After Starting Strength

Now that you have advanced in both conditioning and strength, you require more of a workload each training session to disrupt homeostasis. However, the weight you use and the workload you require is too much for you to recover from in only 24-72 hours.

Progression and planning will no longer be from workout to workout, it will be from week to week. Congratulations, you have advanced to the next stage, that of the intermediate!

There are TONS of different things you can do. Chances are good you will want to branch out and play with a bunch of fancy machines and cable exercises and set up a 5-day bodypart split and give the bicepticons their own day, etc. If you want to do that, then go for it, but you'll need to look elsewhere for that type of info.

In Practical Programming, there is quite a bit of info on intermediate programming, which picks up, in detail, where Starting Strength left off.

Generally, after several months of consistent, hard training with proper rest, nutrition and recovery, progress will eventually stall and daily workout-to-workout progress will no longer be possible. The body is simply conditioned to the point where the amount of stress necessary to disrupt homeostasis is greater than the body's ability to recover in a few days. Additionally, the amount of weight being used is going to be much higher than it was when training first began.

In other words, in order to get the "training effect", you need to pound yourself harder than you can recover from. Your workout abilities have exceeded your recovery abilities.

A simple training period (training period = period of training and recovery whereby homeostasis is disrupted by training, and sufficient time is allowed to recover and progress) no longer is comprised of 1 workout, but of several. By this point, the trainee, now at the intermediate stage, may have some specific direction or specialization they desire, and may have decided that he/she wants to become a powerlifter or a football player or a bodybuilder or a track/field athlete, etc. As such, more complex training protocols are going to be needed.

Rippetoe describes in great detail several methodologies for progression in Practical Programming. I will reproduce a very few of these here so as not to "steal his thunder", as well as give a few of my own that I didn't see him mention. He discusses, at length, 4, 5, and 6-day per week training routines, upper/lower, push/pull, and variations on the Starr model. I will discuss and explain the application of a few here.

## What are some very basic intermediate adjustments I can make to the program?

Here are some more examples using substitution semi-core exercises. Some are mentioned in PP, some are of my own design. All are obviously intuitive for the experienced individual or strength coach.

Incorporating front squats, doing more chinups, all sets 3x5, cleans 5x3, deadlifts = 1x5, chinup/pullups = 3x8-15

General guidelines about accessory exercises still apply.

Understand that you should be using heavier weight each time you hit the same specific exercise, in some way or another. The workload must go up consistently until a reset is necessary.

Overall, note that Wednesday is a "recovery" day, where you do a workload that is going to be noticeably lighter than either Friday or Monday's workout. it's not just %age of 1-RM, it is also "effort".

Page 195 of Practical Programming, has a great table which shows %-1RM and how it corresponds with repetitions and difficulty.
On Wednesday, you might only use 70% of your 1-RM, but if you do 4x10 with it, that is going to be HARD, even if it is "low intensity". If you only do 3x8 with that same 70%, that would be a "medium" type workout, and 2-3x5 would be a "light" workout. This is VERY VERY important.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm180/BangoSkank1/SubjectiveDifficulty.jpg

### The Advanced Novice Program

**Week A**

Day 1

Squat 3x5

Bench press 3x5

Chin-ups: 3 sets, weight added so failure occurs at 5 to 10 reps

Day 2

Front Squat 3x5 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)

Press 3x5

Deadlift 1x5

Day 3

Squat 3x5

Bench press 3x5

Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted

**Week B**

Day 1

Squat 3x5

Press 3x5

Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted

Day 2

Front Squat 3x5 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)

Bench press 3x5

Power clean 5x3

Day 3

Squat 3x5

Press 3x5

Pull-ups: 3 sets, weight added so failure occurs at 5 to 7 reps

### The Advanced Novice Program w/ Deadlift Variation

**Week A**

Day 1

Squat 3x5

Bench press 3x5

Chin-ups: 3 sets, weight added so failure occurs at 5 to 7 reps

Day 2

Front Squat 3x5 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)

