Starting Strength
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Nightfly01
Posts: 85 Member
I am curious as to anyone that has done the Starting Strength program. It is a 3x5 routine, 3 days a week based on the squat, overhead press, bench press and deadlift. It uses linear progression where weight goes up gradually.
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I haven't actually done the program, but Mark Ripptoe is one of the top strength training coaches out there and anything he produces is going to be backed with a lot of experience and proven. And from the feedback of others on this board, it's a great program for a beginner and comes highly recommended.5
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No row?0
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I've done it. What's your question?
I've done SL too. Only diff in lifts is that SL does Rows and SS does Power Cleans but you can sub Rows for PCs if you don't like (or can't do) them.
Many people do but then YNDTFP. But that's pretty standard 4 both programs among people who think they know better than the designers of the programs (or just don't know any better).
Never noticed any strength gain diffs bet 3x5 or 5x5. You can lift more w/3x5 than 5x5 quicker but you will still top out at about the same point because you're doing 5 reps either way. Do which ever you like better.
If you are "doing the program (whichever one it is, you should top out in 4-6 months and will then need to move on to an intermediate program in other to achieve further gains.
OBTW, I do NOT think it is necessary to limit DLs to just 1x5 in SS or SL. I think you can do DLs at 3x5 or 5x5 but the weifht will have to be adjusted down accordingly.
On the other hand, I am making gains beyond SS & SL doing 10x3 using the Waterbury Method which is NOT a beginner program as suggested in the "Which Program is Best For You Thread" found elsewhere in the forum.0 -
Nightfly01 wrote: »I am curious as to anyone that has done the Starting Strength program. It is a 3x5 routine, 3 days a week based on the squat, overhead press, bench press and deadlift. It uses linear progression where weight goes up gradually.
It's a great program. Jim Wendler 5/3/1 is great as well.0 -
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I was on it. Squatting 3x a week was too much, especially on days that were paired with deadlifts. I'm on a modified 5-3-1 linear progression now that I like much better. Stronglifts did give me a good base to move on to other programs though.
Sorry, I just realized to said Starting Strength not Stronglifts. The only thing I would say is that 3x5 is not a lot of volume. I would make the last rep and AMRAP set to get more reps in.1 -
I was checking that program out and thinking about doing it.... as I am over 40 (by 15 years) and it's been some time since I've done and fitness program.
Any ideas or suggestions?0 -
I was checking that program out and thinking about doing it.... as I am over 40 (by 15 years) and it's been some time since I've done and fitness program.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Age is not an issue. I did it at 65. I'm 66 now and lifting more weight than I ever have in my life.
The weight you lift will be based on your ability not your age, but use common sense.
Don't let your ego get in the way.
No need to start lifting w/a bare bar if you can do more but don't start w/a max weight either. It takes some time to build a foundation if you haven't lifted b4 or for a long time.
For non-atheletes, the power clean is probably the most questionable part of Starting Strength. It is hard to do w/proper form and easy to hurt yourself doing it at heavier weights.
If you troll Rip's forum, you'll see that many people drop power cleans. So, don't be afraid to sub rows for power cleans or just drop them altogether.
Rip wouldn't like it (because it's not doing the program as he designed it) but he's not paying for your medical bills.
You should max out w/the program w/in 4-6 months. You can't keep increasing the wt by 5# indefinitely. It's not sustainable and it's time to try something else.
Good luck!
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I was checking that program out and thinking about doing it.... as I am over 40 (by 15 years) and it's been some time since I've done and fitness program.
Any ideas or suggestions?
I began Starting Strength two weeks ago after losing 100 lbs and maintaining for three years. I am 55 and have not lifted for at least 15 years. I starting stretching a week before, and practicing with a light bar at home using the book and online video tutorials.
I spend a good ten minutes stretching before each session. There are Smith machines at my gym, so I started with those for the squat and standing military press for the first two times, because I was not comfortable doing those two without the extra safety. I did not need to use a Smith machine for the deadlift or bench press. After two sessions using the Smith machine, I was able to switch to the squat rack for the squat and a regular bar for the military press. I am using very light weights for both. I have not decided yet whether to do the power clean or rows; that decision will come in a few weeks.
I plan to increase weights very slowly, even by 2.5 lbs if needed, because I had a lower back injury two decades ago that I do not want to injure again. I need to gain core strength to help prevent that from happening.
I downloaded the free Jefit app to record the sets, and I like both the mobile and web version of it much better than the MFP strength training log.1 -
Hey, guys and gals! So, I am 50 so a little more 'up there' when it comes to that. Age - and I will repeat myself until the day I die - is nothing more than a number. Mind set is everything....
