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I did the starting strength, forcing 5 lbs on the squat each week. My form was really bad and I ended up pulling something in my knee. I took 2 weeks off, swallowed my pride, took 100 lbs off and started over again. Best decision ever.
I think step loading to wave loading or straight line periodization are good ways to train and not that difficult to design a program. Starting strength and strong lifts is like a smolov maybe at specific time can apply program but don’t think should be used as a consistent program to follow. I have seen ppl stick with 5s and use those programs or similar programs and get crazy results though so I guess it truly depends on individual. I do martial arts and cross train so think why only worked so well for me. I started out making my own Boris sheiko inspired programs and I got crazy results. I just focused on increasing volume wk to wk. I didn’t know what I was doing and I started increasing weight too I figured I could do it so whatever, but the fatigue that accumulated was insane. I was smart enough and backed off and started back up and I got crazy results with the high frequency training. I was squatting 3x wk
Pretty similar story here. Years ago in high school, tried starting strength, but had super shitty form with no depth. One day a gym bro opens my eyes and shows that my squat is in shambles. Went home that day & decided if I’m gonna conquer squat I gotta do it right. Restarted my squat from scratch, working on my mobility, and started ATG from that point on with an empty bar. Best decision ever years later
Yeah the problem with both of these programs, especially SS actually since it has linear progression where you add load often. Is that you can easily become "greedy" and put too much weight on.
Yeah this is kind of an issue with the forcing overload method with beginners. They may do progressive overcheat instead of actual progressive overload
"Getting a different colored belt or alert on your phone" is my new favorite way to mention this. I used to use Alan Thrall's "You don't get your novice diploma and ship off to intermediate school".
That's why I like 531BoringButBig. With the structure being : Heavy DL + light squat Heavy OHP + light bench Heavy Squat + light DL Heavy Bench + light OHP As base split (+some accessory), it gives alot of exposure to technique and different volume/intensity ranges.
531 first set last set for 2-3 sets of 5-8 has been the best program i ever used and i have toached and go 500 on the bench usually when i switch programs up my numbers go down ,
I ran Starting Strength LP a couple of years ago when starting out. It definitely works. I would recommend. Though nobody really talks about how brutal it can be. The process of trying to extend your LP is psychologically draining. Felt like you almost died on Fridays sets? Well you're doing it again on Monday... with more weight! It was the hardest/worst period of all my training.
I never ran these LPs way into the weeds, but I've read from those who have. Gotta say, not a fan. I believe that by the time the weight gets sticky, you are do for a restart or a change.
@@AlexanderBromley I have to agree Alex. Grinding it out for as long as I did made me dread going to the gym. Almost put me off strength training completely.
@@bigmitch7901 It was the feeling that I needed to be adding a certain amount of weight every session that started to feel tiring. Mental more than physical, I’d say. It wasn’t the time in the gym or whatever. I’m much happier with a slower progression these days.
@@kaitlinjohnson2915 I ended up deleting the comment, but thanks for the quick reply. Females can't progress as quickly though, need smaller jumps in weight. The original SS 5x5 progression model is written for males. So makes sense.
That's a great breakdown. Texas method has always been my go to program design when I want to make gains and hit PR's. A lot of people just do the stock version rather than really dive into PPST to learn how to program so you can tweak it to work for yourself. It can be a really tough program but if done properly, it works great for a good12-15 weeks of gains before switching things up. Your technique really needs to be dialed in or one can get hurt on the heavier workouts.
Rip is controversial, but a lot of people take his statements out of context, too. They’ll take something like GOMAD and run with it, saying he’s an idiot because it would be horrible for a 50 year old, when Rip himself has explicitly stated that it is only for young underweight trainees trying to gain weight. But the critics either don’t know or ignore that, and crucify him over it.
Update on my adductor soreness. I started with Texas method program. This is my 4 week. Recovery day is doable but very weird. I easily move 80% of volume day for 2x5 but every time I squat even with an empty barbell I feel like every second M adductors gona snap. Thankfully it never happens. Texas method is great program for me in current lifting process. I've gained 10 kg on my intensity day at squat and deadlift, plan is to gain 30 kg over 3 months. :) thank you for the answers and very educational video.
Awesome breakdown of the two programs. Was running something similar to starting strength, now doing H/L/M but was interested in Texas Method since Mr. Baker mentioned it a few times in his lectures.
I absolutely loved Texas Method when I ran it. Getting older and probably not going to run it anymore, but I thought the monday grinds were a blast and the Friday PR's even better.
I love starting strength LP. Started 4 months ago. Beginning squat was 135 (tweaked my back first workout because I was just very weak). Did the program 16 weeks. Gained 25 lbs. starting weight 165; ending weight 190. I’m 5’8 42 year old. Just did a set of 345 for 5 on the squat; bench pressed 197.5 for 5; deadlifted 375 for 5. I have decided to move on to the Texas method. This program works if you: Read the blue book; increase caloric intake ( I drank a 1/2 gallon of whole milk on top of what I normally ate); rest long between sets (5-6 min minimum).
@@battle4dead yes I did. So far on the Texas method I’ve almost stalled out. I’m currently you squatting 355 for 3 reps; benching 205 for 5 (very hard though- may have to do 207.5 for 3 next week); deadlift 395 for sets of 2 reps; shoulder press is 150 for sets of 5. Here is why I think the LP worked so good for me as a 42 year old: 1-I drank a 1/2 gallon of milk a day and still do. I realized that if I did not eat and gain weight and yes, fat, I would have stalled out much earlier. I ate a lot of protein. Every night I would have 1 lb of ground beef with rice. 2- I rested 5 minutes between sets- no exceptions. 3- I followed the blue book precisely. Read it. Work on your form. Set your back for the deadlift. Look down when you squat, knees out, hip drive by lifting butt- NOT chest. You have to master that low bar squat. Message me if you have any questions.
Followed the link to the store. I don't speak for anyone but myself when I say this: I'd prefer the logo to be smaller and more unobtrusive, and a greater selection of colors to chose from! Thank you for educating on YT! I've been learning principals from your videos and applying them to create a beginner bodyweight & resistance band program for myself! Really appreciate finding your channel. It's a good mine of value!