Press 3x5

Romanian Deadlift 3x5

Day 3

Squat 3x5

Bench press 3x5

Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted

**Week B**

Day 1

Squat 3x5

Press 3x5

Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted

Day 2

Front Squat 3x5 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)

Bench press 3x5

SLDL 3x5

Day 3

Squat 3x5

Press 3x5

Pull-ups: 3 sets, weight added so failure occurs at 5 to 7 reps

Once an increase in volume is possible, adding a single "backoff" set of 8 repetitions after the 3x5 is done can also be useful (not needed for regular deads or cleans)

So, here we have the "Bodybuilder" variation

### Intermediate Bodybuilder Variation

**Week A**

Day 1

Back Squat 3x5, 1x8

Bench press 3x5,1x8
Chin-ups 4x8-15

Day 2

Front squats 3x5, 1x8 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)

Seated Press 3x5, 1x8

SLDL 3x5, 1x8

Day 3

Squat 3x5, 1x8

Incline Bench press 3x5, 1x8

Row 3x5, 1x8

**Week B**

Day 1

Squat 3x5, 1x8

Seated Press 3x5, 1x8

Chin-ups 4x8-15

Day 2

Front squats 3x5, 1x8 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)

Incline Bench press 3x5, 1x8

SLDL 3x5, 1x8

Day 3

Squat 3x5, 1x8

Seated Press 3x5, 1x8

Row 3x5, 1x8

**\*\*The backoff set of 8 is done with about 75% of the weight that was used for your 3x5 set.\*\***

### Adding Days

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm180/BangoSkank1/IntensityTraining.jpg

## What are some other ideas for effective training once the novice program has worn its welcome?

### What about the Bill Starr/Madcow 5x5 and stuff? Can I do them next?

Sure. They are excellent training programs! You can find several of them here. (There are dozens of 5x5 related programs).

### How do I include speed work in these programs?

Basically Speed Sets consist of high sets and low reps with short rest in between.

Here is one example, but you'll need to read Practical Programming to really understand the hows and whys.

## More Programs

### Constructing Your Own Workout Routine

How To Construct Your Own Workout Routine

Guidelines to Designing Your Own Routine

### Bodybuilding Programs / Physique Competitor

Lyle McDonald's Generic Bulking Routine

Westside for Skinny Bastards

Hypertrophy Specific Training

Max-OT

Zion 5x5 - Strength & Hypertrophy

Layne Norton's Power/Hypertrophy Routine

Push/Pull and Upper/Lower Splits

3 Day Bodypart Splits

20 Rep Squat Routines

Bodybuilding Applied Program

### Strength Training Programs / Mass

The Texas Method

4 Day Split for Strength

Bill Starr 5x5

Basic Westside Template

Frankie NY's Mass Building Program

### Weightlifting Programs/ Olympic Weightlifting / Power

Dan John's Big 21

Glenn Pendlay's WFW Program

Dr. Mike Stone's Basic Weightlifting Program

### Powerlifting Programs

Stephen Korte 3x3

Smolov Squat Cycle

Smolov Squat Cycle Calculator

Smolov Jr. for Bench/Deadlift

Coan/Phillipi 10 Week Deadlift Routine

Coan 10 Week Squat Routine

Coan 12 Week Bench Routine

Pure Power Mag 16-week Squat Routine

Patrik Nyman's Prilepin Bench Program

Russian Squat Program

### Strongman Training

Strongman Training for Athletes by Joe Defanco

### Athletic Programs / Sports Conditioning

Athletic Programs

Boxer's Abdominal Workout Program

### Combative Programs / Boxing / Grappling / Martial Arts / MMA

Time Under Tension for MMA Fighters & Grapplers By Zach Even – Esh

Time Under Tension for Grapplers & MMA Fighters Part II By Zach Even – Esh

Strength and Flexibility Exercises for Fighters By Joe DeFranco

Strength Training For Fighters 15 Random Thoughts by Ross Enamait

How Combat Athletes Can Effectively Use Kettlebells and the Grappler By Zach Even-esh

MMA Strength-Endurance Training - Be Stronger...Longer

MMA Pound for Pound

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