This style of programming takes advantage of the Novice Effect, which was popularized by the Starting Strength. The Novice Effect is when untrain people being to lift weights, they quickly get strong.
The reason this is three-fold
1) New motor skill development. Barring any major psychological and physical barriers, when learn a new skill in an encouraging environment, it’s can be easy to get good at it pretty quickly because you get the well needed time under the bar.
2) Novel stimulus. Doing something new excites the mind and body. The lifter is more engaged, willing to try and in addition the body is being loaded in a way it’s never been before. This leads to a rapid adaptation.
3) Fast recovery rate. Due to inefficiency of the lift the lifter will not be able to truly express strength yet. This means that the lifter will not be able to lift a lot of weight therefor systemic fatigue will be low until a level of technical proficiency has been achieved. When that has occurred the lifter will be able to safely lift more weight which in turn taxes the lifter far more.
The Novice LP uses the 4 main barbell lifts with 2 alternating workouts done on a three x per week schedule.
Workout A
Squat – 3x5
Bench press – 3x5
Deadlift – 1x5
Workout B
Squat – 3x5
Overhead press – 3x5
Deadlift – 1x5
Typical novice LP bi weekly structure, adding weight to the bar every training session
Fast track
Working with a professional strength coach, this is the quickest, safest and most effective way to get as strong as possible. It is cautioned, this style of programming WITHOUT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS is not a long-term solution to getting stronger. The coach will be able to identify movement errors, and prioritize movement quality over weight progressions. The coach also may implement programming changes to match where the client is at physically and psychologically.
A Perfect World
Each workout the weight should increase and look something like this
projected increases in bar weight using Novice LP
It is evident that the linear progress model will allow you to add a lot of weight to the bar in a short amount of time. In real life this doesn’t go on forever. If that was the case everyone would be deadlifting 500lbs in less than 4 months!
The law of diminishing returns
The stronger you become the more time it takes to put more weight on the bar. At the point the lifter can no longer add weight to the bar every workout they have ventured into late novice/early intermediate phase. Here is where programming change MUST CHANGE.
Adjustments
This could include reducing intense or work volume per week. Implement light days for recovery for light day with special developmental exercises that address poor movement patterns, ones that do not get fixed with specific cuing. Keeping weight, the same and working on increase intra set work density (IG: 7x2 to 5x3 to 4x4 to 3x5) or changing over to a 4 day a week intermediate style programming where you would .
Final words
Novice LP program is a straight forward way to get strong but it is just one way. Through my experience coaching I’ve found that some lifters take very well to this approach and progress may last up to 6 months while others, I will need to make adjustments to the program the very next week. Each person will have their own path to strength gain, it’s my duty to sense the right programming changes to allow the environment for skill development, injury prevention and strength develop to all occur.