Rippetoes/Starting Strength

[amantheman]

Anyone heard of it? Its a 3x5 strength program that focuses on getting your compound lifts up as fast as possible (linear progression- adding weight to the bar every work out). Im starting today and the only real problem i see is that your supposed to drink a gallon of milk a day with it... thats gonna be hella expensive...

[kristallnachte]

You could just do my marine plan...

[optimus]

While I'm sure it's a great plan, there are other ways to get in shape. Especially if you have different goals than the marines.

[kristallnachte]

You have other goals than build strength, lose fat, and get fit?

[amantheman]

Im sure your plan will work. Any plan will work on the untrained so long as they put in the effort. But im specifically aiming for getting as much weight on the bar in as little time as possible. Just curious if anyone had heard about it, did the first workout yesterday.

[optimus]

Feb 24, 2009 1:54:09 GMT -5 kristallnachte said:

You have other goals than build strength, lose fat, and get fit?

I mean bulk vs cut, raising resting metabolic rate vs burning calories, anaerobic vs aerobic, training for specific events (a marathon runner wouldn't want to do your program).

The marine program will get you in great shape, but there are other ways to do it.

[kristallnachte]

Feb 24, 2009 13:18:24 GMT -5 amantheman said:

Im sure your plan will work. Any plan will work on the untrained so long as they put in the effort. But im specifically aiming for getting as much weight on the bar in as little time as possible. Just curious if anyone had heard about it, did the first workout yesterday.

Chances are you're gonan end up with an unbalanced frame. nearly all lifts are isolation.

[optimus]

Feb 25, 2009 11:30:11 GMT -5 kristallnachte said:

Chances are you're gonan end up with an unbalanced frame. nearly all lifts are isolation.

Yeah, I don't know what he's thinking:

Barbell Deadlift

Target:
Gluteus Maximus

Synergists:
Quadriceps
Adductor Magnus
Soleus

Dynamic Stabilizers:
Hamstrings
Gastrocnemius

Stabilizers:
Erector Spinae
Trapezius, Middle
Trapezius, Upper
Levator Scapulae
Rhomboids

Antagonist Stabilizers:
Rectus Abdominis
Obliques


Barbell Full Squat

Target:
Gluteus Maximus

Synergists:
Quadriceps
Adductor Magnus
Soleus

Dynamic Stabilizers:
Hamstrings
Gastrocnemius

Stabilizers:
Erector Spinae
Antagonist Stabilizers
Rectus Abdominis
Obliques



Clean and Jerk

Dynamic:
Hip
Extension
Flexion
Knee
Extension
Ankle
Plantar Flexion
Shoulder
Abduction
Flexion
External Rotation
Scapula & Clavicle
Elevation
Upward Rotation
Elbow
Flexion
Extension

Static:
Spine (Thoracic, Lumbar)
Extension


[kristallnachte]

you are aware there's like a whole 8 muscles in all of that, right? lol

And I've done workouts based around lifts. We still had to do PLENTY of stuff outside of the lifts to actually get all of our body working and not a few select areas

[optimus]

8? I thought lifts are done in isolation?!?!


Look, there's nothing wrong with your program, but there's also nothing wrong with this one. Yeah - doing only lifts is not a balanced workout and will fuck you up long-term. But I never do balanced workouts. I might spend a week running before swiching to bodyweight strength training before switching to weights.


BTW, the #1 most common reason people say to use free weights is that "they use more muscles than a machine."

[amantheman]

Yeah i was just gonna let it go lol. COMPOUND movements make use of multiple muscle groups. ISOLATION movements isolate a single muscle group.
EXAMPLE:
Barbell Deadlift: Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves, Traps, Lower back, Middle back, AND Abdominals = COMPOUND
vs.
Leg raises: Abdominals = ISOLATION

Optimus already posted all the specifics but i felt the need to reiterate. Experience has shown that doing a few sets of deadlifts with low reps and high weight will stimulate more growth then a bunch of isolation moves.

[kristallnachte]

Deadlift is 4 muscles not everything you listed, and for all intensive purposes its meant to work only 1, the rest are colateral

Just like the leg lifts target Abs and also effect neck, leg and back muscles.

[optimus]

Feb 27, 2009 14:56:58 GMT -5 kristallnachte said:

intensive purposes

This bugs me so much. It's not "intensive purposes," it's "intents AND purposes." What would the first one even mean?

Feb 27, 2009 14:56:58 GMT -5 kristallnachte said:

Deadlift is 4 muscles not everything you listed, and for all intensive purposes its meant to work only 1, the rest are colateral

Just like the leg lifts target Abs and also effect neck, leg and back muscles.

(emphasis mine)

That's the point. In the process of targeting one muscle, you are working a whole ton of muscles all over your body. That's what makes weights so good. That's why lifting works as a workout.

Also, if the deadlift only works four msucles, which of the ones he listed doesn't it work?

[kristallnachte]

Assuming its not romainian deadlifts, back shouldn't really be used, calves aren't really used, and abs have no purpose in a deadlift

Edit: oh and the hamstring. That's not used either

[optimus]

Hamstrings I might have to give you, but I definitely use my calves. Not much, but they're definitely doing somthing.

More importantly, if you aren't using muscles in your back and abs, how do you keep your body rigid and your back straight?