The KSC Method for Power Building

[dkahr]

Andy,

Would your KSC Method for Power Building work well as an "intermediate program" to move into immediately upon finishing the Starting Strength LP? Thanks

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Depends. Do you have any experience in the weightroom/gym outside of doing the SS LP? Do you have access to a fairly large gym with a variety of equipment? What are your goals?

[dkahr]

Yes, I am former professional baseball player and strength trained consistently from mid-teens to mid-20's. After having been out of the gym entirely for about 5-6 years, I got back to working out doing heavy, compound barbell and dumbbell training, with progressive overload, starting about a year ago. I gained a ton of strength, lost fat, and added some lean mass. So, I don't believe I was truly novice when I began SS about 3 months ago.

Yes, have access to a decent gym.

After I get as strong as I can running the SS LP, I am going to want to maintain that strength in the big lifts and begin cutting fat (I have gained 40 pounds thus far on SS). Physique/aesthetics is my ultimate end, but don't want to just be lean without having a decent amount of size and strength. Thanks!!

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Yeah, this would work fine for you. It has an entire template of assistance work you can do to help with physique, but also a periodized plan for the main barbell exercises, as strength improvement is always part of the plan. I have some guys that really only use the periodized plan for the barbell exercises and ignore most of the assistance stuff.

[dkahr]

Awesome. Thank you!!

[dkahr]

Andy,

I went ahead and purchased The KSC Method for Power Building program today, read through it, and am excited for when it comes time to run it. One question (for now, at least): Since I had made decent strength gains in the big lifts as a "novice" (de-trained for 5+ years) in my first 9 months back in the gym with another program before coming across the SS LP, I don't anticipate being able to run the LP as long as a true untrained novice starting the program would (I am only truly 4-5 weeks in and am at 155-P/230-B/280-S/370-D, and am already stalling on the Press and Bench). All that to say, if I only get 2.5-3 months out of the SS LP, would it be advisable to maybe run a H-L-M maybe with physique focus (incline for Medium pressing, some curls, lying tricep extension, etc.) for 8 weeks or so before jumping into The KSC Method for Power Building, or would the latter be equally effective in ensuring that I milk all that I can out of whatever Novice Effect I may have left? Thanks in advance.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Andy,

I went ahead and purchased The KSC Method for Power Building program today, read through it, and am excited for when it comes time to run it. One question (for now, at least): Since I had made decent strength gains in the big lifts as a "novice" (de-trained for 5+ years) in my first 9 months back in the gym with another program before coming across the SS LP, I don't anticipate being able to run the LP as long as a true untrained novice starting the program would (I am only truly 4-5 weeks in and am at 155-P/230-B/280-S/370-D, and am already stalling on the Press and Bench). All that to say, if I only get 2.5-3 months out of the SS LP, would it be advisable to maybe run a H-L-M maybe with physique focus (incline for Medium pressing, some curls, lying tricep extension, etc.) for 8 weeks or so before jumping into The KSC Method for Power Building, or would the latter be equally effective in ensuring that I milk all that I can out of whatever Novice Effect I may have left? Thanks in advance.

I don't think you have to do that. I think you can just jump right into this, but take it easy on the volume at first. You don't HAVE to do every exercise and every set as I have it listed. Give yourself 4-6 weeks to build up to doing the whole program and you'll be fine.