Bulldogs and Squats

[Stymee]

Coach Rippetoe,

I doubt any of us can thank you enough for your 3 incredible books and the patience, consideration, and humor you put into this forum! I am among the many that wish they had found SS:BBT earlier. Anyway, thanks a million.

I have a somewhat strange question. Possibly two unrelated issues. You see, I have a 6 year old English Bulldog, who, due to a myriad of medical issues (skin, eyes, ears, etc.), requires a bath once a week. Unfortunately, there's no quick way to get that done, so I end hunched over in a bath tub for 45 minutes every week. I'm sure my posture during this is not optimal, despite constantly reminding myself to straighten out my thoracic spine.

Several weeks ago I started having this little twinge in my upper/middle back, about 3 inches to the right of my spine, I'm guessing around T7? I only feel it during thoracic flexion or torsion. If I keep my back flat, I don't feel anything. I know there are people who bend over for hours upon hours doing their jobs, so I'm probably just a pussy. It does not affect my lifting at all, but after about 4 weeks it hasn't gotten better or worse, it's just more annoying than anything.

After about 6 months of New Rules of Lifting programs I finally found your books and what a difference it has made. I am currently a few weeks into the novice program listed on pages 162-163 of PP and I am seeing better results than I have all year. I have worked very hard on my form on all of the lifts (including cleans!). I recently snapped a video of my squats to compare to the dozens you have already critiqued on this forum(I have watched them all!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcjuHTX-H_I

I notice that my thoracic spine doesn't seem terribly straight under a (for me) heavily weighted bar. I saw that in some other videos, but it was never commented on so I assume that to at least a certain degree it is nothing to worry about. Fyi, I ordered some proper weightlifting shoes, they should arrive in a week or so.

Not sure if it helps, but I'm 5'6" and 165lbs and a former fatty (lost about 60 pounds since January).

After all that rambling, my four questions are:

1. Any thoughts on what I tweaked in my back?
2. Is there a proper posture for spending a large amount of time bent over so I can keep my bulldog alive while letting this annoying pain heal?
3. How do my squats look and could they be contributing to my problem?
4. Do you ever make it out to the Carolina's for any Barbell Certs? It's beautiful country out here. I saw the 2010 schedule, I guess Hotlanta didn't work out?

Thanks for any input!

[Mark Rippetoe]

No, your spine isn't terribly straight. You need to learn how to stand up taller under the bar, lifting both the elbows and the chest at the same time to tighten the whole upper back. Your T7 thing is probably easily fixed with a chiropractic adjustment. The T-spine is normally very stable because of the ribcage/Valsalva support. I'll bet you aggravated it under the bar, and the bulldog bath just polished it off.

But the English bulldog is the real problem. They are defective in several important ways. But if he's cute, post a picture.

[Stymee]

Thanks for your input! I started out barely able to get the bar in the proper position, but after a few weeks it is like second nature. I'll lift my elbows and stand taller.

I agree that English bulldogs are defective in many ways. They are an evolutionary mistake, brought on by us silly humans. I don't think anyone truly knows what they are getting into when they bring their first one home. Most people wouldn't describe them as cute, unless you've owned one, I take you you have/had a bulldog? I thought I remember reading a post of yours about the different types of hurt, burning your hand and burying your bulldog. I hope that wasn't spoken from experience. If it was, I am truly sorry. I dread the day we have to lay beloved bully to rest.

Anyhow, looking for a picture to share, I remembered this video I shot of Franklin (our bully) and his new pet (Maximus) that my wife brought home for him about 18 months ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvHSwrCgFxA

Watching this again, I can't believe I didn't make this connection earlier! Rip - the patient bulldog, constantly pestered by us internet chihuahuas. Every ear pull or ankle bite could be another:

"Hey Rip, can I sub rows for cleans?"

"Coach, I haven't bought your books, but what do you think of this Texas/Starr 3.7 week hormone fluctuation split routine?"

"Mr. Rippetoe, I'm 135lbs soaking wet, but I fear saturated fats, can I mix half skim and half 1% instead of whole?"

"Yo Mark, I extrapolated my 1RM squat to be 7.8% higher than intermediate level shown in the tables in the back of PP, does that mean I am ready for advanced programming?"

"Hey Coach, can you check out my squat form? I know my knees are sliding forward at the bottom, I'm staring into a mirror with my head looking up, feet too close together and pointing forwards. I haven't read the sticky, but what do you think?"

