****Official Beginner Question Thread**** - Page 13

You may not need a belt at all for much of the early part of your training career, and if your abs are strong and your back is uninjured, you may prefer to never use one. . . . A belt will not prevent your trunk from getting and staying strong. There is plenty of work for the trunk muscles even if a belt is worn on heavy sets; it's not as if your trunk muscles just go to sleep when you put on your belt.

The 70s big site says, on the other hand, that with a belt

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not only are the abdominals working harder, but the pressure is increased within the trunk which stabilizes and strengthens the spine. This makes you stronger, and it is usable strength. The first time someone wears their belt in a serious training session (especially when pressing and deadlifting), their abs get sore.

Rip seems to be suggesting that the abs still work hard with a belt, but not quite as hard. 70s big explicitly says that the abs work harder.

Just to be clear, both sources recommend wearing a belt (Rip says to do so if you have any doubt). But do the abs work harder/get stronger with a belt or not?

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12-04-2009 , 01:22 PM

#303

anklebreaker

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Fwiw, the argument in the 70'sbig link is not persuasive to me. It might be be correct, but the claim is not supported well.

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12-04-2009 , 01:26 PM

#304

JohnnyFondue

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Quote:

Originally Posted by dtemp

I'll go ahead and ask this question for both me and him (UPS also). Is SS the proper workout for someone putting in that kind of exercise volume? Recovery in SS is so important and you're really not going to get that with UPS and SS.

Hmmm, I was kind of disappointed in Rip's opinion tbh, though it was funny. When I first started and I was asking if there was anything I could be doing on the off days, the answer was always NO! They always said it's super important to rest, so for Rip to just blow it off like a stupid question seemed kinda weird.

I would be happy though, I don't like being sedentary on my rest days, and started doing things so I'm not. That's cool that UPS working +SS is a good idea, that's def good news.

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12-04-2009 , 02:40 PM

#305

SmileyEH

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Quote:

Originally Posted by pkrplyrX

What do fruits, vegetables, and fish oil do to help progress?

Micronutrients, fiber. Fish oil is just really good for you. Google alan aragon fish oil for a nice research review about it.

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12-04-2009 , 02:43 PM

#306

SmileyEH

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Rip is responding to the clowns that start doing SS and because they don't feel pumped up they go and do a million sets of curls and decline bench. Or the ones that have such great motivation and are ready to GET IN SHAPE REALLY FAST go running for an hour on their off days to BURN THE FAT.

These are both very different from light cardio, active recovery, stretching, calisthenics, or playing an easy game of basketball etc. etc. etc.

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12-04-2009 , 02:45 PM

#307

anononon

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No one is answering the question about working at UPS and lifting heavy **** because the question is probably too difficult. Most of us have not worked at UPS (though I know people who have) and therefore don't know how stressful it is. Additionally, recovery is going to be a highly-variable and independent thing.

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12-04-2009 , 03:00 PM

#308

dtemp

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Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,502

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyleb

Thanks, this is actually pretty informative. I'll pick up a copy of practical programming and see what I can find out from there. I have the feeling that something like CFWF will probably be a better fit for me.

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12-04-2009 , 03:07 PM

#309

anononon

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Sounds likely. You might want to leave out some metcons because frankly picking up 30-100 lb boxes and running them around a warehouse for four hours sounds like plenty of "work capacity" stuff already.

You probably would benefit from a four-day split; spreading out the different types of lifts over an extra day will probably help. But I dunno. CFWF is probably a good place to start. Maybe only squat twice a week, deadlift once, and press twice.

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12-04-2009 , 03:16 PM

#310

dtemp

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lol yeah definitely not going to do the metcons.

cool. 4 day split sounds good. 8000 calories/day here I go!

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12-04-2009 , 03:27 PM

#311

anklebreaker

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dtemp,

Four-day split might work.

Some n=1 stuff here. I did SS for a while on MWF and trained jiujitsu and soccer on the other days. I definitely had to manage my recovery (eating appropriately, sleeping, foam rolling, mobility/stretching, and some pseudo-scientific contrast showers, etc), but progress was good and I recovered in time for each lift.

You could consider all your non-exercise physical output as metcon work (you cardiotard.)

