I'm going to be dialing it down for a few months to re-focus on the basics: barbell strength training.

I won't be following Rippetoe's gospel to a 'T', but I'll be close.

It goes 3x5 for the big movements (squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, bent-over row) and 2x8 for accessory lifts (dips, pull/chin-ups, abs, etc).  3x per week.  Simple, brutal.

I'll start Monday.

At what percentage of 1 RM are you planning on starting at?

I'll try to hover around 85%.  I'm not quite sure what my 5RM is, but I'll ramp up to it and go from there.  I'm actually just going to follow the program to the letter and do an A/B 3x5.  I've come full-circle.

A -
squats - 3x5
bench - 3x5
deadlift - 1x5
dips - 2x8

B -
squats - 3x5
standing press - 3x5
rows 3x5
chins - 2x8

I've heard great things about the Rippetoe program.  There's no way my body could handle squats 3x/week, but I love the simple routine outside of that.  Keep us posted, I'll be curious to hear how it works for you.

Looks interesting. I'm getting back into lifting and I may start this program in a month or so once I get past the doms soreness

From Bodybuilding.com

Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength Routine:

*note the dip/chin isnt in the original program

Here is a routine from Mark Rippetoe’s book called “Starting Strength”. You can buy the book at www.startingstrength.com. It includes endless useful info that all beginners should learn. But as for the program he suggests, his clients that he gives it to on AVERAGE gain 30-40 pounds in about 6 months or so which is amazing gains.

The program is as follows:

You alternate Workout A and Workout B every other day, 3 times a week. So you could either do Mon, Wed, Fri or Tues, Thurs. and Sat. Depending on what works best for you.

Example:

Week 1:

Monday - Workout A
Wednesday -Workout B
Friday - Workout A

Week 2:

Monday - Workout B
Wednesday - Workout A
Friday - Workout B

Etc.

For the actual workouts read below:

Note: This doesn’t include warm-up sets

**Means this is OPTIONAL**

Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift
**2x8 Dips (if you cant do these or no assist machine then do Decline Dumbbell Bench Press with your hands Facing each other)

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Standing military press
3x5 Pendlay or Bent Rows (or power cleans)
**2x8 Chin-ups (recommended mainly if doing the cleans)

Assistance work:

Most people cant get it through there head that compound lifts also work your arms Plenty and always Insist on direct arm work. As quoted by Madcow2, “Don't **** with this. Every bodybuilder seems to have Attention Deficit Disorder and an overwhelming desire to customize everything.” If you are one of these people note that you have the option of doing the dips and chins which give PLENTY of arm work. Abdominal work is fine to do also if needed.

I recommend weighted decline sit-ups and/or Hanging Leg Raises at 2x8-10.

Weight:

As for the weight, make sure that you use the SAME weight throughout the sets. For example if I do the first set if Squats with 200lbs then I do the other 2 sets of squats with 200lbs.

Every week make it a goal to increase each of your lifts by 2.5%. Meaning if I lifted 100lbs for my Bench Week 1 then Week 2 I would try for 102.5lbs. If I did 200lb Squats Week 1 I would try for 205lbs in Week 2. Sometimes you will be able to do more but don’t mess with your form just to lift more.

Warm-up Sets:

Before all your working sets it is best to do a few warm-up sets. Specifically for your first lift. You don’t have to do the whole thing for the other lifts but definitely the first.

What you do is you ramp your weight up to your working sets.

For example:

2x5xbar (sets x reps x weight)
1x5x85
1x3x125
1x2x155

And the working set weight would be 175.

If you are lifting your working sets under 150 I would cut out the 3rd warmup set of 1x5 because it wont be needed.

The Lifts:

**Used references and quotes from Madcow2 and Bodybuilding.com**

Barbell Squat: These should be full range Olympic style squats. Use the full range of your body - that means as low as you can go which for almost everyone is past parallel. If the top of your thighs aren't at least parallel it's for sh!t. If you think this is bad for your knees going low, you and whoever told you that are relying on an old wives tale. Anyone who knows the human body will tell you that below parallel is MUCH safer on the knees whereas parallel and above put all the sheer right on them and doesn’t allow proper transfer of the load to the rest of your body (this is how your body was designed).