Love the clean been doing it for a year now… it makes me feel good because I have been using it the same way. I would be wrecked from deadlifting and then clean just because I enjoy it…. Some how it has made me stronger in every way like I can do 3 -4 more pull ups than used to with out doing pull ups for a couple weeks
I did the SSLP, it was fantastic, then I thought I'd try TM and it was great but very hard, there was no space to practice any other disciplines because the recovery window was too slim. Eventually I went for a 2 day plan, basically eliminated the middle workout of the week and that yielded very good results. Recently I've gone back to a pseudo 3 day TM but the middle day I do accessories like front squats or presses (bench is now my main so it's always Monday and Friday every week). This worked well until covid19 shut down gyms.
This is purely anecdotal but if you're looking for an alternative to texas method to follow SS when you return to the gym, i had a really good run back in the day with a 5/3/1 progression scheme three days a week. Exact same schedule as SS: Squat 3 times a week, alternate press and bench, alternate dead and cleans or row but with the cycled progression scheme & ramped amrap of 531 - felt like a smooth transition & worked well for several months.
I'd argue for straight up programs, Juggernaut 2.0 mops the floor with with either one of these (granted SS was never supposed to be implemented long term) Every time I ran the TM, I've ended up burnt out. The common recommended 'fix' seems to be de-loads or less volume, which is actually the _last_ thing you need. In the end, consistent intensitys in the 80-90% range outstrip your recovery ability (basically why SSLP stops working) and are ultimately, unnecessary for size and strength development. Wave loading volume and intensity is a far better strategy long term. Thats been my experience anyway, your mileage may vary.
Going to be gleaning everything I can from this video, as I'm about at the end of my Starting Strength linear progression journey / about ready to switch over to the Texas Method.
6:23 i have sat through hours of videos about programming feeling that i missed this piece. im stuck at a 730 pound deadlift and kind of need to know what people that pull a thousand did along the way to keep climbing. now im on to something xD thanks.
I’ll try to mix it up both “Starting and Texas” depends on how I feel . Starting strength on Monday if I feel good on Wednesday then I’ll to the Texas. Power Clean? Not now, maybe in a month or so I’m still a novice.
I found your channel recently and I really like the content! I have a question about the Texas Method. I like the principles behind it but I want more assistance work. I've read Rippetoe's recommendations but I'd like to hear your thoughts on that! Should I include some Barbell Rowing and if yes how and when?! What about Pull Ups and Dips?! Some light arms/hamstrings/ABS work at the end of some sessions?!
You can add some assistance and extra volume on the intensity day early on in the program, but the deeper you get in the program, the harder it will be to add it in.
Damn I wish I had an easy answer for that. Information overload creates paralysis by analysis, so you second guess every move because you are worried about all of the things you are not putting in. Just remember that your goal for each phase is not to do all things at once (because you can't). Pick a small number of things to prioritize, write a progression you know addresses it with a frequency and amount of work that wont break you in half, and commit to it. Don't make a change unless that change actually solves a problem.
I think the only meaningful difference is the addition of plus sets. Program structure is pretty identical. I prefer the GS approach. Plus sets are very effective and it allows the lifter to get more out of the first weeks of training.
@@AlexanderBromley what do you think about the authors recommendation that the high frequency pushups/pullups should be treated as the main component of the program? Anecdotally it seems to be a really effective layer when combined with the basic lifts
I never understood why these so called general strength programs (i.e. not powerlifting specific) like rippetoe's or wendler's always put back work in as an afterthought. Why randomly throw in some BW pull ups or light rows instead of programming weighted pull ups the same as bench/ohp/deadlifts/squats?
SS views the deadlift as a major pull, and they program chins early. Their comment on that is "you can't progress LP on chins", I'm not sure I agree but I never actually tried it. What's funny is if I just do chins / rows in the 5 to 10 rep range (weighted or not) they get stronger alongside the LP lifts
If I'm going to make a guess to their reasoning, it's that this stage of development, you don't yet need a brutally strong upper back to handle the loads that are being chased, that deadlifts with pullups will yield enough development to get started and it keeps the program simple (which keeps compliance high). I agree, though. Not a fan of obsessing over 'newbie' principles because you want good habits to be established by the time you are no longer a novice. Upper back work is so easy to program in without effecting the rest of the program and building it early will prevent problems down the road.
I like the Gorilla T-shirt and the Gym Dog too. How can viewers outside the US/Canada, from Oceania get these T-shirts. Thank you for your continued useful, valuable information.
It seems most intermediate programs include 3 workouts per week. Could a recovery challenged intermediate make progress using one of these programs on a 2 workouts per week schedule (e.g., M - F - M)?
Yes, just eliminate the middle day, keep all else the same as in standard TM, but do a Monday-Thursday or a Tuesday-Friday program. Volume workouts seemed to fit best on Thursday or Friday though, they always seemed to wear me out the most and needed that extra day for resting before intensity day.
Excellent content as always, Alexander! I would like to know your point of view about the whole volume centric discussion that has taken place over the last few years, with more people in the evidence based community giving a much greater importance to overall volume vs the classical "Rip" view that intensity trumps everything. What's your take on that? Also, do you still consider the information present in practical programming relevant or would you refer to different books (I'm thinking by the like of Helms, Israetel etc) Thank you for your content and time!
Hi Bromley, nice vid as usual. TM looks really interesting. I always shied away from SS because power cleans seemed so much more technical than rows. I was recently asked by a friend what I'd recommend for his girlfriend who wants to start powerlifting and I thought SL5x5 would be a good choice for a female lifter who might do fine with the extra volume. I started with SL5X5 but thinking back, as a heavier male lifter I think 3x5 would have been more than enough. Any thoughts? Would you say SS is just completely superior to SL5X5? And yes, I know Mehdi is kind of a bum lol
There's the power cleans Oly lifters use to sharpen their skill set..... and then there's the bastardized version the rest of us use. Getting a passable power clean isn't overly difficult and it has some value, but isn't essential to the program either. I've heard of SL but never looked into it. At first glance, it looks so much like Starting Strength that it's hard to imagine the creator having the guts to call it something different lol. Main difference is no cleans and 5 sets instead of 3? The driving force of adaptation in an LP is load, so I have a hard time believing that the difference in sets doesn't come out in the wash. 5 sets may be a better stimulus and provide more practice early on, but will make continued progression harder when the weight gets challenging. I don't think one is better or worse. Eventually, volume considerations can have an impact on training decisions, but that will put you outside the realm of a simple LP.
