Moving beyond starting strength

dmmcclair

dmmcclair

Member
Hello AM readers,
I'm 20 years old, was an avid trainer for a few years, but ended up having surgery and then moved cross country, this resulted in me taking several months off, I think around 6 or 7 months. Anyway, recently got back into it, I'm currently doing starting strength and really like my results, I've added a bit of mass to my frame and I'm about 20 pounds short of my goal, I know starting is not meant, necessarily, for bulking but I'm curious as to what I would be best suited for after the starting strength. Currently I'm about 171, gained about 5 pounds in the last two weeks.
Vital stats:
Ht: 6' 1"
Wt: 171.8
Bf%: 10 (according to the electrolysis method)
Bench: 185 for 5 reps
Squat: 285 for 5 reps
Dead lift: 330 for 5 reps
OHP: 120 (really pissed that I couldn't make the pr for this week)
Power Clean: 125 for 3 reps

Nothing to brag about yet, but I know how to gain strength I'm just more interested in gaining a lot of strength on a program that will help me add some respectable size. Currently my goal weight is 200, then I'll reevaluate.
Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you guys.
 
Download Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 E-Book. He also released Beyond 5/3/1 which offers a lot more additions and tweets to the original program.
 
I used 5/3/1, I was certainly a fan of the BBB and powerlifting variation, that's the one that helped me get very strong, I was hoping more for a total body strength program that would really help me pack on the size while building a lot of strength.
 
Also, at what point do I need to change the routine? I've only been on this program for about 3 weeks, and by no means am I saying I'm looking to change it out now, but just trying to plan a training cycle
 
dmmcclair said:
Also, at what point do I need to change the routine? I've only been on this program for about 3 weeks, and by no means am I saying I'm looking to change it out now, but just trying to plan a training cycle
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Well, Wendler's been on 5/3/1 for years, guys run Starting Strength for years, I've run the Cube for a year, Dave Hoff has run Westside for ten years, so pick a program and run that indefinitely. Find a program that you really agree with, run it as written for 12 weeks, then start making tiny tweaks based on your research of what you need to work on and eventually you'll arrive at what's optimal for you.

I know that my suggestion sounds boring, but what's not boring are impressive lifts and a physique to match.
 
The physique side is what I struggle with, I don't want the show muscles, I want the brute force and speed. So thanks for your help, I'll tweak it in a few months
 
Oh I forgot to add, currently I'm using ON 100% whey, casein, a multivitamin, a fish oil, and a lot of whole milk and clean food
 
dmmcclair said:
The physique side is what I struggle with, I don't want the show muscles, I want the brute force and speed. So thanks for your help, I'll tweak it in a few months
Click to expand...

Then eat like it. Switching a training routine isn't going to magically pack on size.
 
No I didn't expect it to, I know the results you get are largely crafted by the diet, but at the same time, I don't think starting strength is enough volume to really pack on slabs of muscle, if I'm wrong, and I'm happy to be, then so be it.
 
Herder is right, you gotta stick to something long term sometimes. I ran 5/3/1 for 5 months, then the Cube for half a year.
 
You absolutely cannot know if a program works for you or not if you haven't run it for six months at the very least. And I mean that in training for strength or training for physique. "Muscle confusion" and "switching it up" are the dumbest things I've ever heard. Cannot tell me otherwise. That's like trying to get good at football by playing football for a month, baseball the next, and basketball the next. Why? Periodization is extremely different from switching routines, but good programs have it build in. Make a plan, stick to it, hurt feelings.
 
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