Posted: 4/30/2012 10:23:48 AM EDT
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I am starting this program and I have a few questions.
I am in "decent shape" and I have been going to the gym about 5 days a week for a month or two. Just kind of goofing off, doing random "bro curls" and cardio. I want to get more serious about it. I need to lose a couple inches on my waist, and I want to improve my overall strength and muscle mass/tone. I did my first "A" workout (squats, bench, and deadlifts) on Friday. My legs have been KILLING me ever since. I am feeling maybe 80 percent better now. I am supposed to do my first "B" workout (squats, press, and rows) today. I am having a hard time imagining going into squats with my legs as sore as they are at the moment, especially with an added 5 or 10 pounds. Would it be appropriate to tough it out and give it a shot, or smarter to skip the squats today and just do press, rows, and spend some time on an eliptical runner? I know the SS FAQ addresses this, but it REALLY doesn't seem like this has enough arm work in it. For those of you who have used this program, what do you think about this topic? Thanks |
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Tough it out, your legs will be feeling better after some stretching and warm up sets. Just wait until you really start pushing your maxes, DOMs is one thing, but feeling like you got trampled by a bull every other day is another (make sure you eat enough to avoid that, I didn't). Another question just for clarity is what are your starting weights and how did you come up with them?
I did 3 evolutions of SS in the last year and half. My first time I started at a lower weight than typically recommened so DOMs wasn't much of an issue. After a sidetrack with P90x, I came back to SS and the first 6 weeks fucking sucked. I knew my 5RM from before and wanted to get back to them as quck as possible so I pushed hard. I think a couple of the senior guys would recommend fish oil or xtend? to help overcome the soreness but listen to them on that stuff. |
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Quoted: I am starting this program and I have a few questions. I am in "decent shape" and I have been going to the gym about 5 days a week for a month or two. Just kind of goofing off, doing random "bro curls" and cardio. I want to get more serious about it. I need to lose a couple inches on my waist, and I want to improve my overall strength and muscle mass/tone. I did my first "A" workout (squats, bench, and deadlifts) on Friday. My legs have been KILLING me ever since. I am feeling maybe 80 percent better now. I am supposed to do my first "B" workout (squats, press, and rows) today. I am having a hard time imagining going into squats with my legs as sore as they are at the moment, especially with an added 5 or 10 pounds. Would it be appropriate to tough it out and give it a shot, or smarter to skip the squats today and just do press, rows, and spend some time on an eliptical runner? I know the SS FAQ addresses this, but it REALLY doesn't seem like this has enough arm work in it. For those of you who have used this program, what do you think about this topic? Thanks I don't know about this "SS" being referenced, but you aren't going to be hampered by presses and rows. You're still incorporating biceps and triceps while actively using the lats and pecs. As for the other, make sure you're drinking enough water, and you do a good warm up cardio/stretch before doing legs again. I've usually never worked the same muscle groupd (especially the largest one like legs) without at least 4 days rest. But that's just me and how I lift. YMMV.
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Know the difference between sore and injury. If you're just sore then push through it. If you really think there is an injury, or a borderline injury then adjust as needed. Get your nutrition in order, as well as post workout recovery...protein, foam roller, enough sleep, are all essential for good recovery. Forget the bro curls. You'll get all you need to from press, bench and some supplementary pullups and dips. |
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Kind of embarassing but here goes...
Squats I ramped up 1 set of 5 with no weight, 1 set with just the bar, then bar+20lbs, then bar+50, then bar+60, then I did my 3 working sets with bar+90lbs. I am under the impression that if you eat clean and don't go overboard, it is reasonable to expect to be able to lose some spare tire while making strength gains on a program like this. Am I incorrect? |
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Quoted: Kind of embarassing but here goes... Squats I ramped up 1 set of 5 with no weight, 1 set with just the bar, then bar+20lbs, then bar+50, then bar+60, then I did my 3 working sets with bar+90lbs. I am under the impression that if you eat clean and don't go overboard, it is reasonable to expect to be able to lose some spare tire while making strength gains on a program like this. Am I incorrect? Just another thing that the experts debate all day long. Many feel you can either cut or bulk. Others feel like you can add lean mass mass while cutting fat at the same time. I think it really depends on your body type. Are you naturally skinny and only have some fat around the midsection, or have you been overweight/obese with very little lean mass all your life? If you're eating good, with the heavy lifts, you're going to be burning fat as well as increasing your strength. But will you continue to add lean mass if you're in a daily caloric deficit? That's the big question. I personally believe you can make small gains that way. But you're not going to be adding 15lbs. a year of lean mass a year and shredding fat at the same time, IMO.
