Stronglifts Workout Advice

kevinf2380

I just started doing the stronglifts workout this week. Anyone have any advice on the mistakes they made in the beginning so others don't do the same?

I can see how not warming up and going too crazy with deadlifts and improper form could cause serious problems.

TomK65201, I hear ya on the rows. I'm not the most flexible person in the world and I think that is part of the problem of it feeling awkward. I feel like I can never get my butt back far enough. I can seem to do it ok doing squats but doing the row feels strange. It's also awkward once you get up to a certain weight. My shoulders want to roll forward and I feel like I'm doing shrugs almost on the up movement. I know that means I need to go down in weight it's just annoying when it happens.

I'm starting super light right now. I was messing around doing the body for life workout for maybe 5 weeks then decided to start doing this. I liked that the workouts were quick and there weren't that many exercises. With the BFL workout I think I was doing so many reps with so many different exercises it was hard to get a consistent benchmark on where I was all the time. I believe doing this same workout consistently will help with that.

As you guys started lifting heavy what is the feeling you're going for? I think the only time in my life I lifted really heavy was in my early 20's. I'm still trying to figure out if I was lifting stupidly or properly. Sometimes during my workouts I would get light headed or have the adrenaline rush while benching because I was afraid I wasn't going to get that rep up. Is that the intensity level you eventually want to be or close to there? Something almost to your limit but not quite taking you over the top? I'm not trying to get super buff but I would like to get a considerable amount of strength and some muscle development. I'd be happy now to just get where I can bench 200 and squat a decent amount.

My next question is on overhead shoulder presses. I have a shoulder that gets tendonitis easily. It will actually pop a little if I lift my hands in a shoulder press position with zero weight. It seems whenever I hit shoulders hard the tendonitis acts up. For some reason doing sitting nautilus military press doesn't have the same effect. I'm planning on doing that instead of actual overhead presses. I know the overall benefit won't be the same but do you feel the shoulder strength should develop somewhat the same?

StealthHealth

Biggest mistake seems to be starting too heavy. With SL the weight piles on quickly so when trainees start with a weight that they cannot move very easily their form tends to break down as they attempt the higher weights.

As you mention - the idea with SL is that the form is impeccable on all lifts (even warm ups).

heybales

No mistakes myself - I like to learn from others too.
Start out realistically so you have light weight at first to get in many reps to train for form.

I'd even suggest doing the deadlift warmups at 10 reps each weight to emphasis that more, since only 1 working set.

Shoot, even working weight you can keep at 10 reps until increased weight forces you to slowly lower them.
More reps with good form, better muscle memory.

I used it coming back from lower back messed up, and wanting the supporting muscles to strengthen better.
I did warmup reps starting at 10, next weight up 9, next up 8, ect.
Working weight started at 9 to 5 reps for the 5 sets - so 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 - until weight got high enough I knocked off one rep each weight increase until down to 5x5.

Good program to get the weight up fast.
I actually reached higher working weight than last time doing it 2 yrs ago.

Penthesilea514

Not sure this is SL specific, but I think as I have started lifting, to make sure not only to warm-up and cool down properly, but stretch to improve flexibility and help with muscle soreness. I have added a full body flexibility routine several times a week to help with this. Still pretty new to lifting so this may just be my own personal experience, but I know I can't squat (or do other exercises) correctly if I am stiff or sore.

T0M_K

you just have to understand that starting low like the program says it there for a purpose...like the prior poster said, achieving form being top on the list.

I'm doing it now and I struggle with barbell row...feels awkward, I can't see myself, don't know if my back is as straight so i dropped some weight to work on form cuz it just felt bad.

you have to commit to just taking your time...and not being peer pressured into higher weights by the studs at the gym..if you are there. Humble pie.

Currently I bought a rack and am doing it at home. so much nicer to have no outside pressure or distraction or interruptions to my work out.

richardgavel

Buy the Stronglifts app (free), including the add on (10 bucks or so). Love the ease of tracking and telling me warm-ups and plates to use.

kevinf2380

copied this into main post.

Rusty740

I'll second the go slow with adding weights advice. While your muscles may be able to recover, your tendons and ligaments need time too. Currently working through forearm issues because I think I went too fast with the weight. I wanted to see progress because I knew I could lift more and wanted to figure out if my 1RM had increased, but it's much better to go slow and be satisfied the weight on the bar is going up slowly as your reward.
It's tempting to go harder if you've got more to give some days, don't do this. Do your sets and stop. You'll have time for training to failure later.

SoulRadiation

kevinf2380 wrote: »

I just started doing the stronglifts workout this week. Anyone have any advice on the mistakes they made in the beginning so others don't do the same?

I can see how not warming up and going too crazy with deadlifts and improper form could cause serious problems.

Doing a lot of other activities, such as cardio or sports, and not eating a calorie surplus...can definitely hamper your progress. I'm going through that now, but I accept it as my primary goal is reducing my body weight for several more months.