Rest a barbell on the upper portion of your back, not your neck. Firmly grip the bar with your hands almost twice your shoulder width apart. Position your feet about shoulder width apart and your toes should be pointing just a little outward with your knees in the same direction. Keep your back as straight as possible and your chin up, bend your knees and slowly lower your hips straight down until your THIGHS ARE AT LEAST PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR. Once you reach the bottom position, press the weight up back to the starting position.

Video: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2003/barbellsquat.wvx

To be honest ATG (Ass to the Grass) squats work the best IMO. What you do is you go ALL the way down until your hamstrings touch your calves and keep the same Olympic squat form.

Barbell Deadlift: Each rep is deweighted fully on the floor. No touch and go. This is called the 'dead'lift because the weight is 'dead' on the ground. You can touch and go warm ups but that's it.

This is a very complicated exercise so here is bodybuilding.com’s detailed instructions on this lift.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exer...rbell+Deadlift

Video: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2003...ontofknees.wvx

Flat Barbell Bench Press: Lie on a flat bench and firmly position your feet flat on the floor a little more than shoulder width apart. Keep your back flat on the bench! Using a grip broader than shoulder width, hold the barbell above your body, then lower slowly to the middle of your chest. Without bouncing the weight off your chest, drive the barbell up over the middle of your chest until your arms are straight and your elbows are locked. Lower the bar down slowly.

Video: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2003...essideview.wvx

Standing Barbell Military Press: Standing overhead presses. Supporting weight overhead is a fundamental exercise and stimulates the whole body.
Raise barbell to your chest with your hands shoulder width apart. Lock your legs and hips. Keep your elbows in, slightly under your bar. Press bar to arm's length overhead. Lower to your upper chest or chin (depending on what is comfortable).

Bent Barbell Row: Raise barbell to your chest with your hands shoulder width apart. Lock your legs and hips. Keep your elbows in, slightly under your bar. Press bar to arm's length overhead. Lower to your upper chest or chin (depending on what is comfortable).

Video: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2003...barbellrow.wvx

You could also do Pendlay Rows which IMO are also better. This illustration below is a great demonstration for them (thanks for the pic Kethnaab!)  :
http://www.forum.bodybuilding.com/at...7&d=1140759947

Power Clean: This is also a very complicated exercise so here is bodybuilding.com’s detailed instructions on this lift.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exer...me=Power+Clean

Video: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/vide...powerclean.wvx

Chin-Up: Hold the chin-up bar with a supinated grip (palms facing you) with your hands about 6 to 8 inches apart. Pull yourself up and try to touch either your chin or upper chest to the bar. Return slowly to the starting position. Do NOT swing back and forth! Using this grip works more of your biceps than your back or lats.

Video: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/videos/2006/chinup.wvx

Dip: Using the parallel bars, grip the handles and push yourself up to your starting position. With elbows close to body and hips straight, lower body until shoulders are slightly stretched. Push body up in same posture and repeat. You can bend and cross your legs or keep them straight.

Video: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/vide...estversion.wvx

I've been on Rippetoes for about 6 months now.  It's worked great for me.  I've probably put on a good 10 lbs and lost a bunch of body fat.


I started out pretty strict with the A/B workout days but I've in the last couple of months, I've migrated to the "Gym workout" talked about on the Bodybuilding.com thread.

Chris

Is it a typo or are you really supposed to do squats on both "A" and "B" days?  There is no way I can squat that often.  I'm sore for like 4 days minimum after squatting.  

Originally Posted By Bhart89: Is it a typo or are you really supposed to do squats on both "A" and "B" days?  There is no way I can squat that often.  I'm sore for like 4 days minimum after squatting.

No typo.  If you're doing them correctly (and you don't have shit for a diet) DOMS shouldn't stick around that long though.  I've been squatting 2x per week but varying rap ranges, so my volume won't be much different.

Originally Posted By AGW: Originally Posted By Bhart89: Is it a typo or are you really supposed to do squats on both "A" and "B" days?  There is no way I can squat that often.  I'm sore for like 4 days minimum after squatting.   No typo.  If you're doing them correctly (and you don't have shit for a diet) DOMS shouldn't stick around that long though.  I've been squatting 2x per week but varying rap ranges, so my volume won't be much different.