Question.. I am thinking on starting strength.. I have been lifting for a few years but never any set program.. I broke my back and lost my squats and well tbh.. I have never really done much deadlifting. Getting back at it with max BP around 325-335.. squat is only 315 and deadlift is 365.. I want to use a linear program to learn it and get a strong foundation besides going 3x a week and lifting to not be angry at home.. When doing starting strength.. when would I incorporate accessories?? When would Indo curls/fly/tricep extensions?? Smaller filler exercises without hurting my main lifts??
Thank. you for this explanation and breakdown between these workouts. Would the Starting Strength program be a good program to build strength for a BJJ tournament? I recently finished the Joe DeFranco Built Like a Badass program (did it 3x in a row). It was great, but I need to take my lifting to the next level. I have 10 weeks until the tournament.
Someone else mentioned this here; deads are hard to keep up with sufficient effort week in week out. You might want to deadlift every other week or find some kind of wave progression that allows weeks of recovery.
@@AlexanderBromley wow man, thanks for the reply! Your channel is badass. Once we find out if we're having meets this year, I'll be using your channel to help me peak for whatever contest I do. 🍻
Anyone want to explain the difference between a bench and a press? Last time I was lifting we simply called it a bench press, so I'm confused by the new nomenclature.
it seems as if you are suggesting the texas method is the natural progression from starting strength for novice lifter to the texas method for intermediate lifters. Is that your own development? If not; is that a correct analysis of what you are saying and where did you get this idea from? It seems to me that these are simply two different programs all together and they have different progressions for both novice and intermediate lifters based on the assumptions that those programs make about themselves and not each other. Thanks for your, I look forward to hearing from you soon.
They are not entirely separate. Texas Method, inspired by Doug Hepburn and Bill Starr, was conceived right in Wichita Falls Athletic Club, Rippetoe's home gym. He has written extensively about the nature of Starting Strength and novice based linear progressions and how they have to be modified as lifters outgrow novice programs by gaining anything that looks like strength. Texas Method is routinely cited as the next logical course, along with any other mode of programming that pushes difficult workouts further and further apart (i.e. Heavy/Medium/Light splits).
I have run the Starting Strength Linear Progression and am starting to stall and now I'm thinking about switching to the Texas Method. However, I'm 6'4 and still haven't really built a strong base of muscle (still fairly skinny) and the Texas Method doesn't seem like it really adds any volume to what I was doing in the LP. Do you think early intermediates should add more accessories to the Texas Method or just run it as written for a while before adding?
Texas method is a ball busting program. It works, but as weight goes up the Mondays become really really tough. It's basically a way to postpone the point at which Starting Strength becomes impossible to progress by reducing volume and it also introduces you to differentiated volume, recovery and max effort session. Leave the program the way it is, trust me. 2 months from now when you are on your 8th week of TM, you will remember that you wanted to add extra work and laugh (while gasping for air between your 4th and 5th set of squats). That is how it went for me.
Carson Dudley you could also give Heavy Light Medium a look. It’s more flexible than the Texas Method and has more room for some extra accessory work and variations of the main lifts. You should definitely buy Practical Programming for Strength Training and give it a read if you intend to run either of these programs. Also, Andy Baker has a couple of videos on his channel on Heavy Light Medium which are very helpful.
Hey man. I guess I'll chime in my opinion. Back in 2017, I ran SSLP and I finished my LP at 280 for a set of 5 on Squat, 180 for bench and 320x5 for the deadlift. Once I finished it I ran the Texas method after I read Rips book on it. Texas Method is a program is pretty bad IMO. Why you might ask. Simply put that the method doesn't have enough variation, volume, or intensity to drive my sorta progression. When I ran it I stalled rather quickly. Mondays 5x5 became a pain (plus they took forever to complete) Wendays recovery day wasn't enough to drive progression, and finally, Fridays 5RM day quickly became a pain (easily two hours in the gym). All this work and I stalled after 7 weeks. Fridays 5RM became 3RM to 2RM to singles. It was just not worth the struggle. So what should you run after SSLP you might ask. The answer is simple to learn how to use RPE and the gains will come. Look up Barbell Medicine the Bridge Version 1.0. They give you a free ebook to learn RPE. They also in that 40-page ebook teach you about intensity, variation, and why Texas Method doesn't work. Once I learned RPE I finally got my squat up two 405x1, my Bench to 230x1, my OHP to 175x1 (even tho my meet didn't count it lol), and my deadlift to 410x1 (all these lifts are on my channel so I'm not lying). Learn RPE save time don't make the same mistake I did. SSLP is awesome, Texas Method isn't. Anyways sorry for the long-winded answer it's just my experience so take it with a grain of salt. Have fun in your lifting!!!
What if I can recover more faster from deadlifts (2-3days at max) then from squats( 4-5 days). I squat usually on Monday then DOMS hits me in Wednesday on Thursday I am practically paralised if I squat my bodyweight I can get cramps my adductors. On Friday I am able to do deadlifts. What to do then? I am lifting for about a year and it's always the same after the squat day.
I would guess it has something to do with how much training you are doing. Do you train deads different than squats? How many exercises do you do? What are the rep ranges? Do they get close to failure? Might be a simple matter of dialing back the amount of work you do in a single squat workout.
@@AlexanderBromley thank you for the answer and your time. I 3 warup sets for about 8-10 reps, then I go 2 sets of 3-5 reps of 80-90% weight that I've planned for that day. Then I am ready to go to do 3-5 regular sets of 5 repetition. Example: Warm up sets: 66lbs x10, 88 lbs x 10, 132 x10. Sets of 80% 175lbs x 5, 200x 3. Regular sets: 230 lbs 3-5 sets of 5 reps. Sorry about conversion I use metric system in kilos. To recover from squats next 2 treinings are benchpress and press and at the end of the week I do DL. For all days it I similar volume. For example my DL PR is 350 lbs before covid and quarantine. Now I went on quick hipertrophy block with lower weights and higher rep ranges to catch up. I did 270lbs 5 sets of 7 beltless it was terrible more like heavy cardio for me but I wasn't that sore like from squats always and forever.
