Beginner Weight Training Routine:
Rippetoe's Starting Strength

This page focuses on the beginner weight training routine known as Starting Strength. This popular weight training program came from the Starting Strength book, written by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore.

The book and workout program go hand in hand, so I strongly suggest you buy it in order to gain a deep understanding of the weight training techniques and concepts.

This page acts as a guide that helps to highlight the program's important points and to provide answers to common questions. Obviously, there will be an overlap between the program and the concepts in Rippetoe's book, so you need to buy and read the book to get maximum benefit. It's impossible to go into as much detail as the book.

I wish I bought it before I started my first beginner weight training routine, but I was too cheap and thought the advice wouldn't apply to me and my goals. Don't make the same mistake I did!

That being said, I'll move on by explaining who can benefit from Starting Strength. Then, I'll outline the actual workout routine and answer some common questions.

Starting Strength – Is It for You?

Gain Muscle and Strength. Lots of beginners will blow this routine off because they think it won't make them bigger. Even if you just want to gain muscle mass and couldn't give two sh*ts about being strong, you still need to develop a base of strength to work off. Make no mistake, though – you will gain plenty of muscle with this classic beginner weight training program (assuming your diet and rest are on point, of course).

Who Should Use this Workout Routine? Rippetoe's Starting Strength is a classic example of a beginner weight training workout routine. However, it can also benefit some who are not exactly new to the gym. Below are the types of people who could benefit from Rippetoe's program:

• The Newbie. If you're a complete beginner (or recently started), then this program is right for you. It doesn’t matter if you're an aspiring bodybuilder or don't care about being strong. You still need a base of strength and technique to get huge.
• The Weakling. Do you consider yourself to be beyond the beginner weight training level, but just can't seem to gain much strength? If yes, then this program can definitely help jumpstart your strength gains and catch you up to where you should be, relative to how long you have been training.
• The Frustrated Bodybuilder. Are you disappointed with a lack of results from "bodybuilding" routines? If so, then this program can get you out of the slump and on your way to XXL t-shirts. The typical bodybuilding routines work for the guys who look like what you want to look like. They can only do so much for less advanced lifters.
• The Machinist. Have you been in the gym for a while, but never really focused on the major compound exercises? If you've been doing a lot of machine/nautilus exercises or isolation movements, then you're limiting your potential. Starting Strength will help you gain dense muscle and functional strength.
• The Comeback Kid. Are you a seasoned vet who's coming back from an extended break? Whatever your reasons for taking a layoff from pumping iron (injury, midlife crisis, baby mama issues, etc.), Starting Strength is a safe and effective workout routine for getting back to your previous glory.

The Starting Strength Workouts

How is it structured? Since it's a beginner weight training workout routine, Starting Strength is done just 3 days a week. There are two workouts:

Workout A	Workout B
3x5 Squat	3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press	3x5 Press
1x5 Deadlift	5x3 Power cleans

Alternate workout A and B, with one day of rest between workouts. For example, your routine will look like this if you start on a Monday:

	Monday	Wednesday	Friday
Week 1	Workout A	Workout B	Workout A
Week 2	Workout B	Workout A	Workout B

FAQs – "Customizing" Starting Strength

Beginner Weight Training Shouldn't Be Complicated. It's important to understand that this is a beginner weight training program that was created especially for maximizing beginners' results. Also keep in mind that the program was developed by guys who know more about weight training than you'd probably ever care to know.

It's Perfect the Way It Is. Everything in this program was done for a specific reason. Screwing around with the structure or adding random exercises completely defeats the purpose of this program.

Don't Change It. Just keep the program the way it is. I know how it is to want to do more. It seems logical that you would get better results if you add extra exercises, sets, or reps. I was certainly guilty of doing this the first few workout routines I did when I was just starting. Looking back on it, I wish I were smarter and followed exactly what the programs said. So, do yourself a big favor and learn from my mistakes.

Sorry, But You're Not That Special. I apologize if I'm just preaching to the choir about the importance of leaving the program alone. But there seems to be an epidemic among (typically younger) novices to try to "customize" beginner weight training routines. They somehow rationalize to themselves that they are "special" and that the advice doesn’t apply to them.

Rippetoe's Words of Wisdom. Here's a quote from Mark Rippetoe himself that sums up the topic of making modifications:

With that slight rant out of the way, I'll start answering some of the most common Starting Strength topics.

More FAQs

Exercise Order. The exercise order is meant to be done exactly as it is written. Do all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next exercise.

Rest Days. You should not be going to the gym on rest days. If you truly want to maximize your strength and growth, then it is necessary to let your muscles recuperate. Rippetoe designed a three-day routine, so you would have enough time to recover. After all, you will be squatting three times a week, so savor your off days.

Cardio. Some people really want to do cardio to supplement their training regimen. Although I personally can't relate to this mindset since I am bored to tears by just the thought of cardio, I won't let that influence my answer. I'd recommend (assuming your routine is M/W/F) keeping cardio to just one off-day on the weekend and maybe one off-day during the week (i.e., Tuesday OR Thursday).

You should keep cardio at moderate intensity levels in order to avoid getting burned out and hampering your recovery from the weight workouts. If the cardio interferes with your strength gains, then take the intensity down a notch or stop it completely.

For More Information...

...Buy the Book. This page provides more than enough information to get you started. But you must realize that there is simply no substitute for reading the book. So crack open your piggy bank or dip into Junior's college fund if you must. You only need to scrounge up $30 bucks; a true bargain for what you get in return. Buy Starting Strength (2nd edition) here.

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