Want a new workout...is this any use?

LegacyUser

I remember Hanley going on about this workout:

http://www.startingstrength.net/workouts/

And how it's useful etc...so I decided to start trying it out...Mind you, I only began it yesterday after changing from my old programme which had far more exercises on it to be honest...

But after doing one day of it, I didn't feel it was challenging at all...i didn't think there was enough exercise in it...and I ended up doing 40 mins of ab work to try use energy...

Is this workout any use? Is it only for beginners? Should I continue doing isolated exercises such as biceps/triceps/individual leg muscles etc???

Hanley

If you didn't find it challenging then you weren't lifitng heavy enough.

LegacyUser

Can i perform squats using a Smith machine?

In Crunch, the heaviest barbell is 50kg and i was easily able to do that...

Colm_OReilly

No, you cannot perform squats on the smith machine. The smith machine forces your body to move in a rather unnatural manner, killing all active stabilisation and reducing/eliminating the posterior chain.

There's absolutely no free-weights in Crunch!? That's a travesty.

LegacyUser

There are free weights...

dumb bells up to 40 or 50...not sure since the biggest i use is 24kg for chest press...

barbells up to 50kg....

bench press...

smith machine...

What the **** am i going to use to do proper squats now?

aye

can you not use the barbell thats on the bench press?

BobbyOLeary

I'm on that program, like Hanley says, if its not challenging up the weight. Make sure you don't cheat on the exercises either, i.e. half squats, not touching your chest with the barbell in bench press etc.

Which crunch are you in? I'm in UCD and they've a big enough weights section.

Vegeta

BobbyOLeary wrote: »

not touching your chest with the barbell in bench press etc.

Sorry to take this off topic but I thought the bar had to touch your chest to be considered a full rep. Not bounce mind just touch.

Could the power lifters clear that one up for us.

Malteaser!

Vegeta wrote: »

Sorry to take this off topic but I thought the bar had to touch your chest to be considered a full rep. Not bounce mind just touch.

Could the power lifters clear that one up for us.

I think he meant if you don't touch it off your chest it's considered 'cheating'.

You are meant to touch though btw.

Vegeta

Malteaser! wrote: »

I think he meant if you don't touch it off your chest it's considered 'cheating'.

Ahhhhhh now I get it, cheers

LegacyUser

BobbyOLeary wrote: »

I'm on that program, like Hanley says, if its not challenging up the weight. Make sure you don't cheat on the exercises either, i.e. half squats, not touching your chest with the barbell in bench press etc.

Which crunch are you in? I'm in UCD and they've a big enough weights section.

Do you still do isolation exercises? Do you think it's good?

Can't use the bench press one, it's always busy!

aye

you could do overhead squats.


http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/OverheadSquat.html

or try some of these variations
http://monstersupplements.com/store/articles_detail-7-lang-1.html

joker77

I've just received my copy of the Starting Strength book, and will be looking to make some serious alterations to my training regime after just a brief flick through it last night.

I've a question though - (directed at Hanley if you have a minute)

I do a bit of running/cycling - I'm looking to go for 2/3 x20 mins runs a week, plus 8/10 x20 minutes cycles (to/from work 4/5 days a week).

I find I get DOMS from doing squats - the quads do be pretty stiff. For example I did Squats last Friday, and still had a little yesterday.

The Starting Strength workout is designed to do Squats at every session - for 3 sessions a week. So this would be Mon/Wed/Fri.

I don't see how my legs would have enough recovery time to do Squats every 2nd day. What do you reckon?

Al_Fernz

cheesedude wrote: »

Do you still do isolation exercises? Do you think it's good?

Can't use the bench press one, it's always busy!

In UCD??? I've never had to even wait on a bench in UCD. They're always either free or somebody will let you work in.

As for only being able to squat 50kgs? Theres a squar rack down there that gets very little attention. In fact sometimes you can hear it whisper "use me, use me," as another curl jockey gets pumped for his 7th set of barbell curls.

LegacyUser

Al_Fernz wrote: »

In UCD??? I've never had to even wait on a bench in UCD. They're always either free or somebody will let you work in.

As for only being able to squat 50kgs? Theres a squar rack down there that gets very little attention. In fact sometimes you can hear it whisper "use me, use me," as another curl jockey gets pumped for his 7th set of barbell curls.

I'm in Crunch Dun Laoghaire...which is way bigger than the UCD one but still, the bench is always busy!!!

Al_Fernz

cheesedude wrote: »

I'm in Crunch Dun Laoghaire...which is way bigger than the UCD one but still, the bench is always busy!!!

You should try and transfer over if possible.

BobbyOLeary

Do you still do isolation exercises? Do you think it's good?

Only isolation exercises I do are weighted sit-ups, chins and dips (If they are even isolation ones).

Starting Strength is meant to get you strong, not meant for bodybuilding btw, there is some overlap obviously but you should really think about what you want to achieve.

I think Starting Strength is brilliant, I really enjoy the simplicity of it and the progression I'm making (I posted my gains in a thread a while back, I'll dig em up if you want).