Depends entirely on how trained/untrained they are. For those who are still dialing it in, once per week with 4-6 sets of medium reps, each one EASY and crisp, progressing very slowly and emphasizing extra sets over adding weight. This gets tricky to do by yourself because you have to keep yourself honest and not blow your wad on any one week. For more developed deadlifters, I like short aggressive 3 week waves that go easy, medium, heavy before resetting slightly heavier OR alternating each week, like heavy deadlift alternating with speed deadlift, or heavy deadlift with a variation like trap bar/romanian/box squat etc.
Pressing 200lbs by the end of Starting Strength LP?? Is that a serious number that normal people should be able to achieve... I'm literally stuck since weeks on 125lbs for 2 reps... Either my genetics suck or this 200 number is talking about huge 6"5 people
I never liked starting strength because it doesn’t have any pulling movements besides 1 set of deadlift which isn’t enough. Screw the cleans, do bent over barbell rows instead
Yes you warm up for it. I personally will do a couple sets of 5 with the bar then add weight and do singles or doubles until you get to your working weight. For example Bar 2x5, 135 1x2, 155 1x2, 175 1x1, 195 1x1, then 205 5x5. Play around with it and see what works for you.
Man teenage son anytime we try squatting twice a week he stalls out. We still do leg work but for whatever reason a barbell on his back twice a week doesn't work. Defranco has seen similar issues with his athletes.
Teenagers are a tough one because they develop at such different rates. You get kids who may have strong legs but underdeveloped midsection/upper back which might cause the barbell work to take more out of them. Coordination also becomes an issue, because aggression overtakes coordination and they stop respecting the cues that they need to be consistent. I don't like having teenagers do anything beyond an 8/10 difficulty, because whatever benefit they get from all-out work is more than lost in technical breakdown and bad habits. They are made out of magic and rubber bands, so they bounce back from damn near anything, but the training has to revolve around their need for mastery of the movement.
Worth pointing out that Rip actually thinks most people shouldn't do the Texas Method and should instead do a 4-day upper/lower split: th-cam.com/video/ZInJXUPnsZU/w-d-xo.htmlm47s
I never really trained off any programs sought out for strength, I just trained for mass and added strength over time, I believe the whelk process is so over complicated. Per example, when I first started lifting (6 years after my last football season and doing virtually nothing physical) I was at around 105 for 12 reps, that was not even quite two years ago and Now I’m able to press 250 any day of the week, my dead lift used to be 250 because of my lower back being weak but I’m up to 540 now (in HS I was nearing 700) I just targeted what I knew was weak, trained it in increasing weight per set till failure at 4-8 reps depending on the movement and added strength very well.
I think for someone with years of experience gets to a level ok this is enough. Pushing hard always has consequences like injury A personally think the 3 sets 10 reps is the best period. It makes you strong as shit pushing moderate weight 10 reps. I disagree with Rip at starting strength his process has flaws. 5x5 3x5 are injuries waiting to happen. 3x10 is the best hands down. I have tried them all
I believe repeating work around 10 reps is HUGELY undervalued as a means of developing strength, but at some point you will have to specialize in lower rep ranges if strength is a primary goal. I believe the injuries come in HOW those rep ranges are approached; i.e. going as heavy as you can as often as you can vs. keeping the work sub-maximal and allowing yourself to acclimate to those percentages with rigid technical standards. I'm not a fan of taking the 5x5 LPs to the point where each set is grinded and you are living and dying for that 5lb jump each week. For the target audience of starting strength, however, we are talking about lifters who are so un-trained that the loads they are handling present very little risk. I think the vast majority of injuries in training come from disregarding technique and red-lining it too often.
@@elephantricity that's not entirely true. While it''s not considered 'strength-specific', any mode of training that results in muscle growth will increase strength. Just like low reps are not 'hypertrophy specific', time spent lifting heavy still increases muscle mass.
Very well said. Great answer. Adding reps to a set as apposed to adding weight is still considered progressive overload. But you point of fighting weekly to add weight is a bad protocol
@@elephantricity George Leeman's type of training was always based around high-reps and peaking at the lower reps. He was strong as an ox. So I believe you will gain strength in any rep-range.
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I did the starting strength, forcing 5 lbs on the squat each week. My form was really bad and I ended up pulling something in my knee. I took 2 weeks off, swallowed my pride, took 100 lbs off and started over again. Best decision ever.
Me too, bad form can cause long term injury. So i put my ego at home, decrease half weight and start working on good form. Its feels good now.
I think step loading to wave loading or straight line periodization are good ways to train and not that difficult to design a program. Starting strength and strong lifts is like a smolov maybe at specific time can apply program but don’t think should be used as a consistent program to follow. I have seen ppl stick with 5s and use those programs or similar programs and get crazy results though so I guess it truly depends on individual. I do martial arts and cross train so think why only worked so well for me. I started out making my own Boris sheiko inspired programs and I got crazy results. I just focused on increasing volume wk to wk. I didn’t know what I was doing and I started increasing weight too I figured I could do it so whatever, but the fatigue that accumulated was insane. I was smart enough and backed off and started back up and I got crazy results with the high frequency training. I was squatting 3x wk
Pretty similar story here. Years ago in high school, tried starting strength, but had super shitty form with no depth. One day a gym bro opens my eyes and shows that my squat is in shambles. Went home that day & decided if I’m gonna conquer squat I gotta do it right. Restarted my squat from scratch, working on my mobility, and started ATG from that point on with an empty bar. Best decision ever years later
Yeah the problem with both of these programs, especially SS actually since it has linear progression where you add load often. Is that you can easily become "greedy" and put too much weight on.
Yeah this is kind of an issue with the forcing overload method with beginners. They may do progressive overcheat instead of actual progressive overload
The way you explained Rippetoe and his contribution to the community and sport vs his excessively strongly-held opinions is well said.
His autism is atomic
I've got a purple belt in lifting.
Oss🤙🏿Lol
I have a purple belt that I use to lift.. does that count? 😕
7 years still a white belt
"Getting a different colored belt or alert on your phone" is my new favorite way to mention this. I used to use Alan Thrall's "You don't get your novice diploma and ship off to intermediate school".
Do u play smite?
Or program games
@@mihailmilev9909 ive seen him in other comment sections
That's why I like 531BoringButBig. With the structure being :
Heavy DL + light squat
Heavy OHP + light bench
Heavy Squat + light DL
Heavy Bench + light OHP
As base split (+some accessory), it gives alot of exposure to technique and different volume/intensity ranges.