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Quoted: Quoted: Kind of embarassing but here goes... Squats I ramped up 1 set of 5 with no weight, 1 set with just the bar, then bar+20lbs, then bar+50, then bar+60, then I did my 3 working sets with bar+90lbs. I am under the impression that if you eat clean and don't go overboard, it is reasonable to expect to be able to lose some spare tire while making strength gains on a program like this. Am I incorrect? Just another thing that the experts debate all day long. Many feel you can either cut or bulk. Others feel like you can add lean mass mass while cutting fat at the same time. I think it really depends on your body type. Are you naturally skinny and only have some fat around the midsection, or have you been overweight/obese with very little lean mass all your life? If you're eating good, with the heavy lifts, you're going to be burning fat as well as increasing your strength. But will you continue to add lean mass if you're in a daily caloric deficit? That's the big question. I personally believe you can make small gains that way. But you're not going to be adding 15lbs. a year of lean mass a year and shredding fat at the same time, IMO. Agreed. It can be done, but progress in both directions is slow, and diet has to be just about perfect. |
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(1) Push through the DOMS. By the end of your warmup sets, it will be pretty much gone. (2) The bar + 90 = 135. Or you can just call it "1 plate." 225, "2 plate;" etc. (3) Some people joke about SS causing its followers to go "T. Rex mode," i.e., big legs, little arms. That's all it is––a joke. Just do the program: lift heavy, lift consistently, eat enough. You'll like the results. (4) My experience with three months of SS was going from squatting 145 to squatting 295. I gained zero weight. I was chunky to start out, and I was less chunky at the end of it. SS works. Just put your faith in the program and follow it until you stop making gains.
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I'm not sure what you would call my body type. I am 5' 9" and I weighed about 150 at age 18. I was very, very skinny.
Now I am 25 and 185. I'd describe my weight loss goals as just losing a little flab around the stomach and love handles. A year ago I was doing a ton of cardio and bro curls. I was about 170, very slim but still hand some muscle mass. I'd consider that the best shape I've been in. I want to get back to something like that but actually be STRONG and not just look good with a shirt off. |
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Quoted: I'm not sure what you would call my body type. I am 5' 9" and I weighed about 150 at age 18. I was very, very skinny. Now I am 25 and 185. I'd describe my weight loss goals as just losing a little flab around the stomach and love handles. A year ago I was doing a ton of cardio and bro curls. I was about 170, very slim but still hand some muscle mass. I'd consider that the best shape I've been in. I want to get back to something like that but actually be STRONG and not just look good with a shirt off. Sounds like SS will serve you well, then. |
Well, I took the advice to do a little light cardio, stretch out, and power through. It went just fine! I even added 2.5 lbs on each side. The military presses went well, though I am embarrassed with the amount of weight I was pressing 
The best-over rows really felt good, except for the fact that maintaining my form really burned my quads which are still sore as heck from Friday's deadlifts. Tomorrow I will get some cardio in via a pickup beach volleyball game with friends, and then I will hit the "A" day workout again on Wed. Next week I am going to be at a trade show in Vegas all week Mon-Fri. I will be able to get a workout in on Friday, but I will be at a hotel Mon and Wed. I am sure they will have a fitness area, but I doubt they will have a squat rack. Lacking that, what kind of exercises will best approximate squats on those days? |
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Quoted: Well, I took the advice to do a little light cardio, stretch out, and power through. It went just fine! I even added 2.5 lbs on each side. The military presses went well, though I am embarrassed with the amount of weight I was pressing The best-over rows really felt good, except for the fact that maintaining my form really burned my quads which are still sore as heck from Friday's deadlifts. Tomorrow I will get some cardio in via a pickup beach volleyball game with friends, and then I will hit the "A" day workout again on Wed. Next week I am going to be at a trade show in Vegas all week Mon-Fri. I will be able to get a workout in on Friday, but I will be at a hotel Mon and Wed. I am sure they will have a fitness area, but I doubt they will have a squat rack. Lacking that, what kind of exercises will best approximate squats on those days? Nice job. Be sure to keep good form on the bent over rows. That's how I got my stress fracture in my low back. For the squats, if they have dumbells, you could do dumbells squats instead of with a bar. |
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Quoted:
Well, I took the advice to do a little light cardio, stretch out, and power through. It went just fine! I even added 2.5 lbs on each side. The military presses went well, though I am embarrassed with the amount of weight I was pressing
The best-over rows really felt good, except for the fact that maintaining my form really burned my quads which are still sore as heck from Friday's deadlifts. Tomorrow I will get some cardio in via a pickup beach volleyball game with friends, and then I will hit the "A" day workout again on Wed. Next week I am going to be at a trade show in Vegas all week Mon-Fri. I will be able to get a workout in on Friday, but I will be at a hotel Mon and Wed. I am sure they will have a fitness area, but I doubt they will have a squat rack. Lacking that, what kind of exercises will best approximate squats on those days? There are about 120 gyms in Vegas. Pay for a day pass, get your squat on! 
