Bill Starr's works!

[Msmoak15]

Just wanting to put out there if anyone is looking for a strength gaining program for football rugby etc..
Been on bill Starr's for 3 weeks
Lifts goin up great.. 5 rep max
Bench: 185 to 205
Squat: 295 to 315 ( felt like I could do 335 easy)
Row 175 to 200
Oh press 120 to 140
Deadlift 285 to 315

I've gained about 4lbs. Being in college it's tough to get your meals in. But this program pays of if u stick with it.

[krakkerz]

Great to hear! Keep it up.

[RockyCapone]

This program ****ing rocks!!! On 7th week now. Love it. Wish i found it years ago

[DCSpartan]

basic programs like that produce better results for just about everybody.

[SyrianGasol]

I'm on my fourth week and it's also working wonders!

[hansomreiste]

I also want to try this but when it comes to simplicity, SL5x5 looked much easier to get to me. You can find a link for Bill Starr's training on the top sticky thread, I checked it out there and I was just like, "what to do when and how?"

Is there anyone who can share a link or simply tell about the basics of this program? How do we start as a beginner and how do we carry on, doing what kind of replacements and changes in lifts? I am just very "new" to this stuff. Which one should I start with? When should I start doing power routine instead of beginner etc?

[Msmoak15]

@hansomreiste.
I too was unsure but after studying it became clear.
What I did was start of with a weight I new I could do for my first day. Since it is ramping sets that means you progressively increase weight until you get to your 5 rep max. For example on Monday you have bench squat and row.. You have five sets for each excersize. Ill use my numbers for last Monday
Squat: 165, 205, 245, 285, 305
Bench: 140, 155, 170, 190, 200
Row: 135, 155, 170, 185, 200
This is what is ment by ramping and the last set is your 5 rep max
Wednesday is different you do light squats for 4 sets. The first three sets are the same and for the fourth set repeat the thirds weight. Deads and oh press are ramping working up to your five rep max
On Friday it gets tricky. You have squats bench and row and you are essentially working toward a new five rep max for the next week. For the first four sets you ramp up the same as Monday, then the fifth set is of three reps and its a higher weight then previous five rep max. So if 200 on bench was for 5, then I would do 205 for three. And en you have a set of 8 with the third sets weight.

It may seem like a lot of squatting but your body gets use to it. Personally I love squatting.
Also I add in a supplementing excersize day on Sunday usually doing curls, triceps, shoulder superset and pull ups.
I hope this helps. Any further questions let me no happy to answer

[KidAlchemy]

Of course it work. Why wouldn't it? It just takes time and effort to see get there. Good job though!

[LiftNPlay]

Just wanting to put out there if anyone is looking for a strength gaining program for football rugby etc..
Been on bill Starr's for 3 weeks
Lifts goin up great.. 5 rep max
Bench: 185 to 205
Squat: 295 to 315 ( felt like I could do 335 easy)
Row 175 to 200
Oh press 120 to 140
Deadlift 285 to 315

I've gained about 4lbs. Being in college it's tough to get your meals in. But this program pays of if u stick with it.

Nice job man! Great that you found a good program that works for you. Just keeping going hard at it and you will continue to see gains!

[Msmoak15]

Nice job man! Great that you found a good program that works for you. Just keeping going hard at it and you will continue to see gains!

I appreciate it. Main goal is to get weight up. Tryin to play ball in college next semester.

[krakkerz]

hansomreiste wanted a breakdown of the program. So here it is:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 5x5 ramping up to a top set of squat, bench and power clean.

Once you tap that out, keep the same basic template, but only do your sets with 60% of monday's weight on wednesday and 80% on friday.

When that taps out, move to "Sets across" for monday so that you're doing 5x5 with one weight. Wednesday, do the same with 60%. Friday, ramp up 4x5 and set a PR with your 5th set in either a set of 3 or 5.

When you can manage that, switch the exercises on the light day for ones which you're flat out doing 60% of monday's weight. ie. Press or incline instead of Bench, split squats or front squats for squat.

You can do the same with friday's workout using exercises you can handle for 80% for a break from setting PRs each week.

Starr adds leg extensions and curls, bicep curls, chins, high pulls, rows and deadlifts throughout the progression. This is the basis of it, though.

There are a lot of variations on this. Even Starr's own articles vary. There are plenty of people who have different interpretations of his book and articles. They all follow similar paths, though.

I think the rows Msmoak mentions above are from the Madcow or Pendlay variations, which may be even better for many.

[krakkerz]

oldschooltrainer.com/bill-starrs-5-x-5-training/

Quite a good breakdown. Sorry, I can't post links, though.

[Msmoak15]

I've red rows can be substituted in. Idk but every 6 weeks ima switch them up for cleans anyways.

[JardmanOLB]

If you're only 3 weeks in then shouldnt you still be working up towards your original 5RM? Great to hear about your lifts improving but I was under the impression you don't start lifting heavier than you have until 4 weeks into the program.

[Msmoak15]

Not the way I understood it but I could be wrong. I just started right away ramping to my original 5rm and the following weeks built upon it. It worked out so I'm not complaining

[krakkerz]

It doesn't matter, really. The 4 week build-up is in most programs for people who aren't going to cope with the loads, exercises or volume. If you are already training, you don't need to worry.

Since you're getting good results, it clearly isn't broken.