Which program is better for a novice?

[EliGreen]

Would a novice be better off starting on 5x5 like stronglifts suggests, then moving down to 3x5 once they stall on 5x5 and 1x5 once they stall on 3x5 like Mehdi says? Or is it better to just start with 3x5 and maintain that until the end of linear progression?

[njs23]

Do what milky says

[gzt]

Do SS, not Strong Lifts. Mehdi is a marketer, not a lifter.

[joosejpr]

Do SS, not Strong Lifts. Mehdi is a marketer, not a lifter.

This. This again. A Million more times this. And once more for good measure.

[EliGreen]

Do what milky says

Who is milky?

[EliGreen]

Do SS, not Strong Lifts. Mehdi is a marketer, not a lifter.

That seems to be the general consensus around here, and I'd have to agree about the marketer thing.

[joosejpr]

the marketer thing.

Not a terribly good one, either.

[Reggie]

yea ss, better to learn from a lifter about lifting. Learn marketing from Mehdi

[Dastardly]

Would a novice be better off starting on 5x5 like stronglifts suggests, then moving down to 3x5 once they stall on 5x5 and 1x5 once they stall on 3x5 like Mehdi says? Or is it better to just start with 3x5 and maintain that until the end of linear progression?

Just for the record, programming based on advancement does not work like this. You do not simply remove sets as you become more advanced. Doing 5x5 when you do not have to is simply wasting time, you can use a bigger weight on 3x5, maintain better technique, and do it in less time. There is no reason to do 5x5 unless you feel you need MORE stimulus than 3x5 can allow, but this will take longer to recover from. And with SS you are trying to progress 3xweek for a few months solid. If anything, 1x5 would be better than 5x5 as a rank novice, as beginner you need very little in terms of stimulus to create an "overload"

[joosejpr]

Just for the record, programming based on advancement does not work like this. You do not simply remove sets as you become more advanced. Doing 5x5 when you do not have to is simply wasting time, you can use a bigger weight on 3x5, maintain better technique, and do it in less time. There is no reason to do 5x5 unless you feel you need MORE stimulus than 3x5 can allow, but this will take longer to recover from. And with SS you are trying to progress 3xweek for a few months solid. If anything, 1x5 would be better than 5x5 as a rank novice, as beginner you need very little in terms of stimulus to create an "overload"

Dropping Knowledge all over the place.