Need some help with Bill Starr's "The Big 3" program - turning it into "The Big 5"

[willhu12]

I've looked at the Starr rotuine, as I feel my current training has gotten way out of hand (don't even ask) and I want to cut back to the basics. But I was concerned at the lack of pressing/snatching in the program (two exercises I quite enjoy to perform, and feel should be a staple as a thrower). So here's my proposed routine.

MONDAY (HEAVY DAY):
Power Clean - 5x5
Bench Press - 5x5
Squat - 5x5

WEDNESDAY (LIGHT DAY):
Snatch - 5x5
Military Press - 5x5
Squat - 5x5

FRIDAY (MEDIUM DAY):
Power Clean - 5x5
Bench Press - 5x5
Squat - 5x5

you ramp the weights up, and on week two you swap clean/snatch and bench/military around. Weight increase:
+2.5kg on the bench, military, clean and snatch P/W (only up on the week when the exercise is performed on heavy and med day)
+5kg on the squats P/W

or should I just do clean/bench/squat every week, every workout?

And for those of you who wondered where I've been - I've been busy PBs in the shot:

4kg - 11m indoors
5kg - 10m outdoors

[Jeffrey]

Looks fine of course.

I could be wrong, but isn't Incline Bench good for throwers? I'd do Incline Bench on Friday instead of Bench Press and keep the lifts the same every week. Also, I'd probably replace a Power Clean day with Deadlift because the Deadlift is badass.

[Dastardly]

Another option is to behind neck press on the light day and do regular presses on the medium day.

[Greg C]

Looks fine of course.

I could be wrong, but isn't Incline Bench good for throwers? I'd do Incline Bench on Friday instead of Bench Press and keep the lifts the same every week. Also, I'd probably replace a Power Clean day with Deadlift because the Deadlift is badass.

This. Probably on Friday. I'd consider doing the deads after the squat though. Maybe as BS 5x5, then BP, then DL.

[willhu12]

Looks fine of course.

I could be wrong, but isn't Incline Bench good for throwers? I'd do Incline Bench on Friday instead of Bench Press and keep the lifts the same every week. Also, I'd probably replace a Power Clean day with Deadlift because the Deadlift is badass.

I dislike the deadlift myself, and prefer the explosive pulls from the floor (high pull, clean, snatch) over it's useage. It's more to do with the recovery deficeit than anything else.

[Greg C]

I dislike the deadlift myself, and prefer the explosive pulls from the floor (high pull, clean, snatch) over it's useage. It's more to do with the recovery deficeit than anything else.

Why do you dislike something that will make you much stronger than the quick lifts? Because it's hard? Makes it worth doing, and it'll help your quick lifts get better too.

[willhu12]

Why do you dislike something that will make you much stronger than the quick lifts? Because it's hard? Makes it worth doing, and it'll help your quick lifts get better too.

I deadlift in my offseason for rugby, becuase of the serious recovery problems it causes for me if I also have to sprint, do distance running, agility work, tackling drills, etc. every week.

[willhu12]

This. Probably on Friday. I'd consider doing the deads after the squat though. Maybe as BS 5x5, then BP, then DL.

Why can people not just answer the original question, and feel that they need to chip their own ideas into this? Why can you simply not anwer the OP?

[willhu12]

Also, if deadlifitng was so good - why did Starr leave it out of the program?

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...g_3.22_Program

Starr considers the big three to be squatting, cleaning and benching.

[Greg C]

Why can people not just answer the original question, and feel that they need to chip their own ideas into this? Why can you simply not anwer the OP?

Will: it sounds to me like you are getting upset for no good reason.

I seconded the comment because I consider it a gaping hole in the program you described. Not everyone agrees on all aspects of programming (even Rip and Bill don't agree all the time). And Bill Starr tends to program heavy GM instead of DL, but he does program heavy hi-pulls, which he states is simply a DL plus shrug. Also, you didn't include information about DL/recovery, so what were we to do, read your mind?

I liked the rest of your program, and thought it made sense for a thrower, so I didn't make any other comment. I think getting stronger in the quick lifts will help a bunch for what you say your goals are, and DL is a good way to do that imo. Does that make you feel better about my "chipping in my own ideas?" (which you will fundamentally get if you ask for comments on your programming btw). Maybe instead of complaining about the feedback you get, you should simply ask for an explanation of why it was given, or even just ignore it.

And Bill Starr likes HBBS vs LBBS and steep inclines for bench, not flat btw.