Typical gains in other lifts?

[Stu Hughes]

You mentioned in the steroid thread that it's not uncommon for young guys on SSBBT to up their squat sets by 300lb. What would be an achievable gain in the other four lifts for your typical young trainee (18 years old, 150lb say? )

[Mark Rippetoe]

We've had young guys put 350 on their deadlift, 150 on their bench, and 75 on their press. But most will not do the program, so it doesn't happen often.

[mick in mpls]

We've had young guys put 350 on their deadlift, 150 on their bench, and 75 on their press. But most will not do the program, so it doesn't happen often.

What do you mean by this? I'd give my left nut to train at your gym.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Bless you, my son. But it is a rare occasion when a trainee of the right age, height, and motivation shows up at my gym here in Wichita Falls. You probably haven't processed this yet, but the vast majority of the human race consists of lazy slobs that will not work to complete a task that involves something physically or intellectually hard. You guys are the tiny minority, and I'm proud to be associated with you.

[Stu Hughes]

Bless you, my son. But it is a rare occasion when a trainee of the right age, height, and motivation shows up at my gym here in Wichita Falls. You probably haven't processed this yet, but the vast majority of the human race consists of lazy slobs that will not work to complete a task that involves something physically or intellectually hard. You guys are the tiny minority, and I'm proud to be associated with you.

So by not do the program you're talking about one of many things:

1. Quitting after a week or two.
2. Training only very sporadically.
3. Trying to substitute exercises, e.g. pansy half-squats on a Smith.
4. Trying to add exercises other than assistance work.
5. Not sleeping enough.
6. Not eating enough.
7. Not drinking enough milk.
8. Not working hard, saying one's prayers and taking one's vitamins?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Exactimundo.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

One of the challenges of trying to run the SS program or any similar program on somebody is the sheer simplicity of it. They just cant wrap their brain around the fact that adding strength and size really isn't rocket science, and that an entire program really doesn't need more than about 5 or 6 exercises to be effective. The want to see "advanced techniques" like the Weider principles (if they can be considered principles at all), fancy exercises with fancy machines and some sort of very elaborate scheme that has Thursdays devoted to Biceps and Calves or something else like they read in flex. Oh and also most of them are lazy and not mentally tough enough to suck it up and walk in the gym to squat three times per week.