I'm starting Starting Strength! HELP!

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TMagical
TMagical Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I'm somewhat familiar with weights & lifting them. I had a trainer a few years ago but had to stop b/c the payments were steep. Aaaaaaaaaaaand then I kind of fell off the workout wagon and am sitting at a weight that I am NOT happy with. I know that I can get a good weight workout in about 30min, which is what I was doing with my trainer, but I don't want to do machines and want to get more comfortable with dumbells & barbells. It was a toss up btwn SL5x5 & Starting Strength but poked around and saw that SS is probably better for beginners. So this is what it looks like:

Workout A:
3 x 5 Squat
3 x 5 Bench Press
1 x 5 Dead Lift (one of my favorites!)

Workout B:
3 x 5 Squat
3 x 5 Press (Bench Press?)
5 x 3 Power Clean

I guess my main question is what would be good starting weights? Or should I just start with an empty bar? I have a tendancy to listen to my ego & try to throw on 20lb plates on the first go but I don't want to wreak havoc. Also, on WO B, does "Press" mean "Bench Press"?

Along w/ this I'm planning on continuing C25k (currently on week 6) on my non lift days and cycling through weeks 5 - 8 until I get more used to running.

Stats:
F, 31
5'2 & 1/4"
170lbs
*forgot to add that I'm eating at about 1550 - 1600cal a day

Alright MFPers (you bullies you! j/k!!!) hit me with your knowledge!

Replies

  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    First, good luck! I just started SL5x5 myself. Given I've heard the workouts are similar, and that Bench Press is explicit for Workout A, "Press " on workout B could be overhead press, but I'm guessing. With zero lifting experience, I started 5x5 with the bar for squat and overhead press. I did 50 for bench just because I felt like it. I did deadlift with 95 pounds as recommended, but will reduce that next time because my form was not good at all (way too much rounding of the back). I was glad I started fairly light on most stuff so I could focus more on form and I'm not in any huge hurry to be able to lift 150-200-300 pounds (even though it will be awesome to do that).

    Stats:
    F, 27 (for another 6 weeks)
    5' 5.5"
    150 lbs
    Calorie goal ~1550
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
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    If you've lifted before, just make an educated guess.

    If not ... deadlifts and cleans are easier if you can start at 135, just because the bar is higher off the floor. But if that seems too heavy, 115 or 95 propped up is ok, too. Everything else, do the empty bar.

    "Press" is the overhead press.

    Power Cleans are a whole lot of fun - my favorite lift in any beginner program - but if your gym doesn't have bumper plates, I suggest you shift over to Stronglifts. You can do it as a 3x5 if you want to do it with lower volume.
  • bstall1976
    bstall1976 Posts: 19 Member
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    There is a formula for starting out. You find your 1 rm and use a percentage of that. The second press is Over Head press. For details about what accessory moves to do and what the formula is just Google it.
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
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    Rippetoe's rule (in the book) for determining weight is to start with the 5 reps with just the bar and continue 5 rep sets adding 5-10 lb increments until your feel the bar slow down (reps get slower and harder). Once it slows that is your first of 3 sets for that exercise.

    For the first couple of workouts you don't do power cleans, you do dead lifts every workout. Once your dead starts to outpace your squat by a wide margin then you switch to power cleans.

    You should be incrementing your dead more than your squats and squats more than presses on each workout. I don't know your strength but you might want to do 10 lbs on the dead and 5 lbs on the rest. Since you do squats every workout it builds up faster than the presses.

    If you take it seriously and follow the program you will probably be too wiped for the first part to continue the cardio :) just my experience anyway. Missed reps can happen when you do too much on your off days, ask me how I know.
  • TMagical
    TMagical Posts: 37 Member
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    Thanks for everyone's response!

    I was VERY close to trying SL5x5 and would love to hear how it works for you brisingr86!

    I have the feeling I will be googling & youtubing a lot in the next few weeks. I'm always worried about my squat form, I freak if I think my knees are anywhere near going past my toes. That was probably the single greatest thing about having a trainer. Well that & the fact that she was a security blanket once we would got to the free weight side of the gym.

    "For the first couple of workouts you don't do power cleans, you do dead lifts every workout. Once your dead starts to outpace your squat by a wide margin then you switch to power cleans."
    shor0814, can you expalin this just a bit more in depth (I'm derpy) ... does this mean that once I can do my dead lifts faster than squats to add the cleans?

    Also, I am really nervous about trying to finish C25k while starting this but I started it with a group and we are all trying to finish together. Perfect timing as this is the point where the runs become consistant at 20+ minutes with no walking breaks. But I will just be happy to finish, regardless if my run time suffers.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    Always err on the side of light and work your way up. If your gym has 10lb bumper plates for Deadlifts that would be ideal. If not, stack some plates or something to give yourself a better bar position. For the power cleans... you can always do them from the hang position. YouTube Power Cleans from the Hang and / or Hang Cleans. Rogue Fitness has a good and concise video for doing them from the floor and from the hang.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    Do you have the book Starting Strength? If not, I HIGHLY recommend you purchase it. All of the answers to your questions are in there. In fact, anyone who wants to start a 3x5 or 5x5 lifting program needs to read this book.
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
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    "For the first couple of workouts you don't do power cleans, you do dead lifts every workout. Once your dead starts to outpace your squat by a wide margin then you switch to power cleans."
    shor0814, can you expalin this just a bit more in depth (I'm derpy) ... does this mean that once I can do my dead lifts faster than squats to add the cleans?

    It means that once your dead weight becomes quite a bit more than your squat weight then add in the cleans. Most people can build up their dead faster than the squat so if you increment squats by 5 lbs you should increment deads by 10 lbs. Soon you will be lifting a lot more on your deads than squat.

    It also gives you time to work on deadlift form before you add the complexity of the clean.

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