Also Gzclp and gzcl variations have the same thing u said
I thought boring but big the accessories were the main movement with 5 sets of 10 reps
@@cliffonator1111 It is some just switch the supplemental movement (5x10) with the opposite lift.
@@cliffonator1111 You can move the BBB around. It's very common to do the complimentary lift as your BBB.
531 first set last set for 2-3 sets of 5-8 has been the best program i ever used and i have toached and go 500 on the bench usually when i switch programs up my numbers go down ,
I ran Starting Strength LP a couple of years ago when starting out. It definitely works. I would recommend. Though nobody really talks about how brutal it can be. The process of trying to extend your LP is psychologically draining. Felt like you almost died on Fridays sets? Well you're doing it again on Monday... with more weight! It was the hardest/worst period of all my training.
I never ran these LPs way into the weeds, but I've read from those who have. Gotta say, not a fan. I believe that by the time the weight gets sticky, you are do for a restart or a change.
@@AlexanderBromley I have to agree Alex. Grinding it out for as long as I did made me dread going to the gym. Almost put me off strength training completely.
That’s exactly what brought me to this video. I did StrongLifts 5x5 several years ago and it got to be just psychologically exhausting.
@@bigmitch7901 It was the feeling that I needed to be adding a certain amount of weight every session that started to feel tiring. Mental more than physical, I’d say. It wasn’t the time in the gym or whatever. I’m much happier with a slower progression these days.
@@kaitlinjohnson2915 I ended up deleting the comment, but thanks for the quick reply.
Females can't progress as quickly though, need smaller jumps in weight. The original SS 5x5 progression model is written for males.
So makes sense.
That's a great breakdown. Texas method has always been my go to program design when I want to make gains and hit PR's. A lot of people just do the stock version rather than really dive into PPST to learn how to program so you can tweak it to work for yourself. It can be a really tough program but if done properly, it works great for a good12-15 weeks of gains before switching things up. Your technique really needs to be dialed in or one can get hurt on the heavier workouts.
Rip is controversial, but a lot of people take his statements out of context, too. They’ll take something like GOMAD and run with it, saying he’s an idiot because it would be horrible for a 50 year old, when Rip himself has explicitly stated that it is only for young underweight trainees trying to gain weight. But the critics either don’t know or ignore that, and crucify him over it.
Or Rip saying the high bar squat isn't a squat....
Yeah that statement is not why Rip is controversial LOL
Update on my adductor soreness. I started with Texas method program. This is my 4 week. Recovery day is doable but very weird. I easily move 80% of volume day for 2x5 but every time I squat even with an empty barbell I feel like every second M adductors gona snap. Thankfully it never happens. Texas method is great program for me in current lifting process. I've gained 10 kg on my intensity day at squat and deadlift, plan is to gain 30 kg over 3 months. :) thank you for the answers and very educational video.
Awesome breakdown of the two programs. Was running something similar to starting strength, now doing H/L/M but was interested in Texas Method since Mr. Baker mentioned it a few times in his lectures.
I absolutely loved Texas Method when I ran it. Getting older and probably not going to run it anymore, but I thought the monday grinds were a blast and the Friday PR's even better.
I love starting strength LP.
Started 4 months ago.
Beginning squat was 135 (tweaked my back first workout because I was just very weak). Did the program 16 weeks.
Gained 25 lbs. starting weight 165; ending weight 190. I’m 5’8 42 year old. Just did a set of 345 for 5 on the squat; bench pressed 197.5 for 5; deadlifted 375 for 5.
I have decided to move on to the Texas method.
This program works if you:
Read the blue book; increase caloric intake ( I drank a 1/2 gallon of whole milk on top of what I normally ate); rest long between sets (5-6 min minimum).
Question: you reached those numbers in 4 months?
@@battle4dead yes I did. So far on the Texas method I’ve almost stalled out. I’m currently you squatting 355 for 3 reps; benching 205 for 5 (very hard though- may have to do 207.5 for 3 next week); deadlift 395 for sets of 2 reps; shoulder press is 150 for sets of 5.
Here is why I think the LP worked so good for me as a 42 year old:
1-I drank a 1/2 gallon of milk a day and still do. I realized that if I did not eat and gain weight and yes, fat, I would have stalled out much earlier.
I ate a lot of protein. Every night I would have 1 lb of ground beef with rice.
2- I rested 5 minutes between sets- no exceptions.
3- I followed the blue book precisely. Read it. Work on your form. Set your back for the deadlift. Look down when you squat, knees out, hip drive by lifting butt- NOT chest. You have to master that low bar squat. Message me if you have any questions.
Followed the link to the store. I don't speak for anyone but myself when I say this: I'd prefer the logo to be smaller and more unobtrusive, and a greater selection of colors to chose from!
Thank you for educating on YT! I've been learning principals from your videos and applying them to create a beginner bodyweight & resistance band program for myself! Really appreciate finding your channel. It's a good mine of value!
Love the clean been doing it for a year now… it makes me feel good because I have been using it the same way. I would be wrecked from deadlifting and then clean just because I enjoy it…. Some how it has made me stronger in every way like I can do 3 -4 more pull ups than used to with out doing pull ups for a couple weeks
Would love to see a video of your version of this type of routine with a volume day and an intensity day that you talked about.
I did the SSLP, it was fantastic, then I thought I'd try TM and it was great but very hard, there was no space to practice any other disciplines because the recovery window was too slim. Eventually I went for a 2 day plan, basically eliminated the middle workout of the week and that yielded very good results. Recently I've gone back to a pseudo 3 day TM but the middle day I do accessories like front squats or presses (bench is now my main so it's always Monday and Friday every week). This worked well until covid19 shut down gyms.
This is purely anecdotal but if you're looking for an alternative to texas method to follow SS when you return to the gym, i had a really good run back in the day with a 5/3/1 progression scheme three days a week. Exact same schedule as SS: Squat 3 times a week, alternate press and bench, alternate dead and cleans or row but with the cycled progression scheme & ramped amrap of 531 - felt like a smooth transition & worked well for several months.
Cool information, I never thought you can go that far without that Wednesday, but well, the price I guess is that your OHP is gonna suck
@@leninfernandez9279 I got my ohp up to 225x2 before the lockdowns which was a nice surprise. Bench was 350x1.
