***Rippetoe's Starting Strength (and other Ripp novice programs) FAQ***

[Farley1324]

So since I plan on competing, I should only use mixed at meets and strap up every other time and work on grip separately?

Your call. People's opinions on this will vary. The majority will probably tell you to use a mixed grip most of the time, since that is how you will compete, and just accept the added risk of injury, such as a torn bicep, as the cost of competition.

[Monyistbitu]

1 Is there a version of SS where Dips as well as Chin-ups/Pull-ups are done?

2 I'd like to do the Practical Programming Novice Program but I want to deadlift 1.5 times a week instead of just once (I love this exercise). Don't explain, I'll take your experience as credibility for the answer, just a straight yes or no.

3 Can I expect to hit the numbers in my signature following SS (PPAN)?

4 Also, you attempt a failed weight 3 times, not 2? (I'm asking because most programs ask to remove weight from the bar after only 2 failed attempts not 3, so forgive my ignorance)

[Farley1324]

1 Is there a version of SS where Dips as well as Chin-ups/Pull-ups are done?

2 I'd like to do the Practical Programming Novice Program but I want to deadlift 1.5 times a week instead of just once (I love this exercise). Don't explain, I'll take your experience as credibility for the answer, just a straight yes or no.

3 Can I expect to hit the numbers in my signature following SS (PPAN)?

4 Also, you attempt a failed weight 3 times, not 2? (I'm asking because most programs ask to remove weight from the bar after only 2 failed attempts not 3, so forgive my ignorance)

1. Dips are not really a programmed/necessary lift in any of the routines.

2. The trend really seems to be towards deadlifting less frequently. Consider doing deadlift, power cleans, and chin-ups/pull-ups each once per week on advance novice, actually.

3. There's no way of knowing what you can expect to get. For some in your age and height bracket those numbers are reachable on SS. For many others, not so much. Personally I used SS to get numbers equal to or better than your signature goals. It doesn't really matter though, because one way or the other you can get to those, even if you don't get them until you move to an intermediate program

[Monyistbitu]

1. Dips are not really a programmed/necessary lift in any of the routines.

2. The trend really seems to be towards deadlifting less frequently. Consider doing deadlift, power cleans, and chin-ups/pull-ups each once per week on advance novice, actually.

3. There's no way of knowing what you can expect to get. For some in your age and height bracket those numbers are reachable on SS. For many others, not so much. Personally I used SS to get numbers equal to or better than your signature goals. It doesn't really matter though, because one way or the other you can get to those, even if you don't get them until you move to an intermediate program

Great, short, concise answers. I'll get on the Practical Programming Advanced Novice version of Starting Strength tomorrow. I'm also going to be using the full weight on squats all 3 workouts per week (since I feel like I can still handle progression at the current weight I'm doing).

And about the forth question please? Shall I attempt a failed weight a 3rd time (namely the Bench Press)?

[Farley1324]

Great, short, concise answers. I'll get on the Practical Programming Advanced Novice version of Starting Strength tomorrow.

And about the forth question please? Shall I attempt a failed weight a 3rd time (namely the Bench Press)?

The book Practical Programming is definitely a good read, but having Starting Strength is far far more useful since it covers the actual lifts. If you don't have SS obviously get it, if you only have SS I would consider getting The Strongest Shall Survive (Bill Starr) next, before Practical Programming, just to get a little more variety worked in. Ripp's stuff is great, don't get me wrong, I have SS 2nd and 3rd editions, Practical Programming, Mean Ol Mr Gravity (SP?), and Strong Enough?, all by Ripp...but variety is good too.

I missed that 4th one. Oops.

4. The program says you try it 3 times. Personally, I don't do that. I wouldn't recommend it either, assuming that you are doing everything correct. Eating, sleeping, resting between sets, other activities, etc. I've even moved on from SS to something more advanced (I have unfortunately run SS 3 times now lol) without having missed a rep, but that kind of thing comes from experience I think.

Anyway, if you don't get all of the reps on two tries, and you are doing everything right (especially the long rests between sets), you can go ahead and reset there if you don't think you'll get it the third time.

[GinjaNinja85]

I love the idea of running it without missing a rep. I think this is entirely feasible if you've run it before and are familiar with the lifts, nutrition , rest etc. like you say, experience.