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| Starting Strength is awsome. Only "flaw" I saw was no deloading periods built into program. Just hammer along till failure and reset. Then hammer along again. I lasted 12 weeks before switching over to Bill Starr's 5x5. Hizzie's Starting Strength Journal DOMS? I can't SS made my legs very sore till the end of the cycle. Even then it was more of CNS burnout. If you read a bunch of SS Journals over on BB.com you will notice 2 trends: 1) Guys followed the program exactly and had amazing progress. 2) Guys who didn't follow the program exactly and had lousy progress or got hurt. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Well, I took the advice to do a little light cardio, stretch out, and power through. It went just fine! I even added 2.5 lbs on each side. The military presses went well, though I am embarrassed with the amount of weight I was pressing
The best-over rows really felt good, except for the fact that maintaining my form really burned my quads which are still sore as heck from Friday's deadlifts. Tomorrow I will get some cardio in via a pickup beach volleyball game with friends, and then I will hit the "A" day workout again on Wed. Next week I am going to be at a trade show in Vegas all week Mon-Fri. I will be able to get a workout in on Friday, but I will be at a hotel Mon and Wed. I am sure they will have a fitness area, but I doubt they will have a squat rack. Lacking that, what kind of exercises will best approximate squats on those days? Nice job. Be sure to keep good form on the bent over rows. That's how I got my stress fracture in my low back. For the squats, if they have dumbells, you could do dumbells squats instead of with a bar. Thanks. I think my form is pretty good on that exercise. The proper form is the only way I can get to where I feel it in my lats as well as arms, and get that "explosive" kind of lift. I took a fish oil cap after my workout as well. I'll do this post-workiut from now on. |
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Quoted:
(1) Push through the DOMS. By the end of your warmup sets, it will be pretty much gone. (2) The bar + 90 = 135. Or you can just call it "1 plate." 225, "2 plate;" etc. (3) Some people joke about SS causing its followers to go "T. Rex mode," i.e., big legs, little arms. That's all it is––a joke. Just do the program: lift heavy, lift consistently, eat enough. You'll like the results. (4) My experience with three months of SS was going from squatting 145 to squatting 295. I gained zero weight. I was chunky to start out, and I was less chunky at the end of it. SS works. Just put your faith in the program and follow it until you stop making gains. HAHA! I've never heard "T-Rex Mode" reference before. I was in the military with a guy the exact opposite. The dude was jacked like Arnold in his prime on his upper body and his legs were like skinny little toothpicks. Seriously, his legs were like a skinny runner or something. It was cartoony, freakish looking. |
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Don't be ashamed of a pathetic OHP....my best ever is 135 even though I dead lift in the mid 400's  You girl. 
Seriously, though, don't be embarrassed- if you were already a beast you wouldn't need Starting Strength and would be on your own program or something entirely different. Remember, you lift to get strong[er] and strong is not strong enough. Be sure to warm up plenty before, stretch hard, lift hard, and eat enough. Be ready to gain some mass- if you're doing it right you'll be trading non-functional mass for functional mass. Pay attention to the measuring tape and your lifts, not the bathroom scale. Also, purely losing fat is more about diet than exercise- it's been argued many times before, but it is damned hard to out train a shitty diet. Eating right to lose weight is easy enough- like I said in a previous thread, don't stray too far from the butcher case or the produce section at the grocery and you'll be fine. |
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I guess I might as well keep this thread going, cuz I know I fill have more questions in the next few weeks. Last night I did 20 minutes of light cardio on the eliptical at the gym, then I did some yoga/stretching on the mats.