"Rip, I'm injured, fix me over the internet. k thanx bye"

And what do we get in response? Typically a well worded, thoughtful and often times humorous response with advice that far too few of us will listen to, and even fewer will actually follow.

Thanks again Rip. Keep it up, some day we'll learn.

[Christopher]

Have you considered changing your, um... dog-bathing form? My pug doesn't have any wierd medical issues or anything but I do give him bath once a month or so just because he stinks. It might seem kinda wierd to someone else to be in the shower with the dog but I just sit down in the tub with him and have a liesurely dog-washing session with no wierd bending. Takes maybe less than 10 minutes. Just wear a bathing suit to avoid a possible lawsuit if someone catches you.

[KSC]

My cousin should probably be thrown in jail for genocide committed against bulldogs.

He keeps buying them and they keep dying.

We live in Houston where it is quite warm and humid. Bulldogs don't like it when its hot.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Pugs always stink. Silly little fuckers. I wonder why this would be.

[Sgsolberg]

Pugs always stink. Silly little fuckers. I wonder why this would be.

It comes from the inbreeding. This has caused their deformed little bodies to fail at excreting all their feces from their anal glands. This buildup is quite common, and rather terrible smelling. I know this because I once worked as an assistant to a vet and had to squeeze the glands to remove the excess material.

[Christopher]

It comes from the inbreeding. This has caused their deformed little bodies to fail at excreting all their feces from their anal glands. This buildup is quite common, and rather terrible smelling. I know this because I once worked as an assistant to a vet and had to squeeze the glands to remove the excess material.


There are stinky anal sacs, but that stink just shows up once in a while and is an acute occurrence. It's mostly that their face folds get all damp and crapped up when they eat/drink and start to smell, despite me wiping them out daily. And his breath is awful.

But how can you stay mad at this face?

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.e22002218b.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?e22002218b.jpg)

[TPrewittMD]

It comes from the inbreeding. This has caused their deformed little bodies to fail at excreting all their feces from their anal glands. This buildup is quite common, and rather terrible smelling. I know this because I once worked as an assistant to a vet and had to squeeze the glands to remove the excess material.

I have thought thought that it would be fun to get a pug and name him "Pig", but with this information, I have lost most of my enthusiasm.

[dodgy]

Wow, the things we learn on this board are, at times, astounding!

[Mark Rippetoe]

I have met two pretty cool pugs, Butkus and Mr. Woo.

[stronger]

http://photographybyannemarie.com/Portfolio/Animals/800x600/ChocolateLab.jpg

[Steve in ATL]

Don't have to be a pug to be cute!

http://forceten.typepad.com/photos/daily_p/laurel_and_joy.jpg

[JLascek]

A 45 minute dog bathing session? Egad.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I see no pugs here.

[Stymee]

A 45 minute dog bathing session? Egad.

Tell me about it... He requires cleaning in areas I best not mention. There is just no quick way to scrub an 80lb English Bulldog with mile deep wrinkles. Just did another one last night, tried to maintain a flat back throughout. No ill effects so far this morning.

Hard to believe this:
http://stymee.net/pics/frank_1.jpg

could turn into this:
http://stymee.net/pics/frank_2.jpg

Gotta love 'em!

[tdwaffle15]

But pugs are off topic...

Stymee: I showed my girlfriend the video and she like it (I think):

"OMG he is so cute!!!!!! i wonder where he is from!! i want to ask who his breeder is! wish he had eaten that little tan turd..."

Care to share the breeder info? She doesn't really wish anything ill on Maximus (again, I think).

Here is my good buddy/romantic rival Jiggs. As you can see he squats on his haunches admirably well.

[gannimal007]

I have a pug, Maggie. She has a toungue that is half the size of her body. I'll see if I can post a pic of her later (i'm at work right now).

The whole anal gland thing is kind of gross. If we don't squeeze her anal glands every couple of months then she does this nasty routine of sitting down on the carpet with her hind legs in a 'V' and then pulls her ass across the floor with her front legs.

Obviously, my wife and I argue over who gets to do the dirty deed. I always feel so un-clean when I'm done.

Just a side note: all small dogs have this problem. They lack the fecal bulk to drain them as they poo.

[gannimal007]

Here is maggie may - the wonder pug and, like Christopher, it is very hard to stay mad at her w/ a face like that ...

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/e11ad43d44.jpg