starting strength twice a week?

[daghetto]

So my question was that due to boxing twice a week, which is intense enough, is it possible to do starting strength twice a week instead? i box thursdays and saturdays, so i was thinking of working out mondays and fridays. would doing it twice a week be fine? or do you think i should find an alternate program if im only going to workout twice a week? what about a 5x5 but twice a week?


thanks again,

daghetto

[Mark Rippetoe]

It's fine with me, but it's not the program.

[daghetto]

It's fine with me, but it's not the program.

yea but would it still give me gains if i did it twice a week, considering the fact that ill be doing bodyweight excercises at boxing anyway? or would there be something else youd recommend for twice a week strength training?

[Michael Wolf]

I've worked with many people who, for one reason or another, could only work out twice per week. Using the basic SS Template, except the 2 week cycle takes 3 weeks (same 6 workouts spread over 3 weeks instead of 2).

As Mark says, it's not The Program - so it won't work as well. In my experience, their progress will be slower, and will not last as long. However, if someone can only lift two days a week, it will still work very well.

I'm currently coaching a 23 yr old who can only lift twice a week. Using the program but modified to twice per week, his progress is: Squat from 160x5x3 to 225x5x3, Press from 115x5x3 to 140x5x3, Bench Press from 165x5x3 to 190x5x3, Deadlift from 185x5x3 to 240x5, and from 26 chins to 38 over 3 sets.

And this, despite the fact that I can't get him to eat nearly enough. Drinking 1 liter of whole milk a day, but otherwise diet unchanged (not enough protein or overall calories, not even close to what The Program calls for).

[mlentzner]

I don't think the problem is the two days a week. I did this through my novice phase and did quite well. So far it seems to work well for other older lifters I've coached who are without the help of raging puberty and starting from a more reasonable body weight.

The problem is trying to have your cake and eat it to. You'll do much better if you just focus on one thing. Everybody wants improve everything all at the same time. I see no examples of serious athletes who try this. It's a classic rookie mistake. SS is designed to use all available recovery capacity. Anything beyond what is prescribed by THE PROGRAM just fucks it up.

Take a six month break from your boxing. Do SS and all it entails (eating, GOMAD, etc.) You'll come back to boxing better than if you did boxing for that time. Better because now you'll be strong.

[Zach]

Why don't you try SS 3 times a week? You obviously won't get the same results as if you were only doing SS, but you will probably adapt to the work load within a month.

[Michael Wolf]

I'm currently coaching a 23 yr old who can only lift twice a week. Using the program but modified to twice per week, his progress is: Squat from 160x5x3 to 225x5x3, Press from 115x5x3 to 140x5x3, Bench Press from 165x5x3 to 190x5x3, Deadlift from 185x5x3 to 240x5, and from 26 chins to 38 over 3 sets.

And this, despite the fact that I can't get him to eat nearly enough. Drinking 1 liter of whole milk a day, but otherwise diet unchanged (not enough protein or overall calories, not even close to what The Program calls for).

I forgot to mention: he's 6' tall, 175 lbs, and this progress is on a consistent 2x/week schedule over the course of 11 weeks (he has missed one of the two weekly workouts two times over that 10 week period. So 20 total workouts).

[Bakalaosalao]

I'm not against you doing the program, but keep in mind that it is supposed to put a few pounds of lean body mass on you. So chances are you'll end up in a higher weight class. While I don't think that's ALWAYS a bad thing for boxers, you also have to think about your boxing style.

If you're presently tall for your weight, you probably have a longer reach than your oppenents. When you go up in weight, you'll be shorter in camparison (but stronger of course), and you'll find more oppenents with equal or longer range. Which is better? Well it depends. If you're better at boxing from the outside, picking your shots, jabbing in-and-out, using your footwork to keep your distance... then you should avoid the weight gain. If you can handle the inside style, ducking and slipping jabs and long right hands to get in your power shots, keeping a high guard, punishing a taller oppenent's body to bring his defenses down... then you should go up in weight.

It ultimately depends at what style naturally good at.

[daghetto]

thanks for the advise everyone. so if im doing this twice a week should i still increase weights every workout by 2.5 or should i do it weekly now?


bakalaosalao, im 6'0 and 145lbs, so im much taller and have way more reach than most my opponents, but honestly i want to be able to do both close range and long range boxing, so i want to gain weight too.