Lef achiles tendon flexibility / sitff lower back muscles

[Yaxen]

Hi Mr. Rippetoe.

Hope you are having a great time.

I'm having issues with my left side when squatting.

I think that my left Achilles tendon being less flexible than my right Achilles tendon is making very difficult for me to get my left knee shoved out like my right knee. The problem is that I'm not aware of this until I watch the videos of my squats. Watching my squats videos my right knee looks very stable and shoved out well, but my left knee some times looks as if it where fighting not to be shoved out, it looks very unstable.

Sometimes I can't keep a vertical bar path over the middle of my left feet. My bar path shifts to the front o the center of my left feet. Some times I think I may even be loosing my back extension.

Is my less flexible left Achilles tendon be the cause of my stiff low back muscles and my struggling to maintain a vertical path over the center of my feet / keep my left knee shoved out?

What do you suggest?



I have been doing SS for about three months now, this is the second time I'm doing a linear progression. First time I got my back injured, then later being a new father everything got complicated.

Now I have my own bar, 20, 10, 5, 2.5, 1, 0.5 kg plates, a Velcro belt, DIY squat stands, weigthtlifting shoes and my smartphone's camera to do my very best at getting stronger. The bar and plates are cheap, of course not calibrated. The Velcro belt and the shoes are the best I can get here, vendors don't even know weigthlifting shoes at Adidas or Nike stores in my country, the stands were made by a friend welder to my specs.

I'm doing the best I can Mr. Rip I'm 35 years old and weight 191 lb I'm small, I'm 5 feet 6 inches tall. I eat and sleep the best I can while taking care of my young and beloved daughter and going to work.

Please help me and give some advice on my left side issues.

Thanks in advance and thanks again for showing us the true Art of Manliness

Pardon my redaction, English is not my mother language.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Post a video.

[Yaxen]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xuv2Sw0tSgg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://youtu.be/xuv2Sw0tSgg

Here are in just one video:
My last first work set
My last last work set
Front view
Rear view


Thank you

[Mark Rippetoe]

Can't tell much from this video. Where are you located?

[Yaxen]

México City

[Mark Rippetoe]

It looks to me like your right leg might be short. Get this checked. But that's all I can see from here.

[Yaxen]

I got an opinion from a doctor and he thinks my left leg may be shorter.

Is there something that can be done? Should I forget about getting a stronger squat?

What is you advice Mr. Rippetoe?

Oh god. My doctor also told me that my blood pressure is high 140/90 this may be due to an urine tract infection that I have and am taking care of.

If getting a stronger is still a possibility for me is it a good Idea keep adding weight to the barbell? After all I have been squatting for more than a year now and I rather want to die strong than weak.

Barbell training is big medicine isn't it?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Shim the short leg. Search Function.

[Yaxen]

I have been reading the forums for a long time.

I don't need to use the search function.

If i recall you writting that 140/90 is not that high... You said someone with a higher blood pressure to get it controlled and then start the program...

It is said that barbell training is good to help lowering high blood pressure....

It's is difficult for me to deduce a good answer. But...

If barbell training is big medicine then fuck... I'll squat anyway....


Thank you very much Mr. Rippetoe.

I wish you a very good time.