#2: on the way up I just lift, as fast as I can without consciously going for speed. On the way down, just enough effort to keep good form and not slam the weights, but I'm certainly not going for a negative-dl.

Thanks for all the advice Soulman, Yugoslavian and KPowers. Appreciate it, I know nothing!

I'm not looking to get super ripped/muscly, just want to be lean and strong looking again, as opposed to lanky and slightly pot bellied =p

For that goal would you recommend calories in < calories out or a caloric surplus? (While doing the starting strength program and light cardio)

Fwiw I'm around 6"2 and 85kg. The only place I really have noticeable excess fat (and it's marginal) is my stomach, which I look at sadly reminiscing to the days I had a 6pack! So I wouldn't say I'm exactly looking to lose weight.

Also, all my gym sessions will be morning sessions before work, I read that you need to eat and have 2 hours to digest before a session, is this true? Or can I just have some kind of fruit smoothie or something similar to get energy?

Suitedbut,

given your description I would eat at roughly maintenance (use an online calc then adjust as you go) to start out. Most people will use some time to get form down, and a lot of the improvements to start aren't from muscle mass gains anyway. After that, I'd eat at a small surplus, possibly going to a bigger surplus at the end of SS. After that, I'd cut.

With this plan, you won't lose any fat before after some months but you'll look way better with the increased muscle mass anyway. Digestion time depends on what you eat. I'd try a protein/carb shake or something similarly fast. Try to get both protein and carbs pre-workout - so a fruith smoothie is fine if you add some protein powder, eat some chicken on the side etc. There are also guys who work out fasted (although I don't like that personally).

Does anyone know any good cues to limit forward knee travel during squats? I can sit back and keep my knees relatively still when air squatting but when I have heavy weights my knees travel too far forward.

I need a quick check regarding my workout, I'm not familiar with this lingo but I'll do my best in order to explain myself clearly

I'm got a small belly and small hips, this is where the fat is mainly...
I'm training 3 days per week doing the follow exercises:

-Running/cycling 10 minutes (just for warm up)
-Leg extension - 30 kg / 10 reps *2
-Easy Power - I'm using a counterweight of 35kg/ 6*1 and 25kg/6*1 (I'm doing this with arms closed to each other using the byceps, and also, I'm doing this workout with another position, I think it is the std one with both hands place at some distance using the shoulders/back muscles mainly ... again sorry for my "lingo" )
-Chest Press 30 kg / 10*2
-Shoulder Press 15 kg / 10*2
-Squat 30 kg / 10 *2
-Vertical Row 50 / 10 *2
-Uknown exercise (a friend of mine told me to do it, basically I'm using a barbell with 10 kg / 10*2. I'm stading upright and I'm lift the weight as much as I can below the head, after I reach that point I change lift the weight over my head changing hands stance)
-Abs, 15*2 normal abs , and 10*2 transverse abs

What do you think?
ty for the advices

I think you should read the FAQ. You're welcome.

Server, check out the FAQs. But i would say that your program is very suboptimal for what you think you are trying to do. What are your actual goals?

I'm reading the FAQs guys, really I'm doing it but, but I'm reading general guidelines, and I thought about asking you here while read all the stuff

losing the belly and gain some visibile muscle

Starting Strength then (squat, deadlift, benchpress, press, powerclean), with progressive increases in the weights from workout to workout. Ensure adequate protein levels (1 to 1.5 g per lb of lean body mass), set calories at maintenance for now and see how you go for a while.

Ok thanks for the tips however I'm still confused
I'm looking for a proper workout, with exact exercises and reps...

Right now I'm reading this stuff
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss
which are about 500+ pages plus, so I'm doing my homework... meanwhile I don't wanna waste my time in the gym, exercising suboptimally...
At the same time I don't wanna bother anyone, and I don't wanna abuse your time

SS wiki: here
SS forums: here

Beginner program: here
The first workout: here

Alternatively, buy the book from Amazon, it has a great deal of advice on how to perform the lifts correctly.

Hey dude, thank you very much

No problem

Book and/or DVD is a must. The wiki just describes the program, not how to do the lifts, which is essential. If you don't have a good coach (i.e. not some random PT from a commercial gym), film form vids and post them here. Starting a log is a good idea too.

Aidan's post on nutrition is right on.

you got it, that's why I asked here, full of competent people

Do this with no weight or a broom stick or a light bar or something... Find a box or a bench or something that is a little above knee high. Stand a few inches back from it. Squat without letting your knees bump into it.

I know you said that you are fairly comfortable with the movement when air squatting, but sometimes just having the visual aid of the box will help.

Does anybody here do a clean & push press? Do you transition from the clean stance (elbows forward) into a press stance (elbows down)? I see youtube people cleaning into a press, but that seems bad.

I've never read how to do a proper C&J, but I always thought the Jerk just goes from elbows-forward, you drive the bar with the legs from the chest, and then split-dive under it while rotating the arms to drive yourself down and lock out, without using the arms to drive the bar up at all. So then it's nothing like a push press, except for the start.

Thanks immensely for your help, really appreciate it.

I've done it both ways... but I suck at both...

coolstorybro

I don't do clean and pp, but I would catch the clean normally (rip elbows through asap and catch the bar on the delts with elbows high), then adjust grip to pp.

i find myself unable to get home and put food into my system until 1.5-2 hours after my workout ends.
Would i benefit from bringing a whey protein shake to devour pwo, or is it whatever/nonimportant?

It's not important.

A friend just recommended No-Xplode. What's H&F's take on it?

It's caffeine, nitric oxide, and a bunch of crap. That said, here's the wiki on nitric oxide

Neonatal and pediatric use

Nitric oxide/oxygen blends are used in critical care to promote capillary and pulmonary dilation to treat primary pulmonary hypertension in neonatal patients[32][33] post-meconium aspiration and related to birth defects. These are often a last-resort gas mixture before the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Nitric oxide therapy has the potential to significantly increase the quality of life and, in some cases, save the lives of infants at risk for pulmonary vascular disease.[34]
[edit] Pharmacology

Nitric oxide is considered an antianginal drug: it causes vasodilation, which can help with ischemic pain, known as angina, by decreasing the cardiac workload. By dilating (expanding) the veins, nitric oxide drugs lower arterial pressure and left ventricular filling pressure.[35] This vasodilation does not decrease the volume of blood the heart pumps, but rather it decreases the force the heart muscle must exert to pump the same volume of blood. Nitroglycerin pills, taken sublingually (under the tongue), are used to prevent or treat acute chest pain. The nitroglycerin reacts with a sulfhydryl group (–SH) to produce nitric oxide, which eases the pain by causing vasodilation. Recent evidence suggests that nitrates may be beneficial for treatment of angina due to reduced myocardial oxygen consumption both by decreasing preload and afterload and by some direct vasodilation of coronary vessels.[35]

Mainly for its utility as a vasodilator, NO has entered the fitness industry as an array of supplements geared towards accelerated muscle growth and prolonged stamina during endurance activities.

ie. just drink coffee? Unless I want the potential to significantly increase the quality of life, obv.