Being strong in an impossible conditions.

[Ahmed Elsisy]

Hello Mark, Firstly, i thank you for your mighty work starting strength and its nice app.
secondly, i tried to start a power-lifting, and after searching i followed west-side-barbell method, it is very useful, and productive, but now i give up, because my region doesn't know any thing about power-lifting, so i fought to use bodybuilding materials to achieve my strength targets, finally i failed so much, no racks, no Olympic barbells, no apparatus at all, beside calories deficient due to poor country, and lack of help from Louie and his west-side men. Now, i found your method and found it face my needs so much, but the reasons i mentioned still exist, so should i give up power-lifting to stay away from more failure and injuries, or there is a way that can help me due to that bad life i am facing here.
At the end i apologize for so much talking but i see you as my teacher who i am looking for it along time ago.
Accept my greetings, coach.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You should move. Figure out a way.

[David Kirkham]

Ahmed,

I have lived and worked in extremely challenging situations across the world. I understand your challenges. When I was young my mother always told me, "Where there is a will there is a way." I have found many creative ways to accomplish things most thought were impossible.

Find a steel pipe and find some weights. Brian Jones started with plywood wheels. If you really want it you will make the weights from something, anything. Food is a more challenging problem. I feel for you. As Rip said, you may need to move.

[Ahmed Elsisy]

Thank you guys
I will try to use my possibilities in ultimately way.
But I think the result will not be as for person who find the necessary conditions.

[Mark Rippetoe]

True thing.

[JFord]

I'm betting that if you have access to a computer and an internet connection then your country's technology is very close to the mass production (or at least the importation) of barbells and plates. Is that not the case?

[David Kirkham]

Thank you guys
I will try to use my possibilities in ultimately way.
But I think the result will not be as for person who find the necessary conditions.

You are only competing against yourself--no one else. If you want it you will find a way.

When I went to Poland the first time in 1995 the country was falling apart. Communism had nearly destroyed the country. I went to a silent MiG fighter aircraft factory and started a business making reproductions of Shelby Cobras. The Poles were so poor at the time they didn't even have scrap paper for me to make sketches. So, to save paper, I drew pictures in the dirt with a stick. I communicated with their engineers by drawing +, -, <>, and = signs...in the dirt...and I built our cars. At the time I couldn't even speak Polish (I do now) but I found a way to communicate and get it done.

You can do it. You must find a way--or make one.

I don't know if Rip allows links on his site, but Google "David Kirkham Cobra" and you will find me. Every Kirkham Car you find started with pictures in the dirt.

Find some weights and get under the bar. You can do it.

[saqadri9c]

Egypt has a strong physical culture; bodybuilding/wrestling/weightlifting are all very popular hobbies/sports (They've had way more success at weightlifting than us in recent years) . He should not have a problem finding an adequate gym (especially in one of world's biggest metropolises), nor should food be a problem at all, at least on the availability front. He really should not have to move, merely look a little harder/work a little harder to get the food he feels he needs.

[Bergstedt]

You are only competing against yourself--no one else. If you want it you will find a way.

When I went to Poland the first time in 1995 the country was falling apart. Communism had nearly destroyed the country. I went to a silent MiG fighter aircraft factory and started a business making reproductions of Shelby Cobras. The Poles were so poor at the time they didn't even have scrap paper for me to make sketches. So, to save paper, I drew pictures in the dirt with a stick. I communicated with their engineers by drawing +, -, <>, and = signs...in the dirt...and I built our cars. At the time I couldn't even speak Polish (I do now) but I found a way to communicate and get it done.

You can do it. You must find a way--or make one.

I don't know if Rip allows links on his site, but Google "David Kirkham Cobra" and you will find me. Every Kirkham Car you find started with pictures in the dirt.

Find some weights and get under the bar. You can do it.

I have nothing to add to this discussion beside pretty cliché Stoicism quotes, so I'll leave those to myself. But this is a damn awesome story!

[Will Morris]

but Google "David Kirkham Cobra" and you will find me.

I did....and I want one.