With me it's not doms, it's just general fatigue around the hips.  I've gone from squatting twice/week (varying set/rep ranges) to just using squats in a rotation with DL, SLDL, good mornings & rack pulls.  We're all different, hopefully you recover better than I do.

On a side note, last Friday I supersetted the adductor/abductor machines after doing rack pulls - the first time I've ever used either machine.  Sunday & Monday I suffered the worst case of DOMS I've ever had in my life.  The searing pain in my groin even forced me to rebuff mrs. horsemeats sexual advances - resulting in cruel laughter on her part and pathetic moans of frustration on mine.  As if doing the exercise in a public place wasn't enough humiliation...

Only one set of deadlifts?

I know.  I'll make them worth it though.

Originally Posted By mmm_horsemeat: resulting in cruel laughter on her part and pathetic moans of frustration on mine.  As if doing the exercise in a public place wasn't enough humiliation...

LOL.  Meaning she snorted/chortled and said, "Shutup, meat-head" and pushed you onto the bed anyway?

Originally Posted By Chris_in_TX:
I've been on Rippetoes for about 6 months now.  It's worked great for me.  I've probably put on a good 10 lbs and lost a bunch of body fat.


Chris, About how long does it take you to do each workout?  Also is this something you have been doing by your self or do you often need a spot?

Originally Posted By Steve_T_M: Only one set of deadlifts?

You need to do 4 sets of warm ups though.  If I'm deadlifting 200 lbs, I'll do 5x85, 5x125, 5x150, 5x175 and finish with 5x200.

RF

Holy shit... that's all I'm saying.  I accidentally did 3 DL work sets, but I can see why Rippetoe only has newbs do 1.

Based on that schedule, I noticed there wasn't anything that worked the traps.  Are you just suppose to get stimulation from the dead lifts?

Yeah, and a tiny bit from the rows maybe.  If I'm leaned far enough over the bar before I pull, DL's hit my traps very well.  I feel it as a good deep stretch across my upper back afterward when I'm rounding over to tie shoes or something.  

ETA: If you shrug at the top of an overhead press to complete the ROM, you can hit traps too.  More than rows, for sure.

Originally Posted By Billy2: Originally Posted By Chris_in_TX: I've been on Rippetoes for about 6 months now.  It's worked great for me.  I've probably put on a good 10 lbs and lost a bunch of body fat. Chris, About how long does it take you to do each workout?  Also is this something you have been doing by your self or do you often need a spot?

At first I was done and out in less than an hour. These days with warm-up on the bike and stretching afterwards, it's about an hour and a half.  

I've been needing a spot on bench presses, I'm a bit weak on the upper body so far. You should be able to get a spot from most people in the gym unless they're being a jerk.

The bodybuilding.com thread is a great resource and Rippetoe just published a 2nd edition of Starting Strength with lots of new material.  Worth buying IMO.

Chris

Originally Posted By refurb: Originally Posted By Steve_T_M: Only one set of deadlifts? You need to do 4 sets of warm ups though.  If I'm deadlifting 200 lbs, I'll do 5x85, 5x125, 5x150, 5x175 and finish with 5x200. RF

True.  When you start pushing yourself, you really won't want to do another work set. I know I didn't today.  

Chris

I've managed to make steady progress all week.  Rippetoe's program is what I started on way back, but I never thought I could come back to it and actually use it to break plateaus.
The bar flexed on every lift, every day this week. I even managed to get an eleiko bar to whip on the OH presses.

Originally Posted By VTHOKIESHOOTER: Based on that schedule, I noticed there wasn't anything that worked the traps.  Are you just suppose to get stimulation from the dead lifts?

Power cleans

Did a major good morning out of a squat today.   Not too happy about that, but I noted it and moved on.  At this rate, I'm a week away from a new deadlift PR.  

Is all the squatting catching up to you or do you like the program as is?

Been off now for a week. Going to start the same program, but since I have a propensity to overtrain, I am going to do it 2X a week for 3 weeks and see how it works..

