Starting out with Starting Strength

[verdisQUO]

Hello,

Have a question on how much weight to use when starting out with the Starting Strength program. I've just ordered to book and waiting for that to arrive. I'm 28, and 277lbs (Was 282lbs). I have no experience with weights. I do run in the morning for 30 mins before heading to work.

Any suggestions for determining the appropriate what to lift when starting something like this? Any links to any resources would be great. Thanks.

[Force Production]

There's a wiki for this that can help you get started until you get the book:
http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ:The_Program

[gzt]

Hello,

Have a question on how much weight to use when starting out with the Starting Strength program. I've just ordered to book and waiting for that to arrive. I'm 28, and 277lbs (Was 282lbs). I have no experience with weights. I do run in the morning for 30 mins before heading to work.

Any suggestions for determining the appropriate what to lift when starting something like this? Any links to any resources would be great. Thanks.

I wouldn't lift until I got the book because you simply will not squat correctly until you read the squat chapter. And you want to squat correctly. Fortunately, the book also tells you how to select your starting weights. The basic idea is that you'll start fairly light and quickly add weight. Your first working weight will be the weight at which bar speed slows down, which might be something like 85# for the squat. But, seriously, read the book. It tells you everything.

[verdisQUO]

I wouldn't lift until I got the book because you simply will not squat correctly until you read the squat chapter. And you want to squat correctly. Fortunately, the book also tells you how to select your starting weights. The basic idea is that you'll start fairly light and quickly add weight. Your first working weight will be the weight at which bar speed slows down, which might be something like 85# for the squat. But, seriously, read the book. It tells you everything.

Thanks, and also thanks to Force Production for the wiki link.

I read the part where it talks about lifting until the bar starts to slow, but how slow are we talking? Also, do you think it would be a good idea to continue my morning cardio routine?

Agreed not to start anything until the book get here, so I want to get these sort of questions out of the way.

[chevyguy3]

I read the part where it talks about lifting until the bar starts to slow, but how slow are we talking?

Trust me, you'll know it when you feel it.

[gzt]

Cardio: until you get the book, sure, why not. After you get the book, well, maybe not, depends on how hard you're going and whether you're planning on lifting right after cardio or what. Don't run them back to back.

Bar slowing: You will almost certainly be able to go fairly quickly with just the empty bar. You will probably be able to maintain that speed with 10 more pounds. You will not be able to maintain that speed with 200 more pounds. Somewhere in between, you will notice yourself slowing down. Don't overthink this. It's not rocket science. If anything, it's best to be conservative. You'll be adding weight quickly at first, so if you undershoot, you're probably only like a week behind. Whatever. If you overshoot, you'll get stuck and you'll learn with bad form, which is bad.

Seriously, questions get a lot more intelligent after you've spent a couple weeks under the bar. Get the book, get out there, and do it. The bar is a far better teacher than any of us and it won't kill you with 100# on it.