So I Wasn't Doing the Program...

[IdahoJ]

Joined the YMCA recently and started barbell lifting. I've done 9 days of lifting (10 if you count the first day I spent finding out my numbers).

Well, just yesterday I realized I wasn't following the program. So... do I start over again? If yes from barbell weight, or from my last workout #'s?

If no, I assume this means moving onto phase 2.

My starting numbers were:

• Squat 200#
• Bench 145#
• Deadlift 205#
• Overhead press 100#
• Bent row 145#

Currently I'm at:

• Squat 260#
• Bench 175#
• Deadlift 275#
• Overhead press 110#
• Bent row 180#

I was doing Workout A: squat, bench, deadlift, dips Workout B: squat, overhead press, bent row, chins.

Thank all,
Jay

[Brodie Butland]

Joined the YMCA recently and started barbell lifting. I've done 9 days of lifting (10 if you count the first day I spent finding out my numbers).

Well, just yesterday I realized I wasn't following the program. So... do I start over again? If yes from barbell weight, or from my last workout #'s?

If no, I assume this means moving onto phase 2.

My starting numbers were:

• Squat 200#
• Bench 145#
• Deadlift 205#
• Overhead press 100#
• Bent row 145#

Currently I'm at:

• Squat 260#
• Bench 175#
• Deadlift 275#
• Overhead press 110#
• Bent row 180#

I was doing Workout A: squat, bench, deadlift, dips Workout B: squat, overhead press, bent row, chins.

Thank all,
Jay

Why not just use the method for starting out in the book? Even if it’s a little conservative, it’s not like an extra week or two of LP is going to hurt your long term progress.

[IdahoJ]

Why not just use the method for starting out in the book? Even if it’s a little conservative, it’s not like an extra week or two of LP is going to hurt your long term progress.

If I understand you correctly, you're saying I should go back to "learning the lifts" (page 295 in hardcover 3rd edition)?

Squat, press, deadlift on the first day? If the squat was taxing go light on deads? Second day has squats, bench, power clean (if DL technique was good).

My reading comprehension isn't the best, but I cannot find how to get working set poundage. What I did was load up the barbell with 50#, doing sets across of 5, adding 10 pounds each set until I missed a rep. That missed rep set became my working number.

What is the meaning of the letters "LP"?

[Dillon Spencer]

Why would you start with a weight you couldn't handle on day 1? You'd basically be starting stuck. How to select starting weights for each lift is described in the chapters specific to the lift, right at the end of the "Learning to [insert lift here]" section. Go back and read it, but basically work up in sets of 5 to where the bar starts to slow down and you think the next weight increase would compromise your form. NOT FAILURE.

LP = Linear Progression, short hand for "The Program." If you've only been at it a couple of weeks, might as well just start over as described in the book. If you do, whatever strength gains you've made so far will probably mean you'll back off a bit from where you are now, but you might start a little heavier than your first go. If not, whatever. Like Brodie said, an extra couple of weeks on LP isn't a problem in the long run. Don't be in a hurry to get yourself stuck by starting too heavy and taking too many big jumps early on.

[IdahoJ]

Never mind my last question re: how to get working sets. Downloaded the starting strength app, and understand what I'm supposed to do. Will go back to the gym Thursday and start from zero according to the app.

Still unsure what "LP" is though. Lift progression?

[Mark Rippetoe]

You tell him, and he ignores you. Hasn't read anything about this. He'll make an excellent member.

[IdahoJ]

You tell him, and he ignores you. Hasn't read anything about this. He'll make an excellent member.

Hey, I made my follow up post before I saw Dillion's response. I'm not sure if the posting approval system here made it look like it was made after Dillion's response, or if Dillion responded while I was tapping out my follow up. Had I seen it, I wouldn't have made the post.

I understand what to do now, and what I meant by "start from zero" was "start with an unloaded barbell".

A rocky start here, but I'll make up for it.

[Brodie Butland]

Never mind my last question re: how to get working sets. Downloaded the starting strength app, and understand what I'm supposed to do. Will go back to the gym Thursday and start from zero according to the app.

Still unsure what "LP" is though. Lift progression?

To make sure we’re all clear, on your first day you do sets of 5 starting with the empty bar until you reach a weight that starts posing some difficulty, and you do three sets across. That’s day one. We don’t go until failure or until it’s a max effort set—that’s a recipe for screwing up your LP right out of the box. We don’t do the empty bar only on day 1–that’s unnecessarily conservative. The point is to find a good starting weight, erring on the side of too little rather than too much.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I understand what to do now, and what I meant by "start from zero" was "start with an unloaded barbell".

He still hasn't read the book.

[IdahoJ]

Why would you start with a weight you couldn't handle on day 1? You'd basically be starting stuck. How to select starting weights for each lift is described in the chapters specific to the lift, right at the end of the "Learning to [insert lift here]" section. Go back and read it, but basically work up in sets of 5 to where the bar starts to slow down and you think the next weight increase would compromise your form. NOT FAILURE.

LP = Linear Progression, short hand for "The Program." If you've only been at it a couple of weeks, might as well just start over as described in the book. If you do, whatever strength gains you've made so far will probably mean you'll back off a bit from where you are now, but you might start a little heavier than your first go. If not, whatever. Like Brodie said, an extra couple of weeks on LP isn't a problem in the long run. Don't be in a hurry to get yourself stuck by starting too heavy and taking too many big jumps early on.

Because I didn't understand the program, mostly. Also, I had thought that By doing sets of 5, with 10 pound increments I would fatigue early.

So if I ended up doing 8 sets and missed set 8 at 205, for the next workout starting at 200 fresh would be easy. I understand now this is wrong.

To make sure we’re all clear, on your first day you do sets of 5 starting with the empty bar until you reach a weight that starts posing some difficulty, and you do three sets across. That’s day one. We don’t go until failure or until it’s a max effort set—that’s a recipe for screwing up your LP right out of the box. We don’t do the empty bar only on day 1–that’s unnecessarily conservative. The point is to find a good starting weight, erring on the side of too little rather than too much.

I understood that. When I said "start with an unloaded barbell" I did not mean to start day 1 with only an unloaded barbell, but start with an unloaded bar then add weight (sets across) until form slow down.