Day 1 of Starting Strength Novice - Yoga to get rid of DOMS? (newbie question)
natalie3505
Posts: 169 Member
I'm thinking of incorporating Yoga into Starting Strength. Has anyone had success in that helping with the soreness? I think for now 3 days per week of lifting may be too much for me and I've always been interested in yoga, so maybe swap that out for a lifting day? What Yoga youtube videos are your favorites? My gym does not offer classes and I am very limited on funds. Thank you in advance! 
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Replies
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The more you lift the less DOMS will bother you as your muscles adapt to the new usage.
Personally, and there was no research supporting it when I looked, I found that more protein helped me. I used to get only 70g a day. When I upped my minimum to 100g (which is 1g per lb of lean body mass for me), my DOMS lessened considerably.2 -
DOMS go away with consistently working out. You could add yoga for flexibility, but if you drop a lifting day you're not going to get the benefits you should be. There's not a lot of overall work in SL to only be doing 2 days as a novice.0
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If your doing SL 5x5 twice a week you are no longer doing SL 5x5 - you're doing "your own thing".
I know it sounds like semantics but SL is set up in a specific way to work for new lifters regardless of their initial strength, you should try to follow it to the letter.
I've heard people say that yoga works for them in reducing DOMS, so go for it - as and addition to your lifting days.2 -
Some of my worst DOMS felt better when I lifted through them. That said, yoga at home bores me to death (I'd rather go to a studio), but I like Lesley Fightmaster's YouTube channel.1
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aspirin, magnesium, potassium and foam roller0
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Read This:
Top 10 Mistakes People Following Starting Strength Make
Basically, DO THE PROGRAM (or one of the variants) AS WRITTEN. Do not start with a weight too heavy (point#2 of the top link, you will stall too soon), do it 3 days a week, and steadily increase the weight lifted.
DOMS (delay on set muscle soreness) = introducing something new to your body. Once you get into this program, you will be squatting heavy 3 times a week and you WILL NOT feel sore anymore. Soreness is not an indicator of how hard you worked.
So do stretching for your tight areas (hips, hamstrings, gluts, calves), but don't go all yoga crazy. Perhaps when you have 2 rest days, you can do yoga on the first. Recovery between workouts is a BIG part of this program. More is not better, better is better.
P.S. As for the weight lifted on day one, you should have started with the bar, do 5 quality reps, add 5lbs, do 5 more reps, repeat until the bar STARTS to slow, in which case this is your new 'work set'. Do 2 more sets at that weight.
When you come back the next day, increase that weight by 5lbs (or 10lbs if you are still new/ the weight is relatively light and can increase quickly).
You should know this. If you didn't do some reading so you know WHY the program is written the way it is, and you won't change it and unknowingly lose the benefits.
Edit:
Goals: You should be able to reach 3 sets of 5 reps of: ~1xbodyweight bench, ~1.5xbodyweight squat, ~0.75xbodyweight overhead press, and 1 set of 5 reps of ~1.5to2 x bodyweight deadlift. This program will get you there in between 3 to 9 months. Once you are a month or two into it, you can add abs and curls in for some vanity work (and your body is used to the stress of the original exercises by that point).2 -
I do yoga often and tbh it doesnt help too much with your DOMs, the only way to stop the pain is by taking aspirin and staying consistent with your workouts, because the more your workout the more you tolerate the muscle soreness.
Also maybe start lifting light weights and gradually add more weights.
If you are looking for a good yoga channel on youtube, I recommend yoga with Adrien, she has lots of yoga videos for beginners.0 -
HamsterManV2 wrote: »Edit:
Goals: You should be able to reach 3 sets of 5 reps of: ~1xbodyweight bench, ~1.5xbodyweight squat, ~0.75xbodyweight overhead press, and 1 set of 5 reps of ~1.5to2 x bodyweight deadlift. This program will get you there in between 3 to 9 months. Once you are a month or two into it, you can add abs and curls in for some vanity work (and your body is used to the stress of the original exercises by that point).
Hey I just started SL 5x5 and found your post to be quite informative! What would you think the Barbell row's goal should be for a person (particularly female) and can you provide where you found this knowledge/figured it out? I really want to set some realistic goals for myself and these numbers sound a little daunting for me but if they are doable in that timeframe with consistent training and good food, I'm excited for the possibilities!0 -
HamsterManV2 wrote: »Read This:
Top 10 Mistakes People Following Starting Strength Make
Basically, DO THE PROGRAM (or one of the variants) AS WRITTEN. Do not start with a weight too heavy (point#2 of the top link, you will stall too soon), do it 3 days a week, and steadily increase the weight lifted.
DOMS (delay on set muscle soreness) = introducing something new to your body. Once you get into this program, you will be squatting heavy 3 times a week and you WILL NOT feel sore anymore. Soreness is not an indicator of how hard you worked.
So do stretching for your tight areas (hips, hamstrings, gluts, calves), but don't go all yoga crazy. Perhaps when you have 2 rest days, you can do yoga on the first. Recovery between workouts is a BIG part of this program. More is not better, better is better.
P.S. As for the weight lifted on day one, you should have started with the bar, do 5 quality reps, add 5lbs, do 5 more reps, repeat until the bar STARTS to slow, in which case this is your new 'work set'. Do 2 more sets at that weight.
When you come back the next day, increase that weight by 5lbs (or 10lbs if you are still new/ the weight is relatively light and can increase quickly).
You should know this. If you didn't do some reading so you know WHY the program is written the way it is, and you won't change it and unknowingly lose the benefits.
Edit:
Goals: You should be able to reach 3 sets of 5 reps of: ~1xbodyweight bench, ~1.5xbodyweight squat, ~0.75xbodyweight overhead press, and 1 set of 5 reps of ~1.5to2 x bodyweight deadlift. This program will get you there in between 3 to 9 months. Once you are a month or two into it, you can add abs and curls in for some vanity work (and your body is used to the stress of the original exercises by that point).
Well to be fair the program is written as it is because Mehdi liked to flirt with Starr on the phone, or at least that's what you can gather from the site.0 -
Well to be fair the program is written as it is because Mehdi liked to flirt with Starr on the phone, or at least that's what you can gather from the site.
You (and others) are confusing Medhi's Stonglifts (SL) with Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength (SS).
The OP said that she is doing Starting Strength and the quoted text was written by a staff person from Starting Strength.
I use to do SL but switched to SS. The differences between the 2 programs are superficially minor but the differences in the details are important which is why, when you are just beginning SS, you should try to stick to the program.
PS: Bill Starr died in 1991, 16 years b4 Medhi founded SL. So, I doubt he did any flirting w/Starr on the phone or otherwise.
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Well to be fair the program is written as it is because Mehdi liked to flirt with Starr on the phone, or at least that's what you can gather from the site.
You (and others) are confusing Medhi's Stonglifts (SL) with Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength (SS).
The OP said that she is doing Starting Strength and the quoted text was written by a staff person from Starting Strength.
I use to do SL but switched to SS. The differences between the 2 programs are superficially minor but the differences in the details are important which is why, when you are just beginning SS, you should try to stick to the program.
PS: Bill Starr died in 1991, 16 years b4 Medhi founded SL. So, I doubt he did any flirting w/Starr on the phone or otherwise.
^^True. I assumed OP was on SL. It's rare to hear of someone following SS (although awesome) these days... most use SL.0
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