SS Obsevations

[Joel Chapman]

I posted the following on the Crossfit forums, and was encouraged to re-post here. It may be a bit basic (common knowledge) for this specific forum, yet may generate a discussion or comments.



A little background: 33 yr old male with the usual responsibilities (job/house/spouse/small children); not a true beginner with weight training, but using SS to get back into heavier weights (loads I haven't used in 10-15 years).

Here are some of my observations since recently successfully undertaking the SS program. Please add or comment.

1) Though you workout three times a week, it is a seven-day-a-week program. The recovery is very important, I find myself assessing my sleep, water/tea intake, food amounts/choices, etc every day.

2) It is as mentally challenging as it is physically challenging. When you barely gut out that last set of squats, you quickly realize that in 48 hours you are going to be doing this with 15 more pounds.

3) Bench press/press failure is physical, while squat/deadlift failure is mental. If you had a gun to your head you could always get one more rep while squatting (see the 20 rep squat routine), but when you're benching you are done when you are done.

4) You will be hungry. I have been very consistant for two years with my nutrition (strict zone), all of a sudden I am hungry, eating more, and gaining weight. I can only imagine what it is like for a seventeen-year-old to be on SS with the gallon of milk a day added to the diet.

5) Micro loads will eventually be necessary. After re-setting the bench press once or twice, it is not always practical to increase by five pounds, 2.5 pounds is much more reasonable.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Nice observations. Thanks for bringing them over here.

[Dan F.]

I completely agree with all 5 points!

Specially for a "becoming novice" like me point 3 is fundamental: with squat in particular the hard work is mental to obtain at the same time good form and good weight. All lifts need concentration but squat needs absolute concentration because all movements and postures (from head to feet) are not "automatic" for me -- and I think they'll never be at heavy weigths. The temptation to quit before the 5th rep of third set is not for muscular or cardiorespiratory fatigue but for brain stress!

DL is a simpler movement but the amount of weight on the barbell makes me wonder every time: "shall I lift it or my back will break somewhere?"

[banderbe]

Increasing your squat by 15 pounds seems rather aggressive to me.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It does? Why?

[banderbe]

It does? Why?

Only because I only increment 5 lbs. at a time. Not because there's anything inherently wrong with it.. just aggressive to me..

I mean you probably won't get away with 15 lb. increments for very long, anyway.. and I keep reading about guys who get 'greedy' and end up stalling on the lifts because they add too much too soon.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think he meant at first. The increments obviously follow a sliding scale, but 15 lbs. at first is normal for a bigger guy.

[Joel Chapman]

Yes, I meant adding 15 lbs to the squat at the beginning of the program (first 1.5 or 2 weeks). I have since used ten and five pounds increments as appropriate. I'm 5'9" and 200 lbs, so some may call that bigger, some may not. But I agree that the weight increases should be relative to 1) time spent on SS 2) load on bar (are you using 185 lbs or 365 lbs?) 3) size of the lifter.