From there I went and met up friends for volleyball. Non-intense, non-competitive friendly volleyball. I feel really good today. A little sore all over but nothing like I was feeling during the day Monday. I think yesterday's outdoor fun really helped keep me from getting sore and stiff. Tonight I am going to go to the store and buy stuff to make lettuce-bun burgers for lunch and dinner thursday and friday. After that I will go to the gym and Add another 5-10 lbs to my squat Add another 5 lbs to my bench Add another 5 lbs to my deadlift My burger idea: 1/4 pound of 90/10 burger 1 strip of thick-cut bacon 1 slice of grilled zuccini onions, maybe some diced up habeneros All on a lettuce "bun" drenched in mustard Cheese or no cheese, that is the question! What nutritious/filling stuff would you add? |
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Quoted: I guess I might as well keep this thread going, cuz I know I fill have more questions in the next few weeks. Last night I did 20 minutes of light cardio on the eliptical at the gym, then I did some yoga/stretching on the mats. From there I went and met up friends for volleyball. Non-intense, non-competitive friendly volleyball. I feel really good today. A little sore all over but nothing like I was feeling during the day Monday. I think yesterday's outdoor fun really helped keep me from getting sore and stiff. Tonight I am going to go to the store and buy stuff to make lettuce-bun burgers for lunch and dinner thursday and friday. After that I will go to the gym and Add another 5-10 lbs to my squat Add another 5 lbs to my bench Add another 5 lbs to my deadlift My burger idea: 1/4 pound of 90/10 burger 1 strip of thick-cut bacon 1 slice of grilled zuccini onions, maybe some diced up habeneros All on a lettuce "bun" drenched in mustard Cheese or no cheese, that is the question! What nutritious/filling stuff would you add? Avocado...rooster sauce. Goat cheese is amazing on burgers too BTW....  |
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My burger idea: 1/2 pound of 85/15 burger per patty (x2) 3 strip of thick-cut bacon per patty 1 slice of grilled zucchini <–––––––––––––– I could live without this, but might be good with sauteed spinach instead grilled or caramelized onions Mustard and/or BBQ sauce All on a lettuce "bun" Wheat bun if ya gotta Cheese- pepper jack or cheddar/jack mix What nutritious/filling stuff would you add? GREEN CHILE SALSA OR GUACAMOLE |
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Alright, the burgers turned out amazing. I bought the fancy, $1-a-pound more ground beef and it made all the difference in the world! I made enough to have for dinner and lunch yesterday, today and tomorrow. ARFCOM seemed to think 1/4 lb wasn't enough, and I thought a whole pound was too much. I compromized and bought 3lbs, making 5 burgers. With bacon, mustard, pico de gallo and a couple avocado slices.
I went to the gym and added 5lbs to my squat, 10lbs to my deadlift, and 5lbs to my bench. I did 10 minutes of very light cardio before, and stretched out hard. Did another 10 minutes and more good stretches afterwards. Took a fish oil pill and 16oz water when I got home. This morning I am experiencing very mild soreness all over my body; not the intense, stabbing pain in my glutes and quads I was feeling this weekend. Tonight will be beach volleyball with friends, and tomorrow I will hit my second "B" day workout. |
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Quoted:
Last night I ate a double cheese burger with 1lb of 85/15 grass fed beef, 5 strips of bacon, 4 slices of smoked cheddar, served with a mound of sweet potato fries and 24 oz glass of milk. Jesus that sounds good. The last time I tried to eat a one pound burger I had to force-feed the last bite and I felt miserable the rest of the day. You should try out for Man v Food! |
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Quoted: Last night I ate a double cheese burger with 1lb of 85/15 grass fed beef, 5 strips of bacon, 4 slices of smoked cheddar, served with a mound of sweet potato fries and 24 oz glass of milk. Ha, I had about 14oz of grassfed beef hamburger with sharp cheddar, 5 strips of bacon and a pile of broccoli...rooster sauce of course  |
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Quoted: Quoted: Last night I ate a double cheese burger with 1lb of 85/15 grass fed beef, 5 strips of bacon, 4 slices of smoked cheddar, served with a mound of sweet potato fries and 24 oz glass of milk. Jesus that sounds good. The last time I tried to eat a one pound burger I had to force-feed the last bite and I felt miserable the rest of the day. You should try out for Man v Food! That's what everyone tells me. I've been known to really put food away. The last food challenge I did was this one. http://jewishmother.com/images/sandwiches.jpg The Double Dagwood challenge. It was a fucking 6lb sandwich and I ate a bit more than half of it, and didn't even fucking bother with the fries. There are big eaters (like me) and there are BIG EATERS (not me).
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