Originally Posted By mmm_horsemeat: Is all the squatting catching up to you or do you like the program as is?

I'm doing ok, but it's making me not want to run as much.  My calves get a little sore after my runs, then getting down in the hole puts a hard stretch on them.

That actually sounds like a reasonable excuse to stop running.  I will feel free to pull that out the next time my neighbor asks me to run with him.  On that subject, in about two weeks I will start cutting weight and I'm looking for some relatively high impact cardio exercises to work into an interval routine.  Preferably they will be bodyweight exercises that won't interfere with recovery from weight training (so, no pullups, pushups, etc.).  Any suggestions?

Originally Posted By mmm_horsemeat: Preferably they will be bodyweight exercises that won't interfere with recovery from weight training (so, no pullups, pushups, etc.).  Any suggestions?

I don't know if this kind of thing is necessarily up your alley... www.nike.com/usnikefootball/ Click on "Training", "SPARQ", and any video you like.  They're all great fundamentals that can kick your ass.  Lifting compliments the explosiveness aspect, too.

Other basics like jumping rope, high knees, speed/heavy bagging.  You can work up a pretty intense recovery (yaeh right) workout blending a few of these.

Interesting - thanks!

Well I did my first "A" workout this evening.  Man I was gassed! Going from squats to dl to bench about killed me.  Going to be interesting to see how this regimen pans out.  I hope my legs and knees can handle all of the squats and still be able to run around in the woods 5days/week.

Work on lifting from your glutes and hams out of the hole (being careful to ascend all at once, don't GM like I did).  This is where you see most people develop knee problems.

Originally Posted By AGW: Work on lifting from your glutes and hams out of the hole (being careful to ascend all at once, don't GM like I did).  This is where you see most people develop knee problems.

Perhaps this is why me knees are aching this morning.

Squat Rx 2

Check this out.  Watch them all just for fun.  If your butt isn't the first thing rising out of the hole (as if being pushed from the bottom), you may benefit from learning how not to get stuck in the 'good morning' position.

Well looks like that is what happened to me last night on my last rep, it seemed like my weight was going forward on me.

Damn, squats are hard.

I have the form on the way down all squared away, guess I need to focus on coming out of the hole now.  Hopefully I didn't do any harm to my knees last night.  First time in a while that I have had to take Aleve for joint pain.

You probably just irritated some cartilage, you're just not a youngin'.  Don't worry about it, just focus on a slow descent, watching your alignment.  Ascending, focus on firing your glutes and hams to get up to about parallel where the load gets passed to your quads.

Originally Posted By AGW: Squat Rx 2 Check this out.  Watch them all just for fun.  If your butt isn't the first thing rising out of the hole (as if being pushed from the bottom), you may benefit from learning how not to get stuck in the 'good morning' position.

That was good stuff!  I spent nearly 2 hours last night watching all of his video's.  Looks like part of the problem I had was that I have been using a low bar position for squats, not a high one.

Back at it tonight.  Legs don't feel too sore today, infact I am hardly sore at all.

Last night was a good workout!  Before starting my working sets of squats I again just squated the bar and looking in the mirror for good form.  What I have never done before is to watch myself in the mirror from the side.

I now know how to squat with my hams and gluts.  Going up you need to squeeze your ass together.

I really like this new routine.  It is much more flexible to my schedule than my previous one.  I miss I day nothing changes, nothing is set back.  I was going to tone it down to 2 a week but I am going to get a 3rd in tomorrow.

Where in the program, and what type of cardio are you guys integrating into this?  

Originally Posted By Muad_Dib: Where in the program, and what type of cardio are you guys integrating into this?

I hardly do cardio.  Most of my days at work involve cruising timber so I am trudging up mountainsides day after day.  Sometimes when I have a slow week I will do a mile run on the off days.

Originally Posted By Muad_Dib: Where in the program, and what type of cardio are you guys integrating into this?

I do my running on the other 3 days a week I'm not lifting.  Tues/Thurs/Sat.

One day is a HIIT/fartlek speed training day, the next is a ~5k, repeat.

