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Should I do Starting Strength?

nazzysmith said:
Do you dislike SS?

Perhaps the PTC novice program is more ideal?
Click to expand...

No, I don't dislike any program.

I think if the bloke who started the topic is interested in powerlifting then he should consult a gym focused on powerlifting.

But as far as just wanting to be strong and healthy then any abbreviated full body routine will meet his needs.
 
RyanF said:
Could you justify your position?
Click to expand...

Sure.

1) He recently took a year off.

2) His definition of "heavy weight" is 4 sets of 8 reps (also inferring later that his training is high intensity).

3) He tried the routine & felt like it was easy, even though he added weight to his lifts.

This indicates that he has some exciting, but completely unrealized, potential in the major lifts, and that his current training is not working towards that potential. My big presumption is that he wants to get stronger rather than faff on about body image issues. I could be wrong.
 
Thanks to everyone that replied.

The goal is size, my reason for SS is the posts and articles I've read about mass gains.

The goal isn't to complete in powerlifting, or should I say it wasn't, now you all have me thinking about where I am actually going with this. Its possible that I did post this in the wrong section as currently Im more focussed on gaining muscle mass

Currently I track my weight and size more than I track my lifts. I know what I lift on each exercise but I don't know when it changed as I don't log that. For the past couple of months my theory has been "If you can do 4x8 comfortably, add some weight".
I should add that before I took the year off my PB for bench was 3x120kg. I couldnt get near that now and my normal bench is 75kg. I'd like to get back to where I was, but I know after a year off its going to take some time.

I'm happy with my form for squat/bench/dead. I don't do powercleans as they are more technical and I have never had any training on them, while I have on the other three. Powercleans look like something that could cause a lot of damage if not done properly (as much as the other three I guess, but like I said, I'm happy with my form for the others).

I raised the weight this morning as my normal squat on leg day is 4x8x70kg (yup I bench more than I squat... spent too much time on upper body before my year off :eek: ), this morning, as I dropped the reps, I upped the weight to 75.

So, what I'm hearing is really that if want to powerlift, the SS will help me increase the weight in my lifts considerably. If I'm going down the bodybuilder track, then stick to what I have been doing.
 
Starting Strength is great if your goal is aesthetics
No reason to do a high volume program at all lol
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maunded said:
Thanks to everyone that replied.

The goal is size, my reason for SS is the posts and articles I've read about mass gains.

The goal isn't to complete in powerlifting, or should I say it wasn't, now you all have me thinking about where I am actually going with this. Its possible that I did post this in the wrong section as currently Im more focussed on gaining muscle mass

Currently I track my weight and size more than I track my lifts. I know what I lift on each exercise but I don't know when it changed as I don't log that. For the past couple of months my theory has been "If you can do 4x8 comfortably, add some weight".
I should add that before I took the year off my PB for bench was 3x120kg. I couldnt get near that now and my normal bench is 75kg. I'd like to get back to where I was, but I know after a year off its going to take some time.

I'm happy with my form for squat/bench/dead. I don't do powercleans as they are more technical and I have never had any training on them, while I have on the other three. Powercleans look like something that could cause a lot of damage if not done properly (as much as the other three I guess, but like I said, I'm happy with my form for the others).

I raised the weight this morning as my normal squat on leg day is 4x8x70kg (yup I bench more than I squat... spent too much time on upper body before my year off :eek: ), this morning, as I dropped the reps, I upped the weight to 75.

So, what I'm hearing is really that if want to powerlift, the SS will help me increase the weight in my lifts considerably. If I'm going down the bodybuilder track, then stick to what I have been doing.
Click to expand...


Spend some time at their forum.
 
maunded said:
The goal is size, my reason for SS is the posts and articles I've read about mass gains.
Click to expand...
People gain weight and get bigger on SS because Rippetoe prescribes eating and drinking enough to gain 10lb in 2 weeks. 3x5 1.5-3x/wk is not a magical formula for increased gains in muscle mass. Not to say that it won't put meat on your bones, but there's nothing special about it. Consistent effort, progressive overload, food and sleep are the primary ingrediants involved in building a bigger stronger body.
 
DCMusic said:
Sure.

1) He recently took a year off.

2) His definition of "heavy weight" is 4 sets of 8 reps (also inferring later that his training is high intensity).

3) He tried the routine & felt like it was easy, even though he added weight to his lifts.

This indicates that he has some exciting, but completely unrealized, potential in the major lifts, and that his current training is not working towards that potential. My big presumption is that he wants to get stronger rather than faff on about body image issues. I could be wrong.
Click to expand...
I almost always use "heavy" as relative to the reps being used, rather than relative to 1RM. So I have no problems with someone describing 4x8 as heavy.

However, in his update he did point out that the weights he's currently using are far behind where he was at before his lay-off, and used being "comfortable" as a sign to increase weight, and heavy isn't very comfortable.
 
All great info, and really just confirmed my own thoughts, Eat lots, train heavy and get plenty of rest.

I dont think I will do SS as a program, but I think sticking to the basic lifts will form the basis of my program for the next 3 months.

Thanks eveyone who commented!
 
Have you seen Layne Norton's PHAT routine? A lot of people here like it.....

I know this looks like a typical 'Mens Health' magazine article but the program is actually has a good reputation, and Layne is an intelligent guy Mega Feature: Layne Norton Training Series + Full Power/Hypertrophy Routine (Updated 2011) | SimplyShredded.com

I like any split which has you doing the main movements at lowish reps then higher reps on other stuff for hypertrophy. Examples would be PPP, 5/3/1, PHAT, Westside for Skinny Bastards, etc...

As a beginner starting again I would definitely do a full body routine, with limited sets, 2-3 times a week though. A split routine worked for me when it all just became too much for 1 day (4-5 hour workout)
 
I'm doing SS whilst trying to do my 1st ever cut and I hate it! Over the first 4 weeks even though on a calorie defecit I was going up in strength but have hit the plateus now and as my calories are reduced further it's getting harder to maintain the same strength.

I think it's a good program while cutting, I still get to hit all the major muscles and hopefulyl maintain as much strength and muscle as I can. But I hate squats now.
 
Snoochies said:
I'm doing SS whilst trying to do my 1st ever cut and I hate it! Over the first 4 weeks even though on a calorie defecit I was going up in strength but have hit the plateus now and as my calories are reduced further it's getting harder to maintain the same strength.

I think it's a good program while cutting, I still get to hit all the major muscles and hopefulyl maintain as much strength and muscle as I can. But I hate squats now.
Click to expand...

For natural atheletes I think SS is an excellent program to run when cutting!

Lifting heavy sets of 5 for as long as your cut runs

Plus

The addition of high protein intake
 
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