Deadlift with Press or Bench Press (BBP vs. SSBBT)

[berger1000]

Hi all, I am sure this has been covered and I missed it. I am a late 40's male so I have been following the program as outlined in the Barbell Prescription (BBP) for several weeks. I cannot overstate how amazed I am at the progress and how impressed I am with the starting strength approach. It is glorious in its simplicity. Anyway, I am getting ready to add chin-ups to my workouts and came across a discrepancy I was hoping to get some info on.

In BBP (page 188), the Early Novice Program (1B) prescribes deadlifting and bench pressing on the same day (workout A), leaving pressing and power cleaning on the other alternating day (workout B). In the Novice Program (1C), workout A is modified to have power cleaning alternate with deadlifting and workout B is modified to have chin-ups/back extensions replace the power clean.

In contrast, and I just realized this, Starting Strength (SSBBT) at page 296 shows the deadlift coupled with the press for workout A and the power clean coupled with bench press for workout B for the early novice and then shows alternating deadlift/power clean coupled with press for workout A and back extensions/chin-ups coupled with bench press for workout B for the novice program. The same appears in Practical Programming at page 88.

Why the difference in approach? Is the discrepancy age-based or just a minor difference in approach to programming?

Thanks for any assistance with this. I feel so enlightened by and grateful for the entire starting strength program.

[Ryan Arnold]

just a minor difference in approach to programming?

Yes. Similar to how training should be based on loading MOVEMENT as opposed to muscle groups, programming is a logical way manage the total stress across the week in a way that produces continued increases in strength. After the novice phase, which exercises are coupled together is often a matter of personal preference