rusty

I'm a novice and did it for 12 weeks or so. If you are a novice and want to get your big compound lifts up, it works great. The program has you adding 5-10 lbs every workout, so it adds up in a hurry. At the time I had lifted for maybe 6 weeks or so and I made a ton of solid progress before stalling -- it got all the basic compound lifts up to respectable newbie numbers.

Downsides in my opinion is that its pretty simple and leaves a lot out -- but I think that's the point of the program. I'm now doing a more balanced 5x5 based workout 3x a week that includes the basics of SS, but also includes chins, rows, direct arm work, etc. I'm still uppng weight regularly, but I'm getting much better results in my back, arms, etc that I just wasn't hitting with SS.

I also think the nutrition advice is bunk unless you are a 15 year old who weighs 120 lbs. So many folks at the SS forums just chant "eat eat eat" and then folks are shocked that they have packed on loads of fat in 6 months.

I just read Robert Cheek's book and would second it. There's some good stuff in there on his meal planning, etc.

Awesome - thanks for the feedback! My next purchase is going to be a pull up bar.

On warm up sets, how much weight should the warm up be? Last night DB bench press I did three sets of 35x8. Would you recommend a warm up with something like 20s?

Any comments\changes to this as a starting lifting program?

About me: 36, 6'1. I started getting in shape a few months ago and have leaned down to just over 180 from 200. I've been doign a body for life workout 3-4 weeks now, but I really enjoy the weight training and want to do it four days a week rather than three. I don't belong to a gym (or have time in juggling family\work) so I workout at home with a bench and plate dumbbell setup.

Here's what I am thinking -- 3 sets for each, 6-8 reps. Thoughts?

Mon - Chest\Biceps\Abs

DB Bench Press

DB Incline Bench

DB Flys

Alternate Bicep Curl

Hammer Curls

Concentration Curls

DB Side Bends

Crunches

Tues - Back\Calves

One Arm DB Rows

Bent Over Two-DB Rows

DB Deadlist

DB Calf Raises x2

Wed - 30 Min HIIT Cardio\Abs

Thurs - Shoulders\Triceps

DB Cuban Press

DB Shoulder Press

DB Upright Row

DB Shrugs

DB Incline Triceps Ext

DB One Arm Tricepts Ext

Friday - Legs

DB Squats x2

DB Lunges

Leg Extensions

Lying Leg Curls

Sat - 30 min Cardio\Abs

Sun - Rest

Thanks all. PM on the way, Dylan.

...and just added the Rocky theme to my workout playlist, Herc.

Thanks! I'm definitely learning a ton from searching the forum. Great resource.

On the waitlist for the ebook at my library. Looking forward to reading it. He was just featured in a story on CNN a week or so ago.

http://www.simplyshredded.com/fit-with-hiit-science-is-dropping-the-hammer-on-endless-bouts-of-steady-state-cardio.html

I like the picture comparison halfway down between the marathon runner and the sprinter.

I have an elliptical at home and do one minute of all out at a cranked up setting, then I lower it down for two minutes -- for 30 min. A few times over the 30 minutes I go a couple more settings than I'm used to and try and power through. I like doing it on a machine where I have a timer, speed, setting, etc. and can get that positive feedback of beating my prior workouts.

Hi all. I'm 36 and have been on a vegan diet for almost a month. I have always had high cholesterol and after seeing my doctor every 6 months tracking my numbers, he finally wanted to put me on a drug to lower it. Since I hadn't really given it any effort, I told him give me 3-6 months and let me see what I can do.

That led me to cutting back on meat and starting to exercise 2-3 times a week, and after reading the books by Dr. Esselstyn and Dr. Ornish and seeing some of the amazing success stories, I went vegan. I also started lifting weights and really felt amazing after, so I've started reading more and more about fitness and bodybuilding and that has led me here.

I've been doing a basic dumbbell and body weight program for the past two weeks ala Body for Life, lifting Mon-Wed-Fri and alternating upper and lower, with HIIT elliptical cardio on Tue-Thurs-Fri for 30-45 min. So far I've lost 15 lbs from almost 200 to 185 (I'm 6'1) and am starting to notice real improvements. Importantly, I feel amazing -- better now than I've felt since high school!

Goal right now is to keep getting fit, stick with my newbie program for 12 weeks, and shock the hell out of my doctor when he sees my blood workup in September. Will then figure out what to do next. So far I am really enjoying the challenge and progress from weight training.

Russ

I can't remember what it was called, but I watched a documentary about farming and the farmers who worked for Monsanto tried to save seeds, which is a time honored skill in farming/gardening, and were pressured not to so they had to spend far more money buying new seeds every planting season. I don't remember if they were actually sued or not.

Its in Food, Inc.