I need some help on getting started ,again.

[Alexis]

These were my 5RMs when I came out of SS linear progression at BW 185:

Deadlift 320
Squat 275
Bench 215
OH Press 125

I was 42 at the time and I did not do any kind of GOMAD madness. I just ate well.

[Les Hahn]

Hi Callador,

I've noticed around there that you're a big advocate of the split template idea. I kind of like the look of it too and have been looking at it for myself down the track as my numbers become more intermediate.

Just out of curiosity, in the case of a novice lifter like above following this type of template, what would be the function of the 80% upper body pressing work? What would it achieve that the straight 3x5 without any follow-up work that day in the other pressing movement wouldn't achieve?

Mainly it is just extra volume for the upper body days. I personally would probably do closegrip bench as my assistance lift on press day, and keep light OHPing on my bench day. This way you are benching and pressing 2x per week each. If you just did bench/press 1x per week, it might not be enough work.

The other option is to do bench in the first position both days (3x5 LP). You would do the same with press right afterwards. The only issue with this is that press is always in the second position, so you are already a little tired when you get to it.

[Gene61]

Just do SS as written. Start alternating Pullups and back extensions with DL/PC after a few weeks. That reduces the stress of the program very well. When you feel like you aren't recovering over the weekend for your Monday workout, you can start doing a light (80%) squat day on Wednesday. This is the advanced novice program. All of this is by the book. I did this from scratch and I'm 61. At 36 you will have no problem.

[Tom Lang]

I would use linear progression, but maybe look at a split routine for it. You would only be moving up the main lifts 1-2x per week instead of 2-3x on the full body routine. The workouts and not as grueling, so that is nice too. Once you get the hang of it, you could add in a few solid assistance lifts too (pulliups or pulldowns, etc.).

It would look something like this:

M- Bench (3x5), Press (3x5 @ 80% of normal press)
T- Squat (3x5), Power Cleans (5x3)
Th- Press (3x5), Bench (3x5 @ 80% of normal bench)
F- Squat (3x5), Deadlift (1x5)

The lighter second upper body lift is 80% of your last normal workout. So if you benched 100lbs last time, the light day would be 80lbs. I started near my mid-thirties, and split routines are awesome! :-) It is SS approved too.

Callador's routine does seem more intermediate. I do something like this on a novice LP: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=36685

I do chins/pull-ups and dips on BP and press days. Recovery seems pretty good, though I think I need to eat more. The volume feels right. Call it advanced novice. I'm 48, FWIW.