the initial poster, but more of a general comment for people in this situation, which I also experienced. I wasted months resetting to work on form every time the weight got heavy, only to never progress. It was only once I grew some balls that I really started to progress.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I doubt he'll take it personally, and these are very good points.

[Konstantinos Kavos]

I generally don't take things personally, especially good advice. The following hit home hardest:

I wasted months resetting to work on form every time the weight got heavy, only to never progress. It was only once I grew some balls that I really started to progress.

Thanks for not deleting this post even though I asked you to Coach. I will come to a Barbell Cert as soon as I can, hopefully having grown some balls before then. Learning how to get strong and how to pass that knowledge on is as good as any other investment I could make.

And the Greek government doesn't offer any programs. They are only good little socialists when it suits them, not when it suits us "the people" ;-)