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Barbell Less time consuming alternative to Starting Strength

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Gary Logue

Gary Logue

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I started the Starting Strength programme last week but the sessions are taking too long when including the warm up sets (I used the spreadsheet off LiftVault). I like to do a bit of mobility before and after sessions but the barbell work alone is taking 60 minutes using decent rest periods. 30-45 mins is the sweet spot for me.

I’m looking to stick with a novice powerlifting/strength programme for a couple of months.

I have done the Faleev 5x5 in the past with great results and I’m seriously considering this as an option but I like to inclusion of the press in SS. This programme was always around the 45 minute mark including some mobility.

Any suggestions?
 
Gary Logue said:
I have done the Faleev 5x5 in the past with great results and I’m seriously considering this as an option but I like to inclusion of the press in SS. This programme was always around the 45 minute mark including some mobility.
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I too am interested in Faleev but haven't done it yet. Like you, I want to keep the press in there. What I would do is on the day you are supposed to do light bench for technique work, do your heavy press and skip the light bench. As I said I haven't tried this but this is what I would do.
 
Xene said:
Tactical Barbell is scaleable and can be done quickly.

Also 5/3/1: you could do some of the 5/3/1 templates with minimal assistance exercises.
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5/3/1 was my next step to be honest but I thought this was more of an intermediate programme?
 
Xene said:
Also 5/3/1: you could do some of the 5/3/1 templates with minimal assistance exercises.
Click to expand...

5/3/1 is excellent but I would do one of the more advanced templates. Original 5/3/1 just doesn't have enough volume on the main lifts.
 
www.jimwendler.com

The 5/3/1 Philosophy for Beginners

Now if you're a beginner and are working out without any guidance whatsoever, it's probably best to just stick with the basic program. One of the worst things a young lifter can do is take advice from other beginners on message boards – they usually have all the advice and none of the experience
www.jimwendler.com
 
MikeTheBear said:
I too am interested in Faleev but haven't done it yet. Like you, I want to keep the press in there. What I would do is on the day you are supposed to do light bench for technique work, do your heavy press and skip the light bench. As I said I haven't tried this but this is what I would do.
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Yeah not a bad shout. That way you can keep the 3 day routine. Another alternative would be to train 4 days, add in the press and do 1 day heavy and 1 day light for technique of each.

Faleev worked great for me at the end of last year. Simple and with consistent results.
 
Gary Logue said:
Any suggestions?
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Power to the people.

Deadlift 1x5 working weight
Deadlift 1x5 90% working weight

Side press 1x5 working weight
Side press 1x5 90%working weight

PTTP doesn't mandate warm up sets except for as many as you'd like to perform.

I personally see warm up sets as optional at best. I don't warm up before . Sometimes I stretch afterward.

But I am a newb to barbell. I just don't have time right now. So, I started at a weight I could do with ease and programmed linear increments as a guess.

4 sets takes me about 15 minutes with generous rest putting out snacks for the kids hoping that distracts them long enough to finish. Usually broken into two halves.

I substitute zercher squat because of a thread on this page about can zercher replace the deadlift .

I substitute kettlebell press cuz I knocked over a bunch of stuff when I tried to lift my barbell overhead in the garage. 40kg then 32kg.

I have programmed linear 10 lbs increments and it has gone fine except for my personal schedule getting in the way. I started with zercher squat at 135 and got up to 205. I hope to continue well past my body weight of 235, and reset the linear cycle. My thighs continue to grow and press is at a constant weight but the reps are getting easier.

If one was worried about not doing enough, I can promise that eventually a linear progression will find is own limit, and you'll either have to taper reps to 4s or triples as you go, or take a fresh cycle at a reduced weight. Although as one fellow has reported, step loading also is an entirely effective option.

Sorry for the detour,

But the PTTP program is basically
2 sets of Deadlift
2 sets of presses

I hope this helps.
 
The first thing to address is that if you have already done Faleev's 5x5 program, why are you doing SS? It is made for beginners and people getting back into it (straight LP like SS doesn't work very long for most outside of those two groups). That is honestly the reason you are having long sessions.

In my experience with Tactical Barbell Operator, they were closer to 60 minute sessions since it was 3-5x5 of three lifts just like SS is. 5/3/1 and Purposeful Primitive were similar time frames as well (unless you do the "I'm not doing jack sh*t" variation which JW recommends against running as your sole variation). it takes me a while to do 3x3 of 95% 1rm.

If time limit is a big hurdle, you want to stay away from what Bo Burnham would describe as "a little bit of everything all of the time". Running PTTP and cycling out the lifts is a great way to get stronger and do all of the lifts that you want to do over time. It would probably the most time efficient way of getting stronger that I can think of.
The 5x5x5 mind over muscle program would be another one to look into as well. But both of those make up for short sessions with high frequency.
 
I just write my own programming.