I'd argue for straight up programs, Juggernaut 2.0 mops the floor with with either one of these (granted SS was never supposed to be implemented long term) Every time I ran the TM, I've ended up burnt out. The common recommended 'fix' seems to be de-loads or less volume, which is actually the _last_ thing you need. In the end, consistent intensitys in the 80-90% range outstrip your recovery ability (basically why SSLP stops working) and are ultimately, unnecessary for size and strength development. Wave loading volume and intensity is a far better strategy long term.
Thats been my experience anyway, your mileage may vary.
Going to be gleaning everything I can from this video, as I'm about at the end of my Starting Strength linear progression journey / about ready to switch over to the Texas Method.
I like them both, but if I had to choose, I would do the Texas method. I have over 50 years of trying BTW.
Can you do one on how to improve recovery ?
6:23 i have sat through hours of videos about programming feeling that i missed this piece. im stuck at a 730 pound deadlift and kind of need to know what people that pull a thousand did along the way to keep climbing. now im on to something xD thanks.
I’ll try to mix it up both “Starting and Texas” depends on how I feel . Starting strength on Monday if I feel good on Wednesday then I’ll to the Texas. Power Clean? Not now, maybe in a month or so I’m still a novice.
I found your channel recently and I really like the content! I have a question about the Texas Method. I like the principles behind it but I want more assistance work. I've read Rippetoe's recommendations but I'd like to hear your thoughts on that! Should I include some Barbell Rowing and if yes how and when?! What about Pull Ups and Dips?! Some light arms/hamstrings/ABS work at the end of some sessions?!
You can add some assistance and extra volume on the intensity day early on in the program, but the deeper you get in the program, the harder it will be to add it in.
Very good, clear presentation
How do I stop over analyzing the programs I write? I rewrite them like ten times for no reason.
Damn I wish I had an easy answer for that. Information overload creates paralysis by analysis, so you second guess every move because you are worried about all of the things you are not putting in. Just remember that your goal for each phase is not to do all things at once (because you can't). Pick a small number of things to prioritize, write a progression you know addresses it with a frequency and amount of work that wont break you in half, and commit to it. Don't make a change unless that change actually solves a problem.
Can you do Greyskull LP vs Starting Strength?
I think the only meaningful difference is the addition of plus sets. Program structure is pretty identical. I prefer the GS approach. Plus sets are very effective and it allows the lifter to get more out of the first weeks of training.
@@AlexanderBromley what do you think about the authors recommendation that the high frequency pushups/pullups should be treated as the main component of the program? Anecdotally it seems to be a really effective layer when combined with the basic lifts
Nice channel, informative no fanboy stuff, subscribed
I am a big fan of you Mr Alexander, please keep up good work! 👍
I never understood why these so called general strength programs (i.e. not powerlifting specific) like rippetoe's or wendler's always put back work in as an afterthought. Why randomly throw in some BW pull ups or light rows instead of programming weighted pull ups the same as bench/ohp/deadlifts/squats?
SS views the deadlift as a major pull, and they program chins early. Their comment on that is "you can't progress LP on chins", I'm not sure I agree but I never actually tried it. What's funny is if I just do chins / rows in the 5 to 10 rep range (weighted or not) they get stronger alongside the LP lifts
If I'm going to make a guess to their reasoning, it's that this stage of development, you don't yet need a brutally strong upper back to handle the loads that are being chased, that deadlifts with pullups will yield enough development to get started and it keeps the program simple (which keeps compliance high). I agree, though. Not a fan of obsessing over 'newbie' principles because you want good habits to be established by the time you are no longer a novice. Upper back work is so easy to program in without effecting the rest of the program and building it early will prevent problems down the road.
I like the Gorilla T-shirt and the Gym Dog too. How can viewers outside the US/Canada, from Oceania get these T-shirts. Thank you for your continued useful, valuable information.
It seems most intermediate programs include 3 workouts per week. Could a recovery challenged intermediate make progress using one of these programs on a 2 workouts per week schedule (e.g., M - F - M)?
Yes, just eliminate the middle day, keep all else the same as in standard TM, but do a Monday-Thursday or a Tuesday-Friday program. Volume workouts seemed to fit best on Thursday or Friday though, they always seemed to wear me out the most and needed that extra day for resting before intensity day.
I'd love to know your thoughts on rpe programming ,great content my man keep up the great work
Such an eloquent explanation. Good job sir. Keep it up. Subscribed :)
Excellent summary!
Excellent content as always, Alexander! I would like to know your point of view about the whole volume centric discussion that has taken place over the last few years, with more people in the evidence based community giving a much greater importance to overall volume vs the classical "Rip" view that intensity trumps everything.
What's your take on that? Also, do you still consider the information present in practical programming relevant or would you refer to different books (I'm thinking by the like of Helms, Israetel etc)
Thank you for your content and time!
Alex, what’s your recommendation for rest between sets? Does it change based on program or stage of a program? Thanks!
Great video doing the high level Alex thanks!
Great videos, thanks for doing them!
Hi Bromley, nice vid as usual. TM looks really interesting. I always shied away from SS because power cleans seemed so much more technical than rows. I was recently asked by a friend what I'd recommend for his girlfriend who wants to start powerlifting and I thought SL5x5 would be a good choice for a female lifter who might do fine with the extra volume. I started with SL5X5 but thinking back, as a heavier male lifter I think 3x5 would have been more than enough. Any thoughts? Would you say SS is just completely superior to SL5X5? And yes, I know Mehdi is kind of a bum lol
There's the power cleans Oly lifters use to sharpen their skill set..... and then there's the bastardized version the rest of us use. Getting a passable power clean isn't overly difficult and it has some value, but isn't essential to the program either.
I've heard of SL but never looked into it. At first glance, it looks so much like Starting Strength that it's hard to imagine the creator having the guts to call it something different lol. Main difference is no cleans and 5 sets instead of 3? The driving force of adaptation in an LP is load, so I have a hard time believing that the difference in sets doesn't come out in the wash. 5 sets may be a better stimulus and provide more practice early on, but will make continued progression harder when the weight gets challenging. I don't think one is better or worse. Eventually, volume considerations can have an impact on training decisions, but that will put you outside the realm of a simple LP.
Question.. I am thinking on starting strength.. I have been lifting for a few years but never any set program.. I broke my back and lost my squats and well tbh.. I have never really done much deadlifting. Getting back at it with max BP around 325-335.. squat is only 315 and deadlift is 365..
