Starting Strength

by: Josh Bryant

Popcorn Sutton didn’t leave moonshine to chance. The man had a system—every step was deliberate, every choice methodical. He didn’t just make moonshine; he perfected it. 

He’d scout for the right holler, find the crispest mountain water, and even ensure the pipes had the ideal patina to add character. The result? A potent product that went down smoother than a mountain breeze. Popcorn had a system, and it was his ultimate measure of quality. 

In strength training, that standard is the Seven Granddaddy Laws of training, as outlined by my mentor, the late Dr. Fred Hatfield. (Quick Review of the Seven Granddaddy Laws HERE)

So, how does Starting Strength—the widely praised (and sometimes fanatically followed) program by Mark Rippetoe—measure up to these time-tested laws? Starting Strength, built around linear progression and barbell basics like the squat, deadlift, overhead press, bench press, and power clean, has undoubtedly helped beginners get their foot in the door. Rippetoe deserves credit for reviving barbell training during an era when health clubs were overrun with Bosu balls and balance boards. But while the program has merit, I’ll admit I had some bias going in.

Over the years, I’ve met plenty of Starting Strength disciples who talk a big game but don’t back it up. Unlike CrossFitters, who can be polarizing but are generally fit with solid GPP, many of these men are weak. I’m talking “weaker than women in their weight classes” weak. 

Get STRONG with one of Josh’s Programs HERE.

Case in point: back in 2013 at Metroflex, there was this gothic guy in his 30s, a prep-school alum who bounced between waiter gigs through family connections. He weighed 230 pounds but maxed out at a 305 deadlift, 195 squat, and a sad 95-pound overhead press. Benching? “For pussies,” he said. My eighth-grade students, who I teach to be respectful, finally had enough after one of his bizarre outbursts. One of them told him flat out, “You’re weaker than junior high kids, brah. Maybe LA Fitness is more your speed.”

The problem isn’t Starting Strength itself—it’s the blind allegiance of its followers and their failure to adapt the system to their individual needs. Starting Strength is a tool, not a holy grail, and like any tool, it needs to adhere to foundational principles to truly work. The question is, does it follow the Seven Granddaddy Laws of training? Let’s break it down and see if it’s Popcorn-worthy or just a batch of bad shine.

Mark Rippetoe’s first three books detail the technical aspects of each core barbell lift and major assistance exercises, and within the book is the program on how to get stronger called “starting strength.” For a beginning trainee, the program consists of two workouts that are alternated on each training day:

Workout A

• 3 sets of 5 repetitions of the squat
• 3 sets of 5 repetitions of the bench press
• 1 set of 5 repetitions of the deadlift

Workout B

• 3 sets of 5 repetitions of the squat
• 3 sets of 5 repetitions of the overhead press
• 5 sets of 3 repetitions of the power clean

One would train three days per week, minimally resting one day between the workouts. A breakdown could look like this Monday (Workout A), Wednesday (Workout B), and Friday (Workout A). As ones’ barbell prowess evolves, it is modified to include deadlifting only once per week, with power cleans performed in place of the deadlift on other training days.

Weights are increased each workout until one hits a plateau. For weight gain, “Coach Rip” advocates drinking a gallon of milk a day in addition to regular food.

Starting Strength is a best-seller and has received mainstream coverage in the media.

Starting Strength is progressive overload in action, a basic linear model.  If a beginner wants to gain proficiency in barbell movements, this is a great program.  For professional athletes, elite bodybuilders or powerlifters, this program won’t work because at the elite level, variables are more complex than just add more weight on the bar every time you go in the gym.

Just think, if you added five pounds a week to your bench press for two years and you do 200 pounds now, you would have the world record raw and in 10 years would be bench pressing 2800 pounds.  

Principle	Does Starting Strength Obey
Principle of Individual Differences	No
Principle of Overcompensation	Yes
Principle of Overload	Yes
SAID Principle	Possible
USE/Disuse Principle	Yes
The Specificity Principle	Possible
GAS Principle	No

Final thoughts: Starting Strength stacks up surprisingly well against the Seven Granddaddy Laws, better than many other programs out there. It’s a solid starting point and a valuable tool for beginners to build strength and learn barbell fundamentals.

However, it’s just that—a tool. It’s not the messianic savior of strength training, despite what some of its overzealous followers might claim. Like any program, its success depends on proper execution, individual adaptation, and the willingness to grow beyond its foundation. Starting Strength deserves respect, but true strength comes from knowing when to move beyond the basics.

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