Hello, just a few points I wanted to clear up on starting strength after a bunch of reading about it.
For context, I’m 17, 5’11", and 150lbs, and I’m planning to begin the starting strength program next week. For the past couple of months I’ve done some regular calisthenics training to get back into working out again, and rejoined the gym last week. In the last few days I’ve just played around with the basics again, and managed these numbers (not great I know):
Trap bar deadlift (straight bar was taken at the time): 130kg/286lbs (2RM)
Bench: 65kg/143lbs (3RM)
Lat pulldown: 73kg/160.6lbs (5RM)
(Didn’t get to try squats yet because the rack was quite busy, but I can do pistol squats with 10kg+ dumbbell for reps)
So far, starting strength looks like it lines up pretty well with my strength goals, but every forum or article I’ve read to understand more about it is full of so many back and forth arguments, whether it’s about upper body volume or power clean inclusion. My aim is primarily pure strength and to get a longer broad jump, but it would be nice if I could get a little bigger too, especially in my upper body.
I apologise if this is a repeat of what you’ve already read a million times, because I got frustrated reading other people’s arguments over and over again, but there are a few specific points I wondered about.
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Is the inclusion of pullups/chinups and dips in later phases actually enough arm volume to make reasonable gains? (Don’t worry I’m not obsessed with curls if that’s what you think I’m hinting at haha)
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Is the deadlift to squat ratio really such a big deal? Everyone makes only 1x5 deadlifts sound like the end of the world.
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How much should I decrease my lifts by when starting the first phase? I’d rather not start on a totally empty bar, but I understand that starting too heavy would make me stall sooner.
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Would it be wise to possibly later on increase overhead press frequency to match bench, as with ICF, provided I can still progress?
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Is overtraining a concern if extra work is done on top of the program? (As in, will extra work like helping with construction, or handstand practice hinder progress if done after workouts?)
Again, sorry if this is a dead topic by now, but I couldn’t find definitive answers to these anywhere else, and I’d trust this forum over r/fitness anyday
I suppose just picking a decent program and sticking to it is the best advice across the board, right?