Programme · Novice · 3 days a week
Starting Strength
Starting Strength is a common novice strength programme. Classic three-lift novice linear progression. Add weight every session. VALDA has it in its programme library: start it and VALDA sets up the sessions and starting weights, then adds weight when you complete every working set.
Free to start, 1 programme at a time. Already have the app? Open in VALDA takes you straight to it. In the app it's listed as “Novice Linear Progression (3-Lift)”.
Is Starting Strength for you?
Novices in their first several months of structured barbell training, or returning lifters who have lost their old numbers and want a fast, rules-driven re-ramp. Most suitable when you can train three times a week with a rest day between sessions and recover from lower-body work.
At a glance
- Level
- Novice
- Goal
- Strength
- Time
- 3 days a week, ~45–60 min a session
A three-day full-body novice programme built around three compound lifts: squat, press or bench press, and deadlift. Sessions alternate between Workout A and Workout B across the week, with a full rest day between each training day. The defining feature is simple: the same lifts appear every session, and weight goes up every time.
2 sessions
| Session | Exercises |
|---|---|
| Workout A |
|
| Workout B |
|
Workout A runs squat 3×5, press 3×5, deadlift 1×5. Workout B runs squat 3×5, bench press 3×5, deadlift 1×5. Squat and deadlift are in every session; only the press alternates across the week. You are not rotating exercises — the same small menu repeats while the weight goes up. This is the first of the method's three phases: after roughly two to four weeks the power clean replaces Workout B's deadlift, and chin-ups follow about two weeks after that.
How the weights move
Add weight to every working set in every session. Typical starting increments are around 2.5 kg on upper-body lifts and 5 kg on the deadlift, halving once progress slows. When a lift stalls — three sessions in a row failing to complete it at the same weight — take about 10% off that lift and ramp back up; the other lifts keep progressing. When resets stop working too, graduate to an intermediate programme such as Texas Method or Madcow 5×5.
Starting Strength, with the maths done
- Sessions set up from the programme, ready to log
- Starting weights worked out from the programme's own rules and your estimated maxes, with a default where VALDA has no history yet. You can change any of them
- Weight added when you complete every working set
- A missed session holds the weight; 3 misses in a row bring it down 10%
- Log sets from your phone, Apple Watch or Wear OS watch
Starting Strength questions
Who is Starting Strength for?
Novices in their first several months of structured barbell training, or returning lifters who have lost their old numbers and want a fast, rules-driven re-ramp. Most suitable when you can train three times a week with a rest day between sessions and recover from lower-body work.
How many days a week is Starting Strength?
As VALDA runs it: 3 days a week, ~45–60 min a session.
How does progression work on Starting Strength?
Add weight to every working set in every session. Typical starting increments are around 2.5 kg on upper-body lifts and 5 kg on the deadlift, halving once progress slows. When a lift stalls — three sessions in a row failing to complete it at the same weight — take about 10% off that lift and ramp back up; the other lifts keep progressing. When resets stop working too, graduate to an intermediate programme such as Texas Method or Madcow 5×5.
Can I run Starting Strength in VALDA?
Yes. It's in VALDA's programme library: start it and VALDA sets up the sessions and starting weights, then adds weight when you complete every working set. You can start it on the free plan, 1 programme at a time. Automatic progression: Free: 6 sessions · Pro: unlimited.
Is VALDA affiliated with Mark Rippetoe?
No. VALDA is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mark Rippetoe. This page describes the programme as VALDA runs it.
Where Starting Strength comes from
Starting Strength was popularised by Mark Rippetoe in *Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training* (2005) and the novice programme chapter of *Practical Programming for Strength Training*. VALDA adapts the training pattern — lifts, reps, and progression rule — for use inside the app, but does not claim authorship of the method.
VALDA is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mark Rippetoe. The programme belongs to its author; this page describes it as VALDA runs it.
This page describes a common training programme for information. It isn't a personal prescription.