It's just something to be aware of...it starts off easy, but it gets very "not easy", and you need to rest (including in between sets, you might need a few minutes between sets before long).

Good luck!

quiksylver296

I didn't realize deadlifts were 1X5 and not 5X5. That was my only mistake.

ew_david

I progressed to fast without getting my form right first. That was a HUGE mistake.

cogirljb

I love that program, it is what got me into lifting and realizing how much I love it!! I did a lot of research before I started, to make sure I had proper form!! Found a lot of good stuff on youtube. As you'll find out not everyone has the same form, it took me a bit to find the right stance for squats that felt good for me.

Like others have said, it starts off easy, but as you move up very quickly it becomes harder. Once I started getting into heavier weights, depending on how it felt, I would stay at that weight a couple times and then bump it up.

Best of luck and enjoy!!!

giantrobot_powerlifting

When asked about a beginning Barbell program I recommend Starting Strength. Mark Rippetoe is a coach and supports his product through free videos and books and a constant online presence. Heck, one can become a certified Starting Steve coach. StrongLifts doesn't do that. With the neophytes I coach, we do Starting Strength not Strong Lifts.

Also, there is a Starting Strength app to document and plan your training.

kevinf2380

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I didn't realize deadlifts were 1X5 and not 5X5. That was my only mistake.

Hehe I actually did the same on Monday. It was only after reading a SL review that I realized it was only one set.

T0M_K

nakedraygun wrote: »

When asked about a beginning Barbell program I recommend Starting Strength. Mark Rippetoe is a coach and supports his product through free videos and books and a constant online presence. Heck, one can become a certified Starting Steve coach. StrongLifts doesn't do that. With the neophytes I coach, we do Starting Strength not Strong Lifts.

Also, there is a Starting Strength app to document and plan your training.

just curious why SS vs SL?

giantrobot_powerlifting

Tomk652015 wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

When asked about a beginning Barbell program I recommend Starting Strength. Mark Rippetoe is a coach and supports his product through free videos and books and a constant online presence. Heck, one can become a certified Starting Steve coach. StrongLifts doesn't do that. With the neophytes I coach, we do Starting Strength not Strong Lifts.

Also, there is a Starting Strength app to document and plan your training.

just curious why SS vs SL?

IDK, probably for all the reasons I stated above,

Just probably.

CSARdiver

When I started lifting again I used the Stronglifts program and very impressed with the focus on form - went so far as to hire a professional bodybuilder to check my form. For the first few sessions I worked with a broomstick while she critiqued and perfected my positioning and movements. This was money well spent as you can easily hide bad form with weights. Since then my overall lift is heavier than ever and no injuries.

I never even thought about form in my teens - I was just lifting stuff and looking at books or at the more experienced lifters.

I dislocated my right shoulder along with some other nice injuries and get the same thing. The pain comes and goes on overhead press, especially if I'm pushing myself. This program has greatly improved my shoulder and verified by my physician. I've also noticed good improvement on my left knee (another injury) on the run.

dalerst

You can download the app for stronglift I've been doing it for 2 weeks and already it started getting hard. I'm going to upgrade to the pro for £10 so I get the warm-up and plate working etc.

I've been watching loads of videos on YouTube on form for the deadlift and rows, I've even been practicing them at work with a peace of scaff bar.

Chieflrg

Tomk652015 wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

When asked about a beginning Barbell program I recommend Starting Strength. Mark Rippetoe is a coach and supports his product through free videos and books and a constant online presence. Heck, one can become a certified Starting Steve coach. StrongLifts doesn't do that. With the neophytes I coach, we do Starting Strength not Strong Lifts.

Also, there is a Starting Strength app to document and plan your training.

just curious why SS vs SL?

Starting strength starts you at the correct weight for each individual. If you can starting squatting at 185lbs with proper form and bar speed, there is no reason to start at just the bar as you would with SL. The program is designed to make you stronger with good form as fast as possible so you can move on to intermediate program when it's time. In other words, it's more time efficient. Why waste waste months of training on a certain lift if it's not benefical?

Starting strength book also gives a novice every bit of info of how and why you should complete the lifts. This is absolute gold and the reason why so many people spin their wheels eventually. Lack of knowledge of lifting will kill the gains. The best $20 any novice lifter can spend in my humble opinion.

All their coaches are well educated and don't get a automatic pass when they test to coach.
Example Alan Thrall who is coached by Dr Austin Buraki just tested to be a coach and failed in less than a minute. Buraki has even taken the time to give tips on improvement to me on my IG.

bbell1985

My god I could not handle only deadlifting 1x5 again.

My mistake was trying it as not quite a beginner, while I was trying to get very lean. I just bombed out after 4 weeks. Can't run a linear program like that in a deficit while not a beginner.

sgt1372

When you get to heavier weights, don't stubbornly go for 5x5 at at the +5# rate if it is obviously too heavy.

Do not be too proud to stop, especially if your form breaks down ad it will when the weights get heavy and you get tired.

Use your common sense to protect yourself from injury.