A couple Starting Strength questions

[Pnw91]

I'm in my second week of SS and I love it so far, I want to stay on it as long as I possibly can. Anyway, I have a couple questions before I get too far into it.

1. Should I keep adding the same amount of weight to each lift until they get difficult and then start adding less?
- I started out really light. I had my 5RM's and I knocked a bunch of weight off so I would hit those numbers again after about a month. In the book it says I will be able to add 15-20 pounds to my Dead's for 2-3 weeks before I have to knock that number in half or so. I'm adding 15 per, but after 2-3 weeks I'll be around my starting numbers that I could do before I started lifting. Should I start adding less weight once I get to week three anyway just to stretch the program out?

2. "Once the freshness of the deadlift has worn off a little and the deadlift is established well ahead of the squat, the power clean can be introduced." How far ahead should my Dead's be ahead of my squat before I add the Cleans?
- After four workouts my Deadlift is 30 pounds ahead of my squat.

Thanks for reading

[dk240t]

I'm in my second week of SS and I love it so far, I want to stay on it as long as I possibly can. Anyway, I have a couple questions before I get too far into it.

1. Should I keep adding the same amount of weight to each lift until they get difficult and then start adding less?
- I started out really light. I had my 5RM's and I knocked a bunch of weight off so I would hit those numbers again after about a month. In the book it says I will be able to add 15-20 pounds to my Dead's for 2-3 weeks before I have to knock that number in half or so. I'm adding 15 per, but after 2-3 weeks I'll be around my starting numbers that I could do before I started lifting. Should I start adding less weight once I get to week three anyway just to stretch the program out?

2. "Once the freshness of the deadlift has worn off a little and the deadlift is established well ahead of the squat, the power clean can be introduced." How far ahead should my Dead's be ahead of my squat before I add the Cleans?
- After four workouts my Deadlift is 30 pounds ahead of my squat.

Thanks for reading

On the first one it is up to you and your judgement how much weight you add each time. It is certainly better to not miss reps at slower progression than to jump too much and stall. So there is some balance. 10lb jumps every other workout on Deadlift is still pretty good progression.

What are the actual numbers for your Deadlift and squat? Probably could start cleans or do a few more Deadlift every time sessions, but it's coming up soon for time to change...now or within the next week and a half.

Good luck with it

[Pnw91]

For my next workout, my next Deadlift will be 110 and my Squat at 80. My 5RM for my Dead's was 170, and my Squat was 155. I'm adding 15 to my Dead's and 10 to my Squat's each time.

Obviously I'm still far off, but should I start to slow down the weight I add each time before I even hit my starting numbers? Just to prolong my time on the program.

I started so low so I could get my form down and get some confidence and not start too heavy and be in over my head early.

[DetMatthews]

Get the book. It's a great reference and it will answer damn near every question you can think of. If there's a question that you can't find answered in the book feel free to ask.

Regardless of what program you end up doing, the SS book is great, and if you are doing the SS program, it's indispensable.

[Pnw91]

I have the book! I haven't finished it but I read the adding weight section. It says the average male will be able to add 15-20 pounts to Deadlifts for example for 2-3 weeks before dropping down to less weight after that. Since I started even lower than the book would have had me, should I stick to the 2-3 week idea? Or wait until I really struggle then do less weight? I think dropping down even before I hit my original starting marks I can make it last longer.

[JBisGod]

The 2-3 weeks recommended sounds good. Sounds like you're scared to go above your old 5rm, but you will. With proper nutrition you'll be smashing PRs on the regular

[Pnw91]

Maybe a little nervous about stalling out quick. But I am on top of my diet, getting rest, sticking to just SS.. I should be able to progress thru it normally. I do want to side more on the conservative side because I don't mind progressing slowly and staying on SS for a bit.

[DetMatthews]

My bad man. I must've missed that part. You don't want to progress slower than you have to, but at the same time there are no downsides to taking it a bit slower other than it might take a bit longer. If you overestimate, you run the risk of stalling early.