I want to use a linear program to learn it and get a strong foundation besides going 3x a week and lifting to not be angry at home..
When doing starting strength.. when would I incorporate accessories?? When would Indo curls/fly/tricep extensions?? Smaller filler exercises without hurting my main lifts??
okay i need to ask this: has ANYBODY ever run starting strength until their Squats and DLs were "well in the 300s"?
Logos look badass.
Thank. you for this explanation and breakdown between these workouts. Would the Starting Strength program be a good program to build strength for a BJJ tournament? I recently finished the Joe DeFranco Built Like a Badass program (did it 3x in a row). It was great, but I need to take my lifting to the next level. I have 10 weeks until the tournament.
Anyone else have a problem with their deadlift stalling out on TM? Mine stalled out in week 5. I have not read PP, but do own SS. Thanks.
Someone else mentioned this here; deads are hard to keep up with sufficient effort week in week out. You might want to deadlift every other week or find some kind of wave progression that allows weeks of recovery.
@@AlexanderBromley wow man, thanks for the reply! Your channel is badass. Once we find out if we're having meets this year, I'll be using your channel to help me peak for whatever contest I do. 🍻
Very clear explanation.
Super helpful, sir.
Hey, Coach.
Bought a couple kong t-shirts to support the team.
To my eye GYMDOG looked a bit like GYMOOG. Probably a more distinct font out there.
Dangit, it does. lol, Thanks for the feedback. I'm in the process of getting revisions done, I may look into swapping it out.
@@AlexanderBromley there was one that looked okay. But some, not so much.
Makes me miss my dogs!
Thanks for sharing your Empire !
Can beginner follow DUP instead of LP manner?
Very good content. Awesome stuff. New sub
Hello, could you please tell me how are the power cleans calculated? Thank you!
For an intermediate recreational lifter would you recommend HLM as opposed to the texas method?
Is the starting strength linear progression good for a 13 year old doing wrestling?
Lol I've been doing SS wrong this whole time.
I've done squat, DL,OHP,bench press 3x a week and add 5 pounds not 10
Great breakdown
Great explanation!
Are there any programs that you recommend for intermediate/advanced lifters?
Damn dude. Very well explained!
do you sell any programs?
Anyone want to explain the difference between a bench and a press? Last time I was lifting we simply called it a bench press, so I'm confused by the new nomenclature.
'Press' by itself historically refers to a standing strict press.
it seems as if you are suggesting the texas method is the natural progression from starting strength for novice lifter to the texas method for intermediate lifters. Is that your own development? If not; is that a correct analysis of what you are saying and where did you get this idea from? It seems to me that these are simply two different programs all together and they have different progressions for both novice and intermediate lifters based on the assumptions that those programs make about themselves and not each other. Thanks for your, I look forward to hearing from you soon.
They are not entirely separate. Texas Method, inspired by Doug Hepburn and Bill Starr, was conceived right in Wichita Falls Athletic Club, Rippetoe's home gym. He has written extensively about the nature of Starting Strength and novice based linear progressions and how they have to be modified as lifters outgrow novice programs by gaining anything that looks like strength. Texas Method is routinely cited as the next logical course, along with any other mode of programming that pushes difficult workouts further and further apart (i.e. Heavy/Medium/Light splits).
Great video
Is the TM right for someone over 40 yrs old?
no
I have run the Starting Strength Linear Progression and am starting to stall and now I'm thinking about switching to the Texas Method. However, I'm 6'4 and still haven't really built a strong base of muscle (still fairly skinny) and the Texas Method doesn't seem like it really adds any volume to what I was doing in the LP. Do you think early intermediates should add more accessories to the Texas Method or just run it as written for a while before adding?
Texas method is a ball busting program. It works, but as weight goes up the Mondays become really really tough. It's basically a way to postpone the point at which Starting Strength becomes impossible to progress by reducing volume and it also introduces you to differentiated volume, recovery and max effort session. Leave the program the way it is, trust me. 2 months from now when you are on your 8th week of TM, you will remember that you wanted to add extra work and laugh (while gasping for air between your 4th and 5th set of squats). That is how it went for me.
Eat more and reset, chances are you havent maxed out your novice lp yet
Carson Dudley you could also give Heavy Light Medium a look. It’s more flexible than the Texas Method and has more room for some extra accessory work and variations of the main lifts. You should definitely buy Practical Programming for Strength Training and give it a read if you intend to run either of these programs. Also, Andy Baker has a couple of videos on his channel on Heavy Light Medium which are very helpful.
Carson Dudley also, make sure you’re eating enough.
Hey man. I guess I'll chime in my opinion. Back in 2017, I ran SSLP and I finished my LP at 280 for a set of 5 on Squat, 180 for bench and 320x5 for the deadlift. Once I finished it I ran the Texas method after I read Rips book on it. Texas Method is a program is pretty bad IMO. Why you might ask. Simply put that the method doesn't have enough variation, volume, or intensity to drive my sorta progression. When I ran it I stalled rather quickly. Mondays 5x5 became a pain (plus they took forever to complete) Wendays recovery day wasn't enough to drive progression, and finally, Fridays 5RM day quickly became a pain (easily two hours in the gym). All this work and I stalled after 7 weeks. Fridays 5RM became 3RM to 2RM to singles. It was just not worth the struggle. So what should you run after SSLP you might ask. The answer is simple to learn how to use RPE and the gains will come. Look up Barbell Medicine the Bridge Version 1.0. They give you a free ebook to learn RPE. They also in that 40-page ebook teach you about intensity, variation, and why Texas Method doesn't work. Once I learned RPE I finally got my squat up two 405x1, my Bench to 230x1, my OHP to 175x1 (even tho my meet didn't count it lol), and my deadlift to 410x1 (all these lifts are on my channel so I'm not lying). Learn RPE save time don't make the same mistake I did. SSLP is awesome, Texas Method isn't. Anyways sorry for the long-winded answer it's just my experience so take it with a grain of salt. Have fun in your lifting!!!
What if I can recover more faster from deadlifts (2-3days at max) then from squats( 4-5 days). I squat usually on Monday then DOMS hits me in Wednesday on Thursday I am practically paralised if I squat my bodyweight I can get cramps my adductors. On Friday I am able to do deadlifts. What to do then? I am lifting for about a year and it's always the same after the squat day.