So, there are a couple of things about this.....and, please everyone, I am not judging or being critical. I am just offering my experiences.
I have never done the 5/3/1 Program as there is just not enough volume for me. I have been pretty dang active for literally 90% of my life. So, take things that I suggest from that perspective. And then assess based on how 'similar' your life has been.
I am a HUGE proponent of the concept, though. I love a good 5x5 program using % of your 1RM (one rep max). And sticking within the 65% - 85% (or close.....maybe somewhere between 55% and 85%) of that 1RM. I never really dead-lifted or squatted before (maybe squatted in high school 35 years ago) but am literally addicted to both now. In a positive way....just to clarify.
That is what I have been doing to the last nine months or so....
It is all about progressive overload. Whatever that means for you (as there are lots and lots of ways to accomplish that....weight, reps, rest period, number of sessions each week, et al). I mean, there are tons of programs out there that 'borrow' the basic premise of 5/3/1 or 5x5 (two different programs, to be sure) and throw in a new wrinkle (see how I did that....LOL!).
However, what is your goal? What is your training history? Meaning, are you a beginner or an intermediate person? Asking the right questions will help us to better help you.
I will slide this in - no matter what program you end up doing the single biggest component to said program is your adherence to it. Meaning, show up 'every day' and give it 100%.
And, as has been included in other posts, please make sure that you warm up and stretch (a good hip flexibility | mobility plan will pay HUGE dividends for you as you progress down whatever path you choose - squats and dead lifts will tax you.....the amazing flexibility will put you in a much better position to avoid injury).
Also, if I might make a general suggestion.....form! form! form! Make sure you get that 100% right on both. I speak from experience where I have hurt myself several times and could not go to the gym at all.....let me be the one to learn that lesson for all of us.
Breathing and bracing are a part of form, in my book. A solid core - via proper bracing - will help tremendously.
So, I look forward to your input (and that of anyone else).1 -
I started out with Starting Strength (with rows instead of cleans) as well. I think it's a great program, mostly because it's pretty simple! I've never done Stronglifts 5x5, but that also seems like another great program to get started.0
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DevilsFan1 wrote: »I was on it. Squatting 3x a week was too much, especially on days that were paired with deadlifts. I'm on a modified 5-3-1 linear progression now that I like much better. Stronglifts did give me a good base to move on to other programs though.
Sorry, I just realized to said Starting Strength not Stronglifts. The only thing I would say is that 3x5 is not a lot of volume. I would make the last rep and AMRAP set to get more reps in.
These two things are very contradicting.
45 reps per week is plenty of volume to drive adaptation for a novice. One only needs to add more volume when stalling occurs. Stalling shouldn't occur on Starting Strength for a minimum of three months depending what weight you started with along with possible factors of advanced age or health issues. Once stalling occurs on SS it's time to graduate to next level program if you ran it correctly.
AMRAP is not ideal for Strength Strength's program. If you can do more than the required reps prescribed with good form, then you started with the incorrect weight.1 -
I started out with Starting Strength (with rows instead of cleans) as well. I think it's a great program, mostly because it's pretty simple! I've never done Stronglifts 5x5, but that also seems like another great program to get started.
I do a modified version of it alternating squats/ deads and cleans/rows. I also only do OHP every other session and include auxiliaries like Flys and curls. I'm 66.
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Running the program just on squats currently as I am retraining squat to low bar and according to Starting Strength performance standards. Training squats now 3 times a week, linear progression, so far progress is steady.
SS is easy to run.0 -
Hitting squats and deads on the same day is a lot of volume and stress on CNS. That's the reason I split them up.0
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OP, is there a question?0
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Before you do Starting Strength, I would suggest spending at least 4 weeks on a moderate more "traditional" strength training program, with about 3 sets of 10-15 reps per exercise, focusing mostly on compound lifts and a few accessory lifts. Not only will this "prime" you for Starting Strength parameters, but it's a good idea to "wake" the muscles up and get things firing correctly before you start tackling heavy lifts, as well as preparing your joints, tendons, and ligaments for the demands of heavy iron. Developing excellent muscular control and body awareness is really critical to lifting heavy SAFELY. When you first start lifting after years of being a couch potato, your muscles are going to be a bit shaky and unsteady- give yourself a few weeks on a basic program of light-to-moderate weights to sharpen up. There are many ways you can set up your splits for more "traditional" strength training, depending on how much time you have and how fast you recover from exercise. You can set up your splits as Upper Body/Lower Body 3-4 times per week (alternating), even using the concept of "supersetting" (alternating between push exercise and pull exercises) to get your workout done more efficiently. You can also opt to break things up further like: Back & Bi's, Legs, Chest & Shoulders & Tri's. etc. (Some people like to do shoulders on their own day or on back day). If you are really pressed for time, you could even do a full body twice per week.
