Originally posted by: brikis98
Let me give this one a shot, as I do think it's a fair question.
This is a bit obvious, but the "point" of Starting Strength is to teach you the most effective way to do
strength training.
Wikipedia defines strength training as "the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles". The SS book brings up the most important lifts to do (esp. for beginners), shows you how to do the lifts properly, and lays out a strength training program that will work wonders for novices. Originally, it was built as an instruction manual for coaches, but the 2nd edition has changed the focus to actual weight lifters themselves. It is simply a guide to one of the best known systems for building strength.
Now, that takes care of the book. The next question you'll ask then is "why do strength training" or perhaps more importantly, "what are the benefits of increasing strength"? This is a slightly different question with many, many answers. The same Wikipedia article has a
benefits of strength training section which has a decent list:
The benefits of weight training include greater muscular strength, improved muscle tone and appearance, increased endurance, enhanced bone density, and improved cardiovascular fitness.
Many people take up weight training to improve their physical attractiveness. Most men can develop substantial muscles; most women lack the testosterone to do this, but they can develop a firm, "toned" (see below) physique, and they can increase their strength by the same proportion as that achieved by men (but usually from a significantly lower starting point). Ultimately an individual's genetics dictate the response to weight training stimuli to some extent.
The body's basal metabolic rate increases with increases in muscle mass, which promotes long-term fat loss and helps dieters avoid yo-yo dieting. Moreover, intense workouts elevate the metabolism for several hours following the workout, which also promotes fat loss.
Weight training also provides functional benefits. Stronger muscles improve posture, provide better support for joints, and reduce the risk of injury from everyday activities. Older people who take up weight training can prevent some of the loss of muscle tissue that normally accompanies aging?and even regain some functional strength?and by doing so become less frail. They may be able to avoid some types of physical disability. Weight-bearing exercise also helps to prevent osteoporosis. The benefits of weight training for older people have been confirmed by studies of people who began engaging in it even in their 80s and 90s.
Stronger muscles improve performance in a variety of sports. Sport-specific training routines are used by many competitors. These often specify that the speed of muscle contraction during weight training should be the same as that of the particular sport.
Though weight training can stimulate the cardiovascular system, many exercise physiologists, based on their observation of maximal oxygen uptake, argue that aerobics training is a better cardiovascular stimulus. Central catheter monitoring during resistance training reveals increased cardiac output, suggesting that strength training shows potential for cardiovascular exercise. However, a 2007 meta-analysis found that, though aerobic training is an effective therapy for heart failure patients, combined aerobic and strength training is ineffective.
One side-effect of any intense exercise is increased levels of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, which can help to improve mood and counter feelings of depression
If any of the above benefits interest you, the Starting Strength book is a great way for beginners to achieve them.
Now, the last important thing to discuss: how does the SS approach differ from other routines? Most routines that involve any kind of resistance training share many of the same principles and benefits of SS. The difference is that they may not focus on building sheer strength, but on something else. Moreover, most routines come with a recommended diet which will also greatly affect the results. SS with a massive calorie surplus (such as the recommended 1 gallon of milk a day) will produce HUGE gains in muscle mass and strength. SS with a calorie deficit (but sufficient protein intake) will allow a person to lose body fat and maintain muscle mass.
* For example, body building is concerned only with aesthetics - that is, the size, mass and definition of the muscles. The best exercises to accomplish this (especially for beginners) are still largely the same as described in SS, but the number of sets, reps, weight progression, and diet are geared towards muscle hypertrophy instead of strength gain. Of course, strength gain will still occur, but it is almost a side effect of body building. This is why
Arnold (a body builder), despite the larger looking muscles, is nowhere near as strong as
Andy Bolton, one of the worlds strongest powerlifters (deadlifting 1003lbs in the picture).
* Powerlifting, incidentally, is strength training through and through: the goal there is to gain as much strength as possible so as to lift the maximum amount of weight in certain lifts (deadlift, squat, bench).
* Olympic lifting is strength training focused around a different set of lifts: the clean & jerk and the snatch.
*
Crossfit style routines are "by design, broad, general, and inclusive". CrossFit maintains that proficiency is required in each of 10 fitness domains: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy. So, Crossfit routines include components to boost your strength, but as it's only one of the 10 domains, they also include components to work on the other 9.
* As alluded to earlier, routines built around losing fat usually use weight training not as a means to increase strength (which is quite difficult to do while cutting) but rather as a way to maintain muscle mass. In fact, many dieters use the SS routine not to become stronger, but actually to prevent themselves from getting weaker.
Anyways, there are countless routines out there and they each have different focuses and hence, different benefits. In general, you want to pick the one that most closely aligns with your desired goals, which you should have figured out beforehand in very concrete, measurable terms.
Now, to bring it back to the book. It is my personal opinion that SS is so highly recommended on this forum because it is probably THE most effective routine for beginners
regardless of what goal they are seeking. If you have never done resistance training before, jumping into a body building or power lifting routine can be a bad idea. Many of those routines are built for lifters that already have a solid base of muscle, strength and other adaptations. And be careful, some routines out there (esp BB routines) that work for the "pros" are only effective when backed up with massive amounts of steroids & other performance enhancers. Anyways, SS is useful because it lays down a terrific strength training foundation that can prepare you for
any of the outer routines. Most people stick with it only for a year or two before the linear progression becomes ineffective, at which point they are ready to move on to a more advanced program and one that is more specific to their goals.
I read a bit about it in Wikipedia:
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