PP 3rd Edition - Starr Model HLM - 5x5 confusion

[Mark Rippetoe]

Thank god that's all cleared up.

[John Tony]

Andy,

Why can't you just explain it like this guy does?
Simplifying the Heavy Light Medium System - Part 1: Introduction & Squats - Baker Strength Coaching

Simplifying the Heavy Light Medium System - Part 2: Pressing - Baker Strength Coaching

[DanJits]

This is very important and I have mentioned it multiple times:

The Heavy-Light-Medium System IS NOT A SPECIFIC PROGRAM. It is a means of organizing training. Within that organization there are LOTS of set and rep schemes that can be utilized effectively and lots of exercises that can be plugged in at different times.

Now, Bill Starr used the HLM system for his athletes and wrote about it in his books. He happened to be a fan of using ascending rep schemes for 5x5. Over time a lot of people have come to think like this: HLM = Ascending 5 x 5. NO. That was simply Starr's preferred rep scheme within the HLM system - if for nothing else, it is an easy way to train large groups of athletes. But the two concepts (HLM and Ascending 5x5's) are not married to each other.

Within the HLM system you can use Ascending 5 x 5, 5x5 across, a 5RM, etc. As long as what you are doing on a given day fits the criteria as either Heavy, Light, or Medium you are managing stress in a way that the system was designed for.

Hi Andy. The article you wrote on your site 5 Ways to 5x5 - Baker Strength Coaching has completely cleared it all up for me. Following the advice from the article I'm going to proceed with with the hybrid ascending sets/sets across approach and see how it goes.

Thank you for your help

Daniel

[nykid]

Just for the record, I was also confused by the treatment of HLM in PPST3. That is, the way the chapter and examples are laid out made it seem (to me at least), that sets across are always recommended and that ramping sets as used in the original Starr programs were suboptimal (used only for convenience reasons due to training large numbers of athletes). But the 5 ways to 5x5 article and the discussion in this thread has cleared it up for me.