Basic programs like Starting Strength are great, but are more effective for beginners after an initial conditioning period in my opinion. Once you get further along, you will start to figure out what works best for you. There are as many different workouts as there are people, and what works for one might not work as well for another. Good luck with the gainz!2 -
Before you do Starting Strength, I would suggest spending at least 4 weeks on a moderate more "traditional" strength training program, with about 3 sets of 10-15 reps per exercise, focusing mostly on compound lifts and a few accessory lifts. Not only will this "prime" you for Starting Strength parameters, but it's a good idea to "wake" the muscles up and get things firing correctly before you start tackling heavy lifts, as well as preparing your joints, tendons, and ligaments for the demands of heavy iron. Developing excellent muscular control and body awareness is really critical to lifting heavy SAFELY. When you first start lifting after years of being a couch potato, your muscles are going to be a bit shaky and unsteady- give yourself a few weeks on a basic program of light-to-moderate weights to sharpen up. There are many ways you can set up your splits for more "traditional" strength training, depending on how much time you have and how fast you recover from exercise. You can set up your splits as Upper Body/Lower Body 3-4 times per week (alternating), even using the concept of "supersetting" (alternating between push exercise and pull exercises) to get your workout done more efficiently. You can also opt to break things up further like: Back & Bi's, Legs, Chest & Shoulders & Tri's. etc. (Some people like to do shoulders on their own day or on back day). If you are really pressed for time, you could even do a full body twice per week.
Basic programs like Starting Strength are great, but are more effective for beginners after an initial conditioning period in my opinion. Once you get further along, you will start to figure out what works best for you. There are as many different workouts as there are people, and what works for one might not work as well for another. Good luck with the gainz!
If you read the book, or any of the FAQ associated with SS, then you would not need to start off with "traditional" (not even sure what that means as SS IS traditional) strength training. It is set up as a beginner program.
You can start with the BB or even lower. Rip mentions you may get a couple large jumps with squats and DL but those taper off.
You are not lifting "heavy" for weeks and that's plenty of time to get the body primed and start dialing in form.
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What might be a good thing to consider is a stretching | flexibility | mobility plan - either one that you do before you start or one that you do in conjunction with Starting Strength. Just something that I want to throw out there. When you progress and spend a little more time under a bar then you will be really grateful that your mobility | flexibility is there.
I worked with two older gentleman (just a little bit older than I am) and their mobility was non-existent. They literally could not do any dead lifts, squats, bench press or overhead presses. They refused to work on their mobility | flexibility. So, I stopped working with them.
Anyway, Starting Strength is indeed a beginner program. I am - generally speaking - a big fan of these types of programs. Now, it all depends on how things work for you. It is not a great program - for you - if you are following every aspect of the program and not making gains. And, that happens. Everyone is different.
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Before you do Starting Strength, I would suggest spending at least 4 weeks on a moderate more "traditional" strength training program, with about 3 sets of 10-15 reps per exercise, focusing mostly on compound lifts and a few accessory lifts. Not only will this "prime" you for Starting Strength parameters, but it's a good idea to "wake" the muscles up and get things firing correctly before you start tackling heavy lifts, as well as preparing your joints, tendons, and ligaments for the demands of heavy iron. Developing excellent muscular control and body awareness is really critical to lifting heavy SAFELY. When you first start lifting after years of being a couch potato, your muscles are going to be a bit shaky and unsteady- give yourself a few weeks on a basic program of light-to-moderate weights to sharpen up. There are many ways you can set up your splits for more "traditional" strength training, depending on how much time you have and how fast you recover from exercise. You can set up your splits as Upper Body/Lower Body 3-4 times per week (alternating), even using the concept of "supersetting" (alternating between push exercise and pull exercises) to get your workout done more efficiently. You can also opt to break things up further like: Back & Bi's, Legs, Chest & Shoulders & Tri's. etc. (Some people like to do shoulders on their own day or on back day). If you are really pressed for time, you could even do a full body twice per week.
Basic programs like Starting Strength are great, but are more effective for beginners after an initial conditioning period in my opinion. Once you get further along, you will start to figure out what works best for you. There are as many different workouts as there are people, and what works for one might not work as well for another. Good luck with the gainz!
As the name indicates, Starting Strength is aimed at those that are....well....starting strength training. That's what is was designed for.0
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