[Article] Strength Programs - Starting Strength

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The Bill Starr Strength Factor Routine


From the Article "The Forgotten Factor: Strength" in Robert Kennedy's REPS! Magazine, Winter 2006 Edition, Page 104

Monday (Heavy Day)

Back Squats: 5 x 5 ramping to limit
Bench Press: 5 x 5 ramping to limit
Deadlifts: 5 x 5 ramping to limit or Bent-Over Rows: 5 x 5 ramping to limit
Incline Dumbbell Press: 2 x 20
Calf Raises: 3 x 30

Wednesday (Light Day)

Back Squats: 5 x 5 using 50 lbs less than Monday or Lunges: 4 x 6 ramping to limit
Good Mornings: 4 x 10 or Stiff-Leg Deadlifts: 4 x 10
Standing Overhead Press: 5 x 5 ramping to limit
Dips: When you can do 20 reps, start adding weight and drop the reps back to 8
Curls: 3 x 15
Friday (Medium Day)

Back Squats: 5 x 5 using 20 lbs less than Monday
Incline Bench Press: 5 x 5 ramping to limit
Shrugs: 5 x 5 ramping to limit or Clean High Pulls 5 x 5 ramping to limit
Straight Arm Pullovers: 2 x 20
Chins: 4 sets to failure

You can choose either of the optional back exercises and stick with them or set them up as follows and alternate:

Week A: Deadlifts, Good Mornings, Shrugs

Week B: Bent-Over Rows, Stiff-Leg Deadlifts, Clean High Pulls

After two or three weeks, you can add in back-off sets on all of the pressing exercises, squats, and lunges. No back-offs for any back movement. Should you want to work more on any back exercise, do another top-end set. If you get 5 reps on your top set, add weight next week.

 

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Bill Starr's "Big 3" Program


Monday – Heavy Day
Powerclean – 5 sets of 5
Bench – 5 sets of 5
Squat – 5 sets of 5

The heavy day sets the pace for the week. The rest of the week is based on the accomplishments of the heavy day. Increase the power clean and bench by 5 pounds each week, and the squat by 10. Do not increase the poundages unless you have successfully completed the prescribed number of reps the previous week. Workout weights are increased (pyramided) set to set by 10 to 20 pounds per set. Example: power clean 5 x 135, 5 x 155, 5 x 165, 5 x 175, 5 x 185.

Wednesday – Light Day
Powerclean – 5 sets of 5
Benchpress – 5 sets of 5
Squat – 5 sets of 5

Use the weight of the third set of the heavy day as the top end for the light day.

Friday - Medium
Powerclean – 5 sets of 5
Benchpress – 5 sets of 5
Squat – 5 sets of 5

Use the weight of the fourth set of the heavy day as the top end for the light day.

 

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Bill Starr's Beginner 5x5

Monday (Heavy Day - > 85%)
Back Squats: 5 x 5 Ramping to max set of 5 reps across 5 sets
Bench Press: 5 x 5 Ramping to max set of 5 reps across 5 sets
Deadlifts: 5 x 5 Ramping to max set of 5 reps across 5 sets
Wednesday (Light Day - <70%)
Back Squats: 5 x 5 using 60% of Monday's weight
Bench Press: 5 x 5 using 60% of Monday's weight
Pullups: 5 x 5 Ramping to max set across 5 sets
Friday (Medium Day - 70-85%)
Back Squats: 5 x 5 using 80% of Monday's weight
Bench Press: 5 x 5 using 80% of Monday's weight
Rows: 5 x 5 Ramping to max set across 5 sets

 

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Bill Starr's Beginners 5x5 Program 2


Monday – Heavy Day
Powercleans – 5 sets of 5
Bench – 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set ( add 10 rep pump sets after 8-12 weeks on program)
Squat – 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set
set 1 35% of target set 2 70% of target set 3 80% of target set 4 90% of target set 5 target

Wednesday – Light Day
Powercleans – 5 sets of 5
Bench – 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set
Squat – 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set
set 5 use weight from 3rd set of Monday

Friday - Medium
Powercleans – 5 sets of 5
Bench – 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set
Squat – 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set
set 5 use weight 4th set of Monday
Leg extensions and leg curls 1x20 and 1x10 OR 1 set of Stiff leg deadlift each workout 1 workset 10 reps
1 set of weighted situps

eventually this will feel like a power lifting contest so we change the basic set up:
Monday
Powerclean Heavy
Bench Medium
Squat Light

Wednesday
Powerclean Light
Bench Heavy
Squat Medium

Friday
Powerclean Medium
Bench Light
Squat Heavy

 

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Bill Starr's Beginners 5x5 Program 3


Monday - Heavy Day
Powercleans - 5 sets of 5
Bench - 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set ( add 10 rep pump sets after 8-12 weeks on program)
Squat - 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set
set 1 35% of target set 2 70% of target set 3 80% of target set 4 90% of target set 5 target

Wednesday - Light Day
Powercleans - 5 sets of 5
Incline Bench - 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set
Squat - 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set set 5 use weight from 3rd set of Monday

Friday - Medium
Powercleans - 5 sets of 5
Standing press - 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set
Squat - 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set set 5 use weight from 3rd set of Monday set 5 use weight 4th set of Monday

Leg extensions and leg curls 1x20 and 1x10 OR 1 set of Stiff leg deadlift each workout 1 workset 10 reps
1 set of weighted situps

 

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Twenty Rep Squat Routines

The Original 20 Rep Squat Program (John McCallum, 1968)


Behind-the-Neck Press: 3x12
Squat: 1x20
Pull-Overs: 1x20
Bench Press: 3x12
Bent-over Rows: 3x15
Stiff-legged Deadlift: 1x15
Pull-overs: 1x20

Scaled Down 20 Rep Squat Program


Squat: 1x20
Pull-Overs: 1x20
Stiff-legged Deadlift: 1x20
Dips: 2x10
Bent-over Rows: 2-3x15

20 Rep Squat Program 2


Squat: 1x20
Pull-Overs: 1x20
Conventional Deadlifts: 1x20
Chin-Ups: 1 set to failure
Dips: 2x10
Pull-Ups: 1 set to failure
Standing Press: 2-3x12

20 Rep Squat Program 3


Squat: 1x20
Pull-Overs: 1x20
Circuit training:
3 rounds of Chin-ups, Dips, and Sit-ups. Everything is taken to failure and 1 min rest is taken between exercises.

20 Rep Squat Program 4

Squat: 1x20
Pull-Overs: 1x20
Stiff-legged Deadlift: 1x20
Pull-overs: 1x20
Bench Press: 2-3x10
Bent-over Rows: 2-3x15
Standing Press: 2-3x12