I would guess it has something to do with how much training you are doing. Do you train deads different than squats? How many exercises do you do? What are the rep ranges? Do they get close to failure? Might be a simple matter of dialing back the amount of work you do in a single squat workout.
@@AlexanderBromley thank you for the answer and your time.
I 3 warup sets for about 8-10 reps, then I go 2 sets of 3-5 reps of 80-90% weight that I've planned for that day. Then I am ready to go to do 3-5 regular sets of 5 repetition. Example:
Warm up sets: 66lbs x10, 88 lbs x 10, 132 x10. Sets of 80% 175lbs x 5, 200x 3. Regular sets: 230 lbs 3-5 sets of 5 reps. Sorry about conversion I use metric system in kilos. To recover from squats next 2 treinings are benchpress and press and at the end of the week I do DL. For all days it I similar volume. For example my DL PR is 350 lbs before covid and quarantine. Now I went on quick hipertrophy block with lower weights and higher rep ranges to catch up. I did 270lbs 5 sets of 7 beltless it was terrible more like heavy cardio for me but I wasn't that sore like from squats always and forever.
How would you structure someone's training with a focus on only improving there deadlift/sumo deadlift
Depends entirely on how trained/untrained they are. For those who are still dialing it in, once per week with 4-6 sets of medium reps, each one EASY and crisp, progressing very slowly and emphasizing extra sets over adding weight. This gets tricky to do by yourself because you have to keep yourself honest and not blow your wad on any one week. For more developed deadlifters, I like short aggressive 3 week waves that go easy, medium, heavy before resetting slightly heavier OR alternating each week, like heavy deadlift alternating with speed deadlift, or heavy deadlift with a variation like trap bar/romanian/box squat etc.
Why didn’t you make this last November?
It really was all about recovery for me. Those volume days squats destroyed me.
Pressing 200lbs by the end of Starting Strength LP?? Is that a serious number that normal people should be able to achieve... I'm literally stuck since weeks on 125lbs for 2 reps...
Either my genetics suck or this 200 number is talking about huge 6"5 people
review 5th set please
I never liked starting strength because it doesn’t have any pulling movements besides 1 set of deadlift which isn’t enough. Screw the cleans, do bent over barbell rows instead
It has chins
If you haven’t followed SS or TM at least one cycle. You should restart your lifting journey.MHO
how come u dont agree with what mark rippetoe says
so you do five sets of your 90 percent max one day? how do you warm up for that or do you
Yes you warm up for it. I personally will do a couple sets of 5 with the bar then add weight and do singles or doubles until you get to your working weight. For example Bar 2x5, 135 1x2, 155 1x2, 175 1x1, 195 1x1, then 205 5x5. Play around with it and see what works for you.
The 5 sets were 90% of 5RM, just to clarify….
Man teenage son anytime we try squatting twice a week he stalls out. We still do leg work but for whatever reason a barbell on his back twice a week doesn't work. Defranco has seen similar issues with his athletes.
Teenagers are a tough one because they develop at such different rates. You get kids who may have strong legs but underdeveloped midsection/upper back which might cause the barbell work to take more out of them. Coordination also becomes an issue, because aggression overtakes coordination and they stop respecting the cues that they need to be consistent.
I don't like having teenagers do anything beyond an 8/10 difficulty, because whatever benefit they get from all-out work is more than lost in technical breakdown and bad habits. They are made out of magic and rubber bands, so they bounce back from damn near anything, but the training has to revolve around their need for mastery of the movement.
@@AlexanderBromley thanks for the response! Couldn't agree more.
How tall is Brom?
jw
Im doing cheat curls instead of power cleans....otherwise I'm following the program
Worth pointing out that Rip actually thinks most people shouldn't do the Texas Method and should instead do a 4-day upper/lower split: th-cam.com/video/ZInJXUPnsZU/w-d-xo.htmlm47s
I can deadlift every day of the week but if I squat once in done for for a month lol it's super fucking annoying
Violence
Speeed
Mooomentuum 🐸
I never really trained off any programs sought out for strength, I just trained for mass and added strength over time, I believe the whelk process is so over complicated. Per example, when I first started lifting (6 years after my last football season and doing virtually nothing physical) I was at around 105 for 12 reps, that was not even quite two years ago and Now I’m able to press 250 any day of the week, my dead lift used to be 250 because of my lower back being weak but I’m up to 540 now (in HS I was nearing 700) I just targeted what I knew was weak, trained it in increasing weight per set till failure at 4-8 reps depending on the movement and added strength very well.
Your 33 but look almost 50. Mind doing a video on this topic?
I aged prematurely giving it to your mom.
@@AlexanderBromley hell yea. Now thats a video id like to see.
@@AlexanderBromley that comeback made my day no joke
I think for someone with years of experience gets to a level ok this is enough.
Pushing hard always has consequences like injury
A personally think the 3 sets 10 reps is the best period.
It makes you strong as shit pushing moderate weight 10 reps.
I disagree with Rip at starting strength his process has flaws.
5x5 3x5 are injuries waiting to happen.
3x10 is the best hands down.
I have tried them all
I believe repeating work around 10 reps is HUGELY undervalued as a means of developing strength, but at some point you will have to specialize in lower rep ranges if strength is a primary goal. I believe the injuries come in HOW those rep ranges are approached; i.e. going as heavy as you can as often as you can vs. keeping the work sub-maximal and allowing yourself to acclimate to those percentages with rigid technical standards. I'm not a fan of taking the 5x5 LPs to the point where each set is grinded and you are living and dying for that 5lb jump each week.
For the target audience of starting strength, however, we are talking about lifters who are so un-trained that the loads they are handling present very little risk. I think the vast majority of injuries in training come from disregarding technique and red-lining it too often.
anything more than 5 reps isn't strength focused, its something else.
@@elephantricity that's not entirely true. While it''s not considered 'strength-specific', any mode of training that results in muscle growth will increase strength. Just like low reps are not 'hypertrophy specific', time spent lifting heavy still increases muscle mass.
Very well said. Great answer. Adding reps to a set as apposed to adding weight is still considered progressive overload. But you point of fighting weekly to add weight is a bad protocol
@@elephantricity George Leeman's type of training was always based around high-reps and peaking at the lower reps. He was strong as an ox. So I believe you will gain strength in any rep-range.
algorithm
Why vs? They are different things anyway… can you start with TM? No. Can you continue with SS forever? No. Why do I bother?