[XunknownX]

hey farley, or anyone else

add 5 pounds per exercise except deadlift, 3x a week

im confused as to if this is 5 pounds per side(220 >230), or 5 pounds in total (220 > 225)?

[Farley1324]

hey farley, or anyone else



im confused as to if this is 5 pounds per side(220 >230), or 5 pounds in total (220 > 225)?

I don't know where you got that quote from, but it's not from the first three posts of this thread.

5 pounds to the exercise is 5 pounds to the exercise. Nobody EVER means "per side" unless that very specifically say so.

[CharliesFit]

Starting something like this come march, but I will add some additional isolation work. Even if it's not reccomended It's called ICF5x5.

[Farley1324]

Starting something like this come march, but I will add some additional isolation work. Even if it's not reccomended It's called ICF5x5.

I think you are looking for this thread:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=155022423

[maxcabral]

Stretching
It is generally not recommended to do static stretching before lifting. You may choose to do some dynamic movements or stretches as part of yoru warmup. If you want to do static stretches to improve flexibility they are best done post workout and/or on off days.

Typo in paragraph pictured above. "yoru" instead of your

[Farley1324]

Stretching
It is generally not recommended to do static stretching before lifting. You may choose to do some dynamic movements or stretches as part of yoru warmup. If you want to do static stretches to improve flexibility they are best done post workout and/or on off days.

Typo in paragraph pictured above. "yoru" instead of your

Thanks but it's more than a little late now. Those posts long ago locked and can no longer be edited except by mods.

[OlyLift28]

Great program

[SoLeaf]

Does this work the calves?? My friend is using this program fro 10 weeks and he doesnt have good calves. sorry for the ignorance

[Farley1324]

Does this work the calves?? My friend is using this program fro 10 weeks and he doesnt have good calves. sorry for the ignorance

This program does not work calves a whole lot. They get some use as a stabilizer in every movement where you are standing (squat, dead, clean, press), but there is nothing that targets calves specifically with the intention of making them grow. Why? Because it is not a bodybuilding routine.

[JPWheeler]

hey im thinking about starting this when I start at the gym in a few weeks, what did you mean by we cant skip the weekend? is there a weekend training day that ive overlooked or?

[Farley1324]

hey im thinking about starting this when I start at the gym in a few weeks, what did you mean by we cant skip the weekend? is there a weekend training day that ive overlooked or?

What this means:

No, you cannot skip the 'weekend' and fit 7 workouts into a two week period instead of 6.

Is that you cannot skip the [two consecutive rest days] and fit 7 workouts into a two week period instead of 6.

[flowermonster]

Keep a clean diet and a regular lifting pattern and you'll get there bro

[NattyOrNot]

Rippetoe and Gomad have been exposed many times. Be aware.

[Farley1324]

Darn, banned before I even got a chance to neg.

[LadyLore420]

Sup Farley, mind giving me a spot on form?

[Farley1324]

Sup Farley, mind giving me a spot on form?

High bar position?

Walk it back into the uprights at the end of a set.

Nothing egregious jumps out at me, looks pretty good for a challenging weight.

Are you putting the majority of your weight over your midfoot or heel, not up on or towards the balls of your feet?

[LadyLore420]

Thanks for getting back to me Farley. I do a high bar position because it's my intent to go into weight lifting eventually.

Feels like my heel. I do my best to sit back as far as I can. In my front squats I feel like my back wants to straighten or curve instead of staying artched, and I feel these max efforts more in my lower back(erector spinae?) than in my legs. Idk why I can do 195x2 but not 205x1.

[Farley1324]

Thanks for getting back to me Farley. I do a high bar position because it's my intent to go into weight lifting eventually.

Feels like my heel. I do my best to sit back as far as I can. In my front squats I feel like my back wants to straighten or curve instead of staying artched, and I feel these max efforts more in my lower back(erector spinae?) than in my legs. Idk why I can do 195x2 but not 205x1.

Women have a different muscle tissue breakdown than men. Ripp has written about it. Basically women are less capable of expressing absolute strength/power for very short high intensity applications, such as a 1RM...or you could flip it and say women are more capable of performing multiple reps/longer durations very close to but slightly below max.

I'm sure I butchered that, but you probably get what I mean.

So that is not surprising, to me.

[IamJARED]

Farley, I've read that you advocate reading TSSS as well as SS, and after reading both, whose Squat style do you prefer? Bill's high bar with a slight pause or Rip's low bar with a bounce? Both men have recorded a 600 squat (although Bill weighed about 25 lbs less).