Originally Posted By AGW: I do my running on the other 3 days a week I'm not lifting.  Tues/Thurs/Sat. One day is a HIIT/fartlek speed training day, the next is a ~5k, repeat.

That's almost exactly what I've been doing.  Have you had any over training problems with all the squats and running?

Not yet... they've been complimenting each other pretty well so far.

And I sleep like a fuckin dog.

ETA: I should point out that my running tends to recruit more hamstring involvement than anything else, so I'm not suffering constant doms in my quads.

Originally Posted By VTHOKIESHOOTER: Well I did my first "A" workout this evening.  Man I was gassed! Going from squats to dl to bench about killed me.  Going to be interesting to see how this regimen pans out.  I hope my legs and knees can handle all of the squats and still be able to run around in the woods 5days/week.

You have the exercises in the wrong order.

Try it like this.  It'll give your legs a little time to recover.

Squat

Bench

DL

Chris

Was supposed to have hit the gym today but a) was too tired from the steep ass mountain side I was on yesterday and b)was invited to join a private shooting range that I have been dying to get into.

Will hit it again tomorrow.

I'm coming close to hitting a wall on my bench.  I'll carry today's weight over to Wednesday and probably reset soon.

Squats are still going strong, but I have to say I've made the biggest improvement with my OH presses.  The past 5 workouts, even with my 5RM, the weight still flies up.

I was already to hit the gym last night.  However the wife was in a "frisky" mood.  So instead of weight training, I got some good cardio in..  Will report in tonight.

Now that's the Tabata exercise I'm looking for!  20 seconds of high intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest - repeat for eight sets.  You're done in 4 minutes!  I get the workout I'm looking for and the wife gets two more minutes than she's used to - total win-win scenario.

Geeze.  Between her sciatica and the flu... you guys are making me jealous.

Sciatica?  No problem.  Tell her you've stumbled upon a radical new therapy for treating her pain that was discovered by trainers for the Chinese Olympic gymnastic team.  The most important thing to her successful recovery is total compliance.  Sessions continue until she is either pain free or you need a sandwich.  If she complains that the pain is still there, you can just say that she must not have been compliant enough.

This one is more of a win scenario, rather than win-win.

I've been lifting for over 20 years and I still get DOMS to the point where I can only squat about once every 5 days.  My current routine has me hitting legs once every 9 days but between squat days I'm doing deadlifts 4 days after squatting which really kills my hams.

Lifting went ok last night.  However I was forced to share the  squat rack with another guy.  For some reason I was having trouble with the squats.  Well after I finished my last set and started taking the weight off I realized that the guy who was working in with me had put the wrong weight on.  I had an extra 12.5lbs on my left side.  Dumb ass either couldn't add, read or just didn't give a shit.


The one exercise that I seem to really excel at are dips.  Something I have also noticed.  The average person who does dips, does them about as good as squats, they add on a 45lb plate and  bend their arms about 1/4 of the way.

ETA I also deviated from the plan due to gym crowding; while waiting for either a bench to open up or the dips to be free I did some dumbbell shoulder shrugs.

My weight is moving up on squats.  Last night I was able to do 150lbs as my working set though I was wondering if i was going to be able to get that last rep on t he last set up or not.  I had a spotter so  that took my mind off what to do with the weight and allowed me to put a good rep in.  This routine seems to be really working my delts too, noticeable difference there.

The only thing that has me puzzled is how lackluster my pull ups are.  On my previous routine I started out my back workout with pull ups and was able to do 10 per set no problem, now I struggle to get 5 out.  Since I am doing pull ups last, is there a chance that I am just used up?  Should I change the order up in order to get  good sets of pull ups?

Originally Posted By AGW: Yeah, and a tiny bit from the rows maybe.  If I'm leaned far enough over the bar before I pull, DL's hit my traps very well.  I feel it as a good deep stretch across my upper back afterward when I'm rounding over to tie shoes or something.   ETA: If you shrug at the top of an overhead press to complete the ROM, you can hit traps too.  More than rows, for sure.

+1.  Overhead presses hit my traps just fine.  I don't have to shrug for that to happen, just move my head forward so that my neck is under the bar once I get the bar overhead.