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12-04-2009 , 03:33 PM

#312

Babalatexi

adept

Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 914

Thanks for the reply smiley - I've been taking fish oil ever since I started working out. I read the fish oil thread in the faq but couldn't really come to a conclusion on how much I should be taking daily. The stuff I take is liquid and 5ml are recommended daily which includes:

omega-3 fatty acids 1355mg of which 635mg EPA and 435mg DHA, ingredients: fish oil, citrus flavour, antioxidant

It says not to exceed the 5ml daily dose but I guess they have to put something there. Should I be taking more and is the EPA/DHA ratio fine or does it even matter?

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12-04-2009 , 03:47 PM

#313

dtemp

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Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,502

Quote:

Originally Posted by anklebreaker

Yeah, unfortunately I have no way to structure my work so that it occurs on my non-weightlifting days. I work M-F so SS would basically require that I do two sessions a week before going to work and lifting them heavy ass boxes. So even though I would still have two days a week where I lift before work with the 4 day split, the lighter volume should make a big difference.

It doesn't matter anyway. I have to quit my job now since there is no way in hell I'm going to be a cardiotard.

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12-04-2009 , 11:34 PM

#314

theblackkeys

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Quote:

Originally Posted by kyleb

I was going to make an almost identical post. Spread the lifts out over 4 workout days (so 8-9 days before you repeat the cycle), doing about 2 lifts each session. Drop the metcons. And reduce DL frequency as well since you're picking up heavy **** all the time anyways.

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12-05-2009 , 12:04 PM

#315

GameDoneChanged

centurion

Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 144

So if I'm following Rip's 'Practical Programming Novice Program' from http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...inner_Programs, when it says 3x5 squat, is that 3 sets of 5 reps? And does it mean 3x5 at max or does it include a gradual work-up, from about 1/3 max weight, only doing max for the final set?

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12-05-2009 , 12:20 PM

#316

JohnnyFondue

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The 3x5 part is your work set, which is your 'max'. That's the one that you increase every time you lift. There are a few warm up sets that you need to do first, you the warm up calculator here to learn the right warm ups.

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12-05-2009 , 12:22 PM

#317

axel_nld

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Quote:

Originally Posted by GameDoneChanged

warm-up and then do 3 set of 5 reps with the same weight.

so could look like this.

squat
2x5x45
5x95
3x135
1x155
1x195
3x5x225

and then the basic idea is that when you complete the 3x5x225 you increase the weight next time you squat (next workout)

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12-05-2009 , 12:31 PM

#318

GameDoneChanged

centurion

Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 144

axel- what is the convention when you write stuff like 5x95 or 3x5x225? And also does everyone on 2+2 work in pounds?

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12-05-2009 , 12:47 PM

#319

axel_nld

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Quote:

Originally Posted by GameDoneChanged

axel- what is the convention when you write stuff like 5x95 or 3x5x225? And also does everyone on 2+2 work in pounds?

5 reps with 95 pounds.
3 sets of 5 reps with 225 pounds.

general is pounds yes.

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12-05-2009 , 01:07 PM

#320

tmcdmck

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dont let the ameritards grind you down, kilos are fine too

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12-05-2009 , 01:15 PM

#321

Soulman

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Game,

you can find a SS warm-up calc at https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?...0WENQSXc&hl=en.

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12-05-2009 , 01:17 PM

#322

pkrplyrX

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Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,134

Kilos are fine imo. I think the standard is weight/mass x reps x sets, but I find set x reps x weight/mass to be more intuitive so I use the latter.

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12-05-2009 , 01:24 PM

#323

axel_nld

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Originally Posted by tmcdmck

dont let the ameritards grind you down, kilos are fine too

yeah, that's why my gym uses plates in pounds for the olympic barbell and kilo dumbbells / 30 mm plates. the entire gym makes no sense but that takes the cake.

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12-06-2009 , 02:36 AM

#324

kidcolin

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Quote:

Originally Posted by dtemp

lol yeah definitely not going to do the metcons.

cool. 4 day split sounds good. 8000 calories/day here I go!

hooray beer!

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12-06-2009 , 01:23 PM

#325

GameDoneChanged

centurion

Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 144

Alright cool I think I know what I'm doing now.
Just to be sure, I just want to confirm this is a sensible workout:-

So in trying to pursue the Practical Programming Novice Program (http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...inner_Programs) today's routine involved:

5min light jog warm-up on treadmill;
Casual 30seconds of stretching legs/arms;

back squat