Selling Myself Short?

[John Tony]

Rip,

I have read both SS and PP, and clearly understand where to start if I were a complete beginner to weightlifting. However, I am familiar with the lifts but am coming off a somewhat extended break and am trying to figure out where to start.

My current 1 RMs are:
Squat- 260
Bench Press- 165
Press- 120
Deadlift- 300
Powerclean- 160

Clearly I need work which is why I want to do SS, but I am not sure where to begin with regards to weight.

My current plan is to start with the following weights:
Squat- 115
Bench Press- 85
Press- 65
Deadlift- 135
Powerclean- 85

I am planning on 5lb increases for everything but deadlift (10lbs). Am I selling myself short by starting too light? I figure it was better to start light and continue with linear progression as long as possible. Do you agree with this approach?

Thanks,
John

[Mark Rippetoe]

No, I don't agree with this approach. The book clearly tells you how to determine the first workouts for all the lifts, at then end of the instruction for each lift. Do that.

[Tamara Reynolds]

The book clearly tells you how to determine the first workouts for all the lifts...

I am still confused as to how people miss this, even those who claim to have read the book.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

I am still confused as to how people miss this, even those who claim to have read the book.

This is the 21st century. "Read the book" = "looked at the pictures."

[Dragar]

Yep I lent the book to a colleague of mine, engineer in his 40s, reads and writes reports all the time, would only look at the pictures

[John Tony]

I think my original post was not clear. I did the lifts for the first workout as described in the book(s). The numbers posted are where I ended up from that process. However, given my 1RM those numbers seem low to me. Maybe that's exactly where I need to be, I just wanted a sanity check to see if those numbers made sense.

Re-reading my original post it sounds like I grabbed those numbers out of the air. Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks,
John

[Mark Rippetoe]

If that's the case, your 1RM numbers are bullshit. Use the numbers generated by the workout.

[John Tony]

That is what led to my original post. I tested my 1 RMs on Friday 7/15 and did the first workout 7/18 with adequate food and sleep over the weekend, but those numbers are ridiculously low compared to my 1RM.

[BrewinBombers]

1 RM number's aren't even discussed in the book until the intermediate chapter, as they are considered irrelevant for the novice who should be getting stronger every workout; if you're a novice again, your 1RM should increase day after day.

[Mark Rippetoe]

We don't use 1RM testing for this reason. It is bullshit in so many ways.