Greetings strong people,

Been lifting for 4 years, 43 years old now. Just started an intermediate log if any one is curious:

Greatness is a journey

This testimonial is about my linear progression and experience with the starting strength program.

Some background info. No athletic background (I was a sick, small asthmatic child who fortunately grew out of asthma once puberty hit.)

Focussed on academics and career and by my late 30s I was very overweight and out of shape: 5'4'', 192 lbs, all fat, 44 inch waistline. I encountered this website as I was investigating what to do to get into shape. My wife was doing p90x and had great results but I knew I would get out of breath fast doing that program (thank God I never did, heh).

Like many others, I was impressed with the structure and logic Mark Rippetoe brought to barbell training. I read the book from front to back, watched the videos on the lifts, bought all the necessary equipment, and got to work. My beginning squat was 3 x 95 x 5. After about 6 months of dedicated linear progression, I was at 3 x 275 x 5, my body composition had changed enormously, and I felt like a new man. I got my wife and my Mom into the program too. My mother is now 70 years old, 5 feet tall, 108 lbs, a cancer survivor, and she can squat 135 for one set of 5, deadlift 150 for a set of 3, and bench press 71 lbs for a set of five. My wife is 5'4", 155 lbs, can squat 195 for 3 sets of five, and looking great on this program

Thank you for changing our lives for the better, Rip.