Arthritis, atrophy and squats

[Jason_LeCoure]

Hi Mark,

I guess I will start with the obligatory "I love your book Starting Strength!"

I spent most of the last year "chair ridden" due to an unusually severe bout of Reactive Arthritis caused by salmonella poisoning further complicated by peripheral neuropathy in the feet. (long version of my story for those of you with insomnia can be found here) Medication has recently made it possible for me to do wonderful things like walk for more than 100 feet and bend my joints.

Two and a half weeks ago I restarted the program using the exercises detailed in Starting Strength (switching Rows for Power cleans). I'd done one of the net variants (madcow) before getting sick and loved it.

My question is about squats. Two and a half weeks ago I could not do a single body weight squat. Today I did 4x5 Body weight squats with a broom handle for a bar. It was difficult. My plan is to take myself to 5 x 10 with the broom handle before moving to 45lb bar for 3 x 5 and adding 5lbs per day from then on.

Would this be too aggressive or too conservative in your view? Any recommendations?

(I'm 33 years old - currently doing 110 on bench, 175 on Dead, 0 on squat, 110 on rows and 60 on press. All lbs).

Sorry if this is a silly question. Beyond muscle weakness my joints are fine (minimal swelling, I'm taking Enbrel)

Cheers.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The only thing I see that I don't like is the jump from the broomstick to the 45 lb bar. This is a rather arbitrary jump caused by equipment limitations that it may be necessary to rectify. I think you'll be better of trying to find an intermediate jump, which you can do by hanging something on the stick. Other than that, I think that the program is sound. Conservative or aggressive is only answerable by you: did I push as hard as possible today, within the only confines of being able to do it again tomorrow? A conservative approach to rehab for a non-geriatric patient is a waste of time and life.

[Scott Mahn]

Another intemediary weight between a broomstick and a bar would be a 6 to 7 foot lenght of 1" black plumbing pipe, found at Lowes/Home Depot/plumbing supply store. An additional step could be had by filling said pipe with sand and capping the ends.

[Jason_LeCoure]

Thank you Mark. I have a Bo Staff in the garage I can hook some paint cans on and squat away. Also, after reading through this forum and your answers, I now feel very bad about not doing Power Cleans. I will rectify this error on monday. I think we all hate that damn top position before we get properly flexible (that and it gasses us fatties).

Thank you!

[Mark Rippetoe]

If you're actually that fucked up, don't feel bad about the cleans just yet. Let's get your squat back in shape first, and introduce the cleans in a couple of weeks.

For those of you that are not that fucked up, you should feel bad.