Question about Re-Starting Novice Progression

[philly]

Here it goes. The first time I ran the novice progression I had major success, in two months I went from 175lbs to 187lbs and my squat went from 145lbs to 237lbs! All of my other lifts improved dramatically too.

Once the summer started I had to move and no longer had access to a gym, only a barbel, weights and a bench. I tried to do the major lifts that I could to keep my strength but because of a terrible diet, lack of rest and a very physically demanding job I ended up losing strength on all of my lifts.

Now that I moved back home I decided to start up the novice progression again but the first day in the gym I was surprised to find out I had trouble squatting 185lbs for 3 sets! I can still deadlift 270lbsx5, bench 180lbx5, press 120lbx5 and PC 140lbx3.

So my questions are, how much should I reset the squat? and should I drop the other lifts by 10% too or more so that my squat can catch up?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Reset all the lifts enough so that fit the reps and sets of the program. Then do the program. The first time, you did not do the program.

http://startingstrength.com/articles...n_rippetoe.pdf

[philly]

Thanks for the quick response. Two questions.
1. Does that mean start the squat at 185lb? because I can do that 3x5 its just that the bar movement is slow on the last few reps, or do you mean drop it by 10%?

2. Besides the fact that I didn't squeeze everything out of linear progression, how is it that I didn't do the program? The 2-3 months I was on it my BW shot up and so did my my lifts?

[Mark Rippetoe]

1. Back off to 175 x 5 x 3.

2. Your bodyweight "shot up" 12 lbs. That's not a lot of shooting.