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Starting Strength , conditiong amd recovery
I am set on doing Starting Strength. I'm 6'6 200lbs and skinny. I'd love to get up to 250+ and I have my diet and everything else lined up to start this program. In conjunction with SS I want to get in better shape as far as my conditioning and running is concerned and I have been looking to get a Prowler. My question is, I will do M/W/F for SS and was thinking of doing Tues/Thurs with the Prowler (nothing heavy just a few sprints) would this slow my progress down on SS or will I be able to get away with doing these? If need be I could cut the Prowler down to once a week and just do light jogging the other day.
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Just do the program and eat. Save the prowler for after your linear progression is over.
When you are squatting 350+ and barely able to make it back in your house after a 3 sets of 5 you will appreciate this advice.
Congrats on your decision to get strong.
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How would you recommend I train for 5k and marathons then? I am beginning to get back into running but I am far too slow which is why I wanted to introduce the prowler at least once a week in order to help with my running. I'm also going to be having multiple physical fitness tests for police departments which all have timed running events which is another reason why I need to make sure I don't forget to be balanced in my workouts in regards to cardio and running. I don't want to put on 50+lbs and destroy my running abilities.Originally Posted by Sal Webber
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I would say you have goals that are in competition at this point. Only you can resolve that competition in your head.
The SS linear progression model takes total focus, energy, and commitment to get right. Did you read the part I wrote about squatting 350+? That's what most people who start out on SS are aiming for. Sounds like you have some other competing priorities that will probably interfere with your LP. Adding in extra conditioning is not a problem but then please don't tell anyone that you are doing the SS program because you aren't.
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Well taking the competition running out of it, I still have to worry about the police tests where you're graded on speed, agility, etc. What would you recommend me doing then during SS? Will SS alone be sufficent to maintain the speed I need or will it slow me down since I'll be putting on more and more weight?
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I don't have the SS coach header under my name (yet), so take my advice for what it's worth (and coaches, don't get mad at an internet nobody).
If you want to run a 5k or marathons, cut back squatting to 1-2x a week. You can still run 3x5 LP - me and my partners just switch up the deadlift and squat so we do one or the other each workout (so 3x biweekly). Do the prowler after your lifting on the days you squat. I think you could get away with some conditioning on your rest days IF you keep it short, intense, and keep your goals in mind. Doing the prowler the day before you squat is a bad idea, and it may even fuck up your deadlift - but not if you keep it light, with short rest times and limited volume.
Sal makes it seem like SS is strictly for unconditioned powerlifters. Which may be true. If you don't want to destroy your running capability, don't do something silly like GAIN 50LBS IN 3 MONTHS. Realize your goals before you set out. And you can always tweak the program - only certain people will be douchey and call you out for not doing the program (which is actually the smart decision, for YOU).
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I understand the SS program is set for people who are trying to squat 350+ benching 300+ etc. but I will be using it mostly as a stepping stone to new programs because ideally all I want out of the program is the strength and weight gain. I'm skinny as hell and im 26 yrs old at 6'6 and 200lbs. Like I said, ideally I want to get up to 250 or so down the road but I also can't afford to let my run time or speed suffer in fact I need to be faster which is why I need to at least do light to moderate prowler work.
How did you work your program because arent you supposed to do deadlifts 3x a week along with the squats 3x? The only thing that I thought alternated was the press ie. power cleans or bent over rows whatever it was you decided to do. As far as the prowler work goes, I would only do it for 30 mins tops on the days I actually do do it and it would involved mostly interval training. Doing 40 yard sprints high/low, starting with 2 45lb plates and adding 45lb on each turn back. I would do 6-8 40 yd sprints with 30-60 sec of rest in between.
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Who cares what you're "supposed" to do, it's what works for you. The closest program to SS I PERSONALLY would run is:
Bench/Press (first in the workout)
Squat/Deadlift
Rows/Chins (or just chins all the time. Not totally convinced rows do anything that chest-to-bar chins don't, but I'm biased since chins are my best lift)
assistance
cardio (short and intense unless you have to specifically get adapted to long distances - I don't and have no desire to)
If you want to know the reasoning why, PM me - I'm sure I've already ignited a fire under some people's asses.
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Gaining 50lbs and getting stronger is not an insignificant task by itself... that's all I'm trying to say. It will take a lot of focus and recovery to get there.
You can add in conditioning and the Prowler is an incredibly efficient and effective tool to do that. You just need to be ready to adjust your conditioning workouts if you find they are interfering with your recovery for the strength workouts.
What kind of events will your Police department have you doing?
Member
I see what you're saying now and I am honestly ready to have to cut down on the conditioning aspect if it does interfere with my recovery doing SS. We do 1.5 mile runs, an obstacle course and a bunch of sprint courses. Is it a better idea to do the Prowler workouts on the same 3 days as SS though so that the other days are truly recovery days or would it be more efficent to do light/moderate Prowler work on say Thues/Thurs or Sat/Sun?
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