Then I can tailor the lifts to what I need to focus on the most, do maintenance on what I need to, and drop the rest if time is short.

My basic template is 1-2 quick lifts (snatch, C&J, or both, which count as pulls), a squat variation, and a press of some sort.

Any leftover time I throw in accessories / beach work / finishers on an ad hoc basis. If I skip these it's not a big deal.
 
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One lift per day, ramping up to the top set? The top set can be 5 reps, 4/3/2/1...your choice. If you have more time, add some back-offf set, else None.
 
Yeah you could do lots of things with the sets and reps to make it take 30 min.

1. Cluster sets 23523523.
2. Work up to a 5 RM. Start at a warm up and increase the weight each set till you are doing 1 solid set of 5.
3. Start at 100% of your 5 rep max. Reduce to 90 for a set then 80 for 1 or 2 sets.

All these are rep strategies where some sets are not that taxing and there is no need to take big rests like you would if it was a 5x5.

I use similar rep schemes and do bench, row and squat in about 30 min. And made good progress with all of them.
 
silveraw said:
The first thing to address is that if you have already done Faleev's 5x5 program, why are you doing SS?
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I did Faleev last year but have had a good few set backs this and not spent a huge amount of time on barbell, so I’m hoping to still benefit from newbie gains after losing some strength.
 
Gary Logue said:
I started the Starting Strength programme last week but the sessions are taking too long when including the warm up sets (I used the spreadsheet off LiftVault). I like to do a bit of mobility before and after sessions but the barbell work alone is taking 60 minutes using decent rest periods. 30-45 mins is the sweet spot for me.

I’m looking to stick with a novice powerlifting/strength programme for a couple of months.

I have done the Faleev 5x5 in the past with great results and I’m seriously considering this as an option but I like to inclusion of the press in SS. This programme was always around the 45 minute mark including some mobility.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I‘d suggest either…

- Keep doing the Starting Strength program, but ditching the linear progression. Using a structured wave progression will shorten your rest times (you won ‘t need those five to eight minute rests anymore).

Or…

- Start doing the GraySkull Linear Progression program (there are a million pages on the Internet discussing it), which is a WAY more flexible Starting Strength variant.

Or even…

- Keep doing the Starting Strength program, but using ramping sets instead of sets across (which, by the way, it was the original Bill Starr’s way), which will get rid of the warm up sets and shorten the rest periods at the same time.
 
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Xene said:
Tactical Barbell is scaleable and can be done quickly.

Also 5/3/1: you could do some of the 5/3/1 templates with minimal assistance exercises.
Click to expand...

Gary Logue said:
5/3/1 was my next step to be honest but I thought this was more of an intermediate programme?
Click to expand...
I was going to mention Tactical Barbell as well, especially if you can lift 4 days a week. That would be the 'Zulu' program and your session would be a little as 3 sets for 2 lifts each session. You hit each movement twice per week. It's similar to 5/3/1 in that as the percentages go up each week the reps drop. There are 2 day and 3 day options as well. The ebook is less than $10.

I'm sure some would say that's not a beginner program. It will work for a beginner - just perhaps not as quickly as a linear progression program. But the good news is it will work longer before stalling. And you get in and out quicker and you will be fresher than on a linear progression program that has you at the point of failure each session.

As mentioned, there's PTTP. Another good choice.

Or Easy Strength, if you can get to the gym 5 days a week.
 
Tirofijo said:
I was going to mention Tactical Barbell as well, especially if you can lift 4 days a week. That would be the 'Zulu' program and your session would be a little as 3 sets for 2 lifts each session. You hit each movement twice per week. It's similar to 5/3/1 in that as the percentages go up each week the reps drop. There are 2 day and 3 day options as well. The ebook is less than $10.

I'm sure some would say that's not a beginner program. It will work for a beginner - just perhaps not as quickly as a linear progression program. But the good news is it will work longer before stalling. And you get in and out quicker and you will be fresher than on a linear progression program that has you at the point of failure each session.

As mentioned, there's PTTP. Another good choice.

Or Easy Strength, if you can get to the gym 5 days a week.
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Thanks I like the sound of this and will have a look. I have a full set up at home and can get in 5-6 days per week. I like to do a bit of conditioning (currently A+A swings) 2-3 days per week.

@Tirofijo @silveraw @Adachi I have read PTTP and it really interests me as I could do the 5 days per week and add some conditioning to 2-3 days without being in the gym too long. The powerlifting lifts is where my interest lies (plus the press) so how would you cycle these four lifts with the two lift programme? Should I just do deadlift and bench for X Weeks then switch to squat and press for X Weeks?
 
I would have to agree with using Greyskull LP. It's much easier to adjust the volume for shorter sessions, 3 days a week and has the option of extra supplemental work on off days. I did the Line Backer version for nearly a year and had great results as far as strength, size and overall conditioning.
 
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