If you can squat over your bodyweight for 5×5, you’ve most likely cleared the beginner levels (unless your squat was already high to begin with and you got here fairly fast, in case of which you could go on for some time, but saying you struggle with last two sets makes me think otherwise). I’d kick the volume down a bit now, and transfer to an intermediate level strength routine (like Madcows) or an upper/lower split.

Problems with overhead pressing manifest themselves at lower poundages, so you’d already know if you had problems with those. Therefore, the only thing that could aggravate a shoulder injury in this case is the bench press. Again, I don’t know what sort of an injury it was so I can’t be more of help. 🙂

I’m just over 6′ 1″, weigh 186lbs and my squat is up to 90kg and I’m finding the last two sets of 5 really difficult (part of the reason I began searching for reviews of SL). I’ve never seen ‘beginner strength standards’ listed like this before and I find it interesting. Should I continue with SL 5×5 until I reach these figures or reduce to 3×5 and continue adding weight? I guess gaining strength is more important than adhering to a routine for the sake of it?

Finally, after my shoulder injury I did 6 months of physio (low weight mobility exercises, use of elastic cords etc) and I don’t seem to be having any problems so far. Are there any exercises In the SL routine that I should take special care with?

Thanks!

The worst way to assess one’s level of fitness (beginner, intermediate, advanced) is by time spent training. Even in an ideal world, there would still be genetic and lifestyle differences influencing different starting points and rates of gains for different individuals (some people start out skinny, others fat, while some are blessed and they already carry decent amount of muscle mass and often progress faster than others).

This, however, is real world, and situation is even worse here since a majority of people simply doesn’t know how to train or eat properly.

IMO, you stop being a beginner upon reaching these strength standards:

Deadlifts – 1.5-2x BW
Squats – 1.25-1.5x BW (depending on your build, progressing here will be harder or easier)
Flat bench press – 1x BW
Bent-over BB row – 1X BW
Chinup – 10 x 1.1x BW
Military press – 0.5x BW
Dips – 10 x 1.25x BW

You can read more on it here: http://www.askscooby.com/excellent-postings/the_wolf%27s-routine-faq

If you are below these figures, then SS or SL could serve you well. 🙂

I’ve never done full body exercise, all my routines consisted in “”isolated”” muscle excercised.

So, that is my question, would i get good results from doing Stronglifts if i am not a beginner but i’ve never ever done full body exercises before?

This post is some months old but, maybe you will reply.

Thanks for the article.

Hi Mark,

keeping your motivation for working out at a high level is an issue on its own. It becomes particularly difficult if:
a) you aren’t seeing the results you were hoping for, and/or
b) the routine you’re doing became dull or wasn’t exactly what you hoped for in the first place.

SL per se isn’t a boring routine (like GVT is). It is a bit confined, so to speak, for having only 2 different workouts alternated, but this is usually compensated by rapid progress people experience on it. How have your strength gains been so far?

I did SL a while ago however in week 9 I just became exhausted every time I left the gym and stopped enjoying the exercise. Is this common feeling?

R

Mark

Ratio of prone pressing to angled pressing is definitely a component of ensuring a balanced development of the shoulder girdle, but it is not interchangeable with ratio of upper body presses to pulls. Yes, the 1:1 presses/pulls is subjective, but I see nothing wrong with it.

I explained in the article that the issue here is the fact that total pressing volume trumps total pulling volume by a fair amount, and that no pull present in the routine (or both combined) fulfill the role of a row.

Another thing to consider here is that the main focus of the article is deciding if these routines are good for starters who have bodybuilding ambitions, and in this case in particular, lack of practice with rowing movements could be a serious drawback upon arriving at intermediate level and picking up an appropriate routine. 🙂

Rippetoe makes such a big deal about balancing shoulder development in the book I don’t see why people keep calling him up on the lack of rows as if he hasn’t thought about it lol

The first and foremost thing when making exercise choices is whether or not the trainee can do them safely and comfortably. After this, you check if they’ve worked for him in the past. Only then can you go around and play by picking variations that are better for a specific task.

In your case, this translates to the following – if cable rows are the only rows you feel comfortable with, do them. This is especially important if the source of discomfort is a feeling of vulnerability and being prone to injuries.

Of course, there is a chance that you simply haven’t gotten BB row form right. I can’t, of course, tell if that is the case over the Internet, but it’s worth thinking about it since BORs are a “bigger” exercise than cable rows. The difference, however, isn’t such to justify doing them despite the possibility of an injury. 🙂