Am I a Novice still?

[Eyzteinn]

If lifted the big three, plus OHP and pull-ups/chin-ups for the last 10 years, but A) I've never focused on gaining bodyweight, I've focused on getting a visible 6-pack, and B) I've focused on learning proper technique.

As a result, when it comes to weight on the bar, I'm more of a novice than an intermediate lifter, but when it comes to technique, I'm probably intermediate.

I also have a bachelor in physiotherapy, so I'm really interested in proper technique, I'm not competitive, so I don't care overly much about weight on the bar COMPARED TO OTHER PEOPLE, and I have a master's degree in exercise physiology, so I have a fair understanding of how the body works.

I'm also somewhat confident of my 5RM in deadlift, squat and OHP.

I've been doing a lame attempt at the Starting Strength Novice Program since July, but due to struggling with getting in 3000 kalories pr day (I have gained 15 kg of bodyweight in 4 months though) and I also had a pelvic instability, muscular instability of my left shoulder and a vastus medialis vs lateralis problem (which I've found the solution to now, but haven't fixed yet).

Should I start the Novice program anew in January, starting with my current 5RM in the lifts?

Or proceed to the Advanced Novice program?

[SubZero]

If lifted the big three, plus OHP and pull-ups/chin-ups for the last 10 years, but A) I've never focused on gaining bodyweight, I've focused on getting a visible 6-pack, and B) I've focused on learning proper technique.

As a result, when it comes to weight on the bar, I'm more of a novice than an intermediate lifter, but when it comes to technique, I'm probably intermediate.

I also have a bachelor in physiotherapy, so I'm really interested in proper technique, I'm not competitive, so I don't care overly much about weight on the bar COMPARED TO OTHER PEOPLE, and I have a master's degree in exercise physiology, so I have a fair understanding of how the body works.

I'm also somewhat confident of my 5RM in deadlift, squat and OHP.

I've been doing a lame attempt at the Starting Strength Novice Program since July, but due to struggling with getting in 3000 kalories pr day (I have gained 15 kg of bodyweight in 4 months though) and I also had a pelvic instability, muscular instability of my left shoulder and a vastus medialis vs lateralis problem (which I've found the solution to now, but haven't fixed yet).

Should I start the Novice program anew in January, starting with my current 5RM in the lifts?

Or proceed to the Advanced Novice program?

Proceed to ANP, but be careful with your back dude. Increase the weights slowly.

[FKYT]

What are your actual current lifts (and your starting lifts)? Also, it'd be helpful to have your height & weight.

In general, people are advised to do SS until it stops working. If you're close to intermediate, you might only need a couple months of SS, whereas a completely untrained individual can be on it for 6-9 months or longer. "Stops working" means you've stalled & reset your lifts a bunch of times, and you're not getting much farther after your resets (a lot of people use 3 resets on their squat as a rule of thumb).

[Eyzteinn]

I'm 180 cm (nearly 6 feet), start weight 78 kg (160 pounds?) late July, and have now gained 11 kg (20 lbs?).

I haven't actually read the posts on resetting yet, but as I have lifted for some years, I did this anyway:

In Power cleans and benchpress, I started with the bar, adding 2.5 kg pr workout, and I've continued to do so, and I'm still continuing, up at 62.5 kg now.

In press I started also with the bar, adding 2.5 kg, up until I couldn't do 3x5x50. I went down to 3x5x40, came up to 3x5x47.5, went down to 3x5x45, and that's the weight I've lifted for the last three press workouts.

In deadlift, I started with the bar plus 2.5 kg locks and one 20 kgs on each side, doing 1 set of 5, until I stopped doing squats (due to back problem), then started doing 3 sets of 5, as I didn't replace squats with anything. I continued with 3x5 until I hit 120 kg with 7.5 kg jumps pr workout, then went down to 3x5x100, jumping 5 kg pr workout, up until 3x5x125, which was seriously heavy, and I needed to visit the toilet between set 1 and 2. I then went down to 1x5x130, did 1x5x135, and that was also seriously heavy, and strained my back uncomfortably. I then went down to 3x5x120, wanted to do 3x5x125 on Saturday, but instead did 2x5x125, and finished the last five reps as singles.

Thanks for helping! (",)

[FKYT]

What's the nature of the back problem? I'd suggest getting back to squatting if you're able. It's okay to start light and go up in small jumps. However, it's generally seen around here that it's better to keep active to aid proper recovery rather than dropping a lift altogether. (I've experienced this myself with a low back / hip injury -- it didn't really get better until I added medium-weight squats back into my routine.) Also, deadlifts are pretty taxing, so doing 3x5 deadlifts 1-2 times per week will catch up with you eventually.

For resets, you should basically try to add weight to the bar each session (even if it's a small amount) until you can't do the prescribed reps. Then you try the same weight again the next session. If you still fail, you try one more time. If that fails, you reduce your work set by 10% (so if you were deadlifting 300 lbs, you'd go down to 270) and work back up. If you Google "starting strength wiki" you can get some more information on weight progression and what to do when you stall. (Also, buy the book! :-) )

[Kregna]

3000 calories isn't a lot. If you're having trouble with that I think you're making it hard on yourself. You can drink milk (the program calls for a gallon a day for people needing to gain weight) or throw some peanut butter, porridge oats, a banana and milk in the blender a couple of times a day for a not so filling but calorie filler

[PerseusStoned]

Novice: a trainee capable of increasing strength from a single workout/recovery cycle.
Intermediate: a trainee capable of increasing strength over a small series of workout/recovery cycles, typically over a week.
Advanced: a trainee capable of increasing strength only over a series of workouts over a longer time frame (a month or more).

Are you capable of increasing strength from work-out to work-out? If so, you are a novice.

It seems you're getting hung-up on these terms as a representation of strength or skill level, which is not what they are meant to represent. Be proud to be a novice and stay one as long as possible, because it means you're going to be getting the best gains possible. The longer you are a novice the longer your strength will increase linearly. This might mean you lose novice status if you're not getting your calories, but no big deal. It seems you understand the consequences and are willing to accept the trade-off.

[Eyzteinn]

I have lifted 85 kg in bench press, but I'm increasing 2.5 kg pr workout now, and last time I did the bench, I did 62.5. So I was hoping I'd at least get higher than 85 this time around.

I've squatted a single at 100 kg, but stopped at 70 kg in August, and haven't trained it since, due to my pelvic instability/knee problem. (my knee actually gets better when I'm squatting, but my pelvis/lower back doesn't).

My overhead press has stalled for one month.

My deadlift has stalled, and I've reset twice.

My power cleans are as my bench; still getting stronger every workout.

Theirein lies my question: Still a novice? To begin the novice program anew, or jump onto the advanced novice.

And being a novice for ten years is taxing! Hehe! (",) I'm probably the most knowledgeable guy at every gym I go to, still, my lifts suck! (",)