Starting Strength: The Guide

Training
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He may or may not have figured out a strategy in the 7, nearly 8 years since he posted it, ha.

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When I have a mustache, Flanders is a doppelgÀnger.

Weird.

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Yeah I remember you telling me that lol.

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Finally I can unlock those beginner gains I’m still to experience

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Hi everyone. I was doing SS workout A today, but I had to do it backwards (starting with deadlift, then bench, then squat). I completed all my lifts. My deadlifts and bench were no trouble, but when it came to squatting I found that although I had the leg strength to push up the weight I squatted down with, I was struggling to hold and balance the weight on my back in a low-bar position. By the way, I squatted 205x5x3 today. Any tips?

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the rule I always go by is: you can deadlift with fatigued legs, but don’t squat with a fatigued lower back.

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Ah. That could be the reason. All the power racks were taken, so i decided to deadlift first. Mistake on my part. Thank you.

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shit happens; it’s more of a guideline than a rule.

Being adaptable in your workouts is a skill you need to learn. Crowded gyms are always going to force you to think on your feet.

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I know. Everyone was quarter-squatting and half-benching today. Couldn’t stand to watch it. Yuck. I was occupying my time pointing out injurious movements to myself.

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You’ll care less and less about that the more you train. When you first start to take things seriously you’ll look at the idiots in gyms in disbelief, but once you’ve been at it a while you won’t even notice anymore.

Do not, under any circumstances, start offering people unsolicited advice. Doesn’t matter how retarded they’re being. Just don’t do it.

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Nope. I mind my own business. But since I started taking weightlifting seriously, I realized how shitty my form used to be and how shitty some people’s form currently is. Yikes

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I was just thinking—how would I incorporate chins and pull-ups into SS? Because it’s the end of Week 1 on SS for me, and i’m unclear as to when and where exactly to implement them.

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Or if you been doing it too long you just say FUCK it and set up your own gym.

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Chins on OHP day. Broken record from the SS dudes, you should buy the book.

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Just finished reading it, didn’t know the programming went in phases. I’m currently 4 sessions into Phase 1 and I PRd on Squats and DL’s today. 3 x 5 x 225 on squats and 275 x 5 on DL’s. That last DL rep was hard, but it went up. :sweat_smile: Ready to crush 235 and 285 on Friday.

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Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve read it and not sure about phases. I think you’re talking more about adding in cleans and chins at certain points, and also about prolonging the NLP when you can’t add the recommended weight. It’s pretty simple until you start stalling, then you need to know how to micro load, and possibly how to switch to 3’s when needed, and when to go to HLM. It’s all about keeping the progression going as long as possible.

I believe I stalled around 260 on the squat, 205 on BP, around 135 on OHP and 260 or so on the DL. I didn’t have the patience to slow down the progression, to shift to HLM, so I switched over to 5/3/1 and proceeded to get weaker, lol - because I’m a pussy, not because 5/3/1 doesn’t work. I was also a little ignorant on programming 5/3/1. Keep in mind I am 54 years old so those numbers reflect my advanced age. Later, while doing 5/3/1, I maxed at 290 SQ, 225 BP, 315 DL, and 150 OHP. Respectable I think. The big key is form and technique. If you can’t hit five reps with good form, don’t add weight.

I took most of the Summer off and detrained quite a bit so I am running SS again. I started pretty light with an eye towards building up slowly so I can run this LP longer. I bought the app last time, reinstalled it yesterday, and appreciate it more now.

Just know that SS is way overhyped. It’s really not that complicated and is basically LP. Rip’s got quite a following, and I think it’s presented well, but it’s pretty basic knowledge, just packaged well. When things start to get tough, and you get confused or discouraged, post some questions and some of the really smart guys will help you out. Start a log!

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Thank you for all your feedback. I was referring to adding in power cleans and chins at a certain point when I mentioned “phases.” And SS 3 x 5 is basically a modified version of Bill Starr’s LP program. I will start a training log as well. Should I include today’s session? And as for the smart guys helping me out, I feel like I get a lot of condesending responses whenever I ask an honest question.

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Yes. Make it whatever you want.

This happens more in threads than in training logs.

Also, for what it’s worth, a lot of guys dismiss SS as a Johnny come lately, so they are somewhat patronizing. But, it’s also difficult to understand tone. A lot of guys come off as assholes, but they’re not. They’re just asking questions that make you examine your practice. Blindly following a program isn’t always the best, but then again, when you’re just starting, you’re better off “doing the program as written.” Just think about why you’re doing what you’re doing.

That’s why a log is a good thing. Most guys won’t flame you in a log. They’ll either ignore you or try to help.

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Thank you. Do you have any tips for me?