Coach Rippetoe,
I just wanted to thank you for your work, your tough as nails approach, your methodology, and your willingness to create (and put up with) a community of people who have adopted this program.
I started this program last year and I was a mess--physically and emotionally. I had experienced a significant career setback and was not dealing well with the emotional letdown. I spun into clinical depression and as a result I got fat (really fat) and out of shape. My lower back began to deteriorate due to my desk job and was in constant pain from sciatica and arthritis (at 37 years old).
Last January (2015), when my back went out, I decided I had had enough, but I didn't know what to do. Then the thriller author Brad Thor posted a link to an article about Starting Strength--and I had to try out the program.
Since that time I have gone from a 115 lbs squat to 400 lbs and a DL of 150 to 415. There have been setbacks (I should be higher) and frustrations (my upper body strength is progressing much slower--BP has gone from 95 to 215 and PR from 75 to 165).
More, though, what has changed is my demeanor and confidence. I don't take any prescription meds for depression any longer. I am happy again. I am less angry (my wife and eight children said I was unbearable). I feel good physically and I can think more clearly.
I feel like a man once more--I have taken responsibility for my actions and have not let the pain of dissapointment destroy my life. I can work through pain, I can keep going.
Again, coach, thanks.
I have been affected with mild depression at a few points in my life. I have enough experience with it to recognize the warning signs when my emotional state is about to go downhill. Since I have been strength training (several years now), I have consistently observed a couple things:
- As long as I am continuously training (i.e. 3x/week), I never enter that "about to go downhill" state.
- When I have a layoff from training (vacation, illness, bout of laziness) I almost always enter the "about to go downhill" state. But it's immediately fixed as soon as I get under the bar.
I don't know if a formal study has ever been done regarding the emotional benefits of a strength training program like SS, but my sample size of one (two counting you) has me convinced it is a reality. Like Dr. Sullivan says, "barbell training is big medicine". I increasingly view strength training as a virtually risk-free way to improve your life in multiple dimensions.