[Farley1324]

Farley, I've read that you advocate reading TSSS as well as SS, and after reading both, whose Squat style do you prefer? Bill's high bar with a slight pause or Rip's low bar with a bounce? Both men have recorded a 600 squat (although Bill weighed about 25 lbs less).

I don't squat precisely the way any particular person writes/suggests. My squats more closely resemble what Ripp teaches than anybody else, but even then there are some differences. Experience will do that.

I squat low bar with a bounce and a relatively upright torso (for being low bar). I don't go elbows back with a thumbless grip anymore, I did that for awhile after reading Ripp's stuff, but it just doesn't work well with my shoulders, so I go thumbs around with elbows pointed more down and a break my wrist now.

I also don't squat very strongly right now. I've PR'd at 425x1 and 405x3 back squat and 325 front squat, but my last squat session a little over a week ago was a mere 305x7 topset (I'm on 5/3/1 right now). I've had a lot of time off, laziness, injuries, surgery, birth of a daughter, work, school, more laziness, etc, **** up my progress.

[GinjaNinja85]

Farley, I'm 10 workouts into SS 3rd edition, still with the basic 5 lift template, and squats have got tough quicker than the other lifts. I started light on all lifts and per session I've added;

(I'm in kg over here so I can't add exactly 10lbs etc)
Squat 11lbs
Deadlift 22lbs - higher than the book says but I feel good so far
Bench 11lbs - same as deads, feels good so far although adding aggressively
Press 5.5lbs
Power cleans 5.5lbs

I done 187 squats the other day, and it's 198 today. It's gonna be a grind and I plan to continue this aggressive loading (helped by introducing a belt) until I fail, where I'll immediately back off 10lbs and go up in 5lb increments thereafter.

Does this seem ok?

All the other lifts are well up and still absolute cake. It just seems a little out of balance in terms of difficulty at the moment.

Edit: This is a re run. I progressed to TM in 2012.

[AlexLifting97]

Hey, I have 2 questions :

1: I have ran this programn before for around a month or 2 but stopped it for some reason, i am now restarting it next week. Do you think i should still start with weights that mean i will reach my current 5 rep max is 3 weeks? or should i start heavier?

2: For chinups/pullups i was wondering if i could treat them like any other of the lifts? E.g Chinups 3 x 5, when i get all sets/reps add weight. Would this be ok?

[Farley1324]

Farley, I'm 10 workouts into SS 3rd edition, still with the basic 5 lift template, and squats have got tough quicker than the other lifts. I started light on all lifts and per session I've added;

(I'm in kg over here so I can't add exactly 10lbs etc)
Squat 11lbs
Deadlift 22lbs - higher than the book says but I feel good so far
Bench 11lbs - same as deads, feels good so far although adding aggressively
Press 5.5lbs
Power cleans 5.5lbs

I done 187 squats the other day, and it's 198 today. It's gonna be a grind and I plan to continue this aggressive loading (helped by introducing a belt) until I fail, where I'll immediately back off 10lbs and go up in 5lb increments thereafter.

Does this seem ok?

All the other lifts are well up and still absolute cake. It just seems a little out of balance in terms of difficulty at the moment.

Edit: This is a re run. I progressed to TM in 2012.

Well, that's not the way I would do it, or the way I generally recommend. But I very much like to avoid failure on lifts like squats where I perceive too much injury risk in doing so, especially for a less than experienced lifter.

If your diet and rest are dialed in you may be able to continue adding 5kgs longer than you think. Sometimes you'll be expecting a grind, or get a serious grind, but then the next session is actually less difficult.

Hey, I have 2 questions :

1: I have ran this programn before for around a month or 2 but stopped it for some reason, i am now restarting it next week. Do you think i should still start with weights that mean i will reach my current 5 rep max is 3 weeks? or should i start heavier?

2: For chinups/pullups i was wondering if i could treat them like any other of the lifts? E.g Chinups 3 x 5, when i get all sets/reps add weight. Would this be ok?

1. I would not start heavier than that.

2. Yes, if you prefer, that is reasonable.

[k589]

lol

Reps to anybody who finds errors, typos, things I forgot to add, etc, and points them out to me in the next day or so

It's been a few months but 3rd paragraph to the end in the last post back should be bike

Anyway thanks for the information and I can't wait to start!