Lanky to large; my barbell initiation.

[Murmur]

I'm 19, male, and for as long as I've had the pleasure to be a part of the human species, I have been a lanky bastard. As far as athleticism goes, I'd always been borderline active - recreational sports a few nights a week, the odd intramural or high school level competition, that sort of thing. That changed a year and a half ago. Every year, my family competes in a Canada Day 5km (3.2ish miles) race. I'd always been able to complete it in times that were pathetic, but that I rationalized as being due to my lack of training. If I'd done the work, I could have put out the time! Well, in the summer of 2010, my 10 and 12 year old cousins beat me. Not only did they beat me, they boasted impressive times, nearing the 20 minute range. Now, I'm not always the most competitive guy, but sometimes I can be, and that got me going. I resolved to get faster, and to break 20 minutes. Long story short, I did it, and this July I ran the race in 19:30. Not an amazing time, but one that I'm happy with. Over the summer, I've continued running, but I've begun to change my focus. I want to get bigger, and stronger. Thus, I have turned to Starting Strength.

My sole concern is that, while I'm more than content to let running take a back seat, I don't want to have to drop it - and I'm not sure where best to work it in, or how to manage it without having to worry about eating even more. I'm fine regressing a bit, but I'd like to be starting this spring in a position where I can train to get close to 19:00 for the 5k, and I don't think eating non-stop and dropping running entirely is the best avenue towards that goal. So, I'll be trying to work in 2-4 days of cardio a week, at least half of which will ideally be running. Since doing my first workout last night, though, I have my doubts about how easily I'll be accomplishing that. Squatting is quite the experience, I have to say.

I don't have specific body weight or lifting goals. Just a general sentiment that I would like to be bigger and stronger. Quite frankly, I lack the capacity and understanding to set reasonable goals for myself at the moment.

Without further ado, my stats:

Age: 19
Height: 6'0
Weight: ~162 (In shoes, my scale is broken, working on fixing it to update this)

Progress:
Squat: 115lbs -> 125lb s
Bench: 105lbs ->
Deadlift: 125lbs ->
Press: 75lbs ->
Power Clean: 95lbs ->

Workout #1, December 3rd, 2011:
("final" values only, I didn't record and can't remember the exact intermediaries)
Squat: 3x5 @ 115lbs
Bench: 3x5 @ 105lbs
Deadlift: 3x5 @ 125lbs
(Brilliant as I am, I forgot that this was supposed to be a 1x5 exercise. I'm confident I could've done more, but, under the assumption that I was to do three sets, I left it at a point where I felt that the third set would be possible but very difficult)

[Carlos Daniel]

Starting strength won't work well with long distance running, different and opposite kinds of adaptation. You're gonna have to compromise.

[Murmur]

Well, I'd consider 5km to be something more along the lines of medium distance, but that's arguing semantics. I guess my best bet will be to follow Starting Strength "by the book" until sometime in the spring, at which point I can re-evaluate?

[Carlos Daniel]

Well, I'd consider 5km to be something more along the lines of medium distance, but that's arguing semantics. I guess my best bet will be to follow Starting Strength "by the book" until sometime in the spring, at which point I can re-evaluate?

By the book will include little running and lotsa food. Are you aware of that?

[Murmur]

Yeah, of course. But "sometime in the spring" is apt to be a good 4-5 months from now. I don't expect I'll need anywhere near as long to get into good running shape as I did this year. Of course it's entirely possible I'll decide I much prefer the weights to the running anyways. By re-evaluating, I meant deciding whether to integrate some sort of running program or to opt to continue operating on a primarily lifting-based exercise regimen.

[spiderman]

If you think you are interested enough in strength training then I suggest you try Starting Strength as written for four weeks. This would mean no running. If you like SS enough then you might not care anymore about your current running objectives. If you decide you do want to incorporate running then after a month you'll have more information about how to do it and could do something like SS two days per week and run two days per week. Even better might be an eight day cycle like SS-A, off, run, off, SS-B, off, run, off.

And after just one month, your squat could be 60 to 90 lbs more than it is currently.

[Carlos Daniel]

Yeah, of course. But "sometime in the spring" is apt to be a good 4-5 months from now. I don't expect I'll need anywhere near as long to get into good running shape as I did this year. Of course it's entirely possible I'll decide I much prefer the weights to the running anyways. By re-evaluating, I meant deciding whether to integrate some sort of running program or to opt to continue operating on a primarily lifting-based exercise regimen.

Well, I don't see a point of doing SS for less than three months, so it's cool. You can do some running, but I don't think you can train for a 5k run AND get your squat to 300 at the same time. Just make sure you Do The Program and drink your milk and all will be fine.

[Murmur]

I used to drink a gallon of milk a day just because. Of course, it was a good 1/2 of my daily caloric intake, but I did it anyways. In any case, it's definitely going to be a big shift in direction. I read on another forum that switching Pendlay Rows in for the Power Cleans might not be a bad idea, since it's supposedly simpler. Would you guys advocate that as well, in the absence of more directed coaching? Or should I be fine with the Power Cleans?

[skipbeat]

In because you're the same age as me. Taller and weigh 35lbs less though, fix that! kidding :-P

just deadlift every session until you can't, then alternate with power cleans. they suck at the start, but they're very fun, will help you more with your athletic goals, and they're very do-able by yourself. i learned them from the book and have yet to get anyone to look at my form. i'm sure it's not perfect, but i'm at 180lbs so it can't be completely wrong.

and do chinups on one of the two workouts, it fills in the concentric actions of the lats and biceps.. and you're skinny you can probably do 100

[Carlos Daniel]

I read on another forum that switching Pendlay Rows in for the Power Cleans might not be a bad idea, since it's supposedly simpler. Would you guys advocate that as well, in the absence of more directed coaching? Or should I be fine with the Power Cleans?

Oh, just don't ask Rip about this. But you should do power cleans.

"Usually, people just feel intimidated by anything that resembles a technical exercise and just would rather not do them. This is just being a pussy, and sets a bad precedent for the management of both training and life. I think the Starting Strength includes an understandable method for learning to power clean, and just in case it's not simple enough I rewrote it for the new book so that it is even simpler. You don't really need bumper plates to do them if you don't have access, so that doesn't wash either. They are in the program because an explosive movement is a valuable contribution to power production, and they make deadlifts get stronger faster.

Okay, you don't need a coach to learn power cleans, because we fixed things up so that you can learn them out of the book. And what exactly is the downside of trying to learn them and failing? Firing squad? The fucking bodybuilders making fun of you from the safety of the dumbbell rack? Loss of wages? Just try them before you decide you can't learn them without a coach."