Bridge Templet Question

Programming Discussion
1

Hi,
I’ve been a long time follower of BBM. I’m 68 now and 2020 I got interested in the Starting Strength thing. I bought “the book” and after reading it tried the system. After a couple months, a few things popped up:
1)I found that, although I had never squatted or deadlifted prior to this, I really enjoyed the squat (might not be good at it)
2) Adding 10lb. to the squat and deadlift worked for a while but it was too much for this old fart!
3) I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but noted that BBM and Allan Thrall seemed to have distanced themselves from SS.

Finding the progression of the SSLP as set out in the book was suited to the younger crowd, and Rips podcast seemed to be more ranting, I looked for something else. I found 5/3/1 seemed to work. Stuck with it from 2020 for about a year (including the lockdowns due to Covid). I spread the 4 day circuit over 8 days keeping (Mon/Wed/Fri then Mon). This worked ok, it allowed me to get the technique down but didn’t feel that I was getting the volume. I may be old, but I still like three day per week to train…and NO I have no desire to compete, just with the guy in the mirror!

I had an older version of The Bridge stashed away so I decided to have a good look at it and kind of like the variations and the big thing was the deadlift, and not having to deadlift every day! I like the squat frequency and variations.

Now at long last, the question: I noted the version I have has a lot of reference to and links for Starting Strength in the back. Is there any big difference between the old and the updated version of The Bridge and should I get a new version?

Sorry for the long windedness, but I though it would save a bunch of questions.

Thanks for the time,
Brent May

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2 happens to everyone (as evidenced that no one is adding 520 pounds to their squat year after year)–the only real question is how soon does it happen and, more importantly, what price do you pay in increased fatigue and injury while you get there.

I have not seen the new bridge template, but I have run the old bridge template, 3 strength templates (I, II, and III), power building, and body building and the bridge I’d say is most similar to a slightly lower intensity version of strength I. From the description (I will defer to anyone who has purchased the new bridge template) it sounds like there are some updates particularly with exercise selection and an easier mechanism for tracking (I would assume it’s in a google sheets/excel format like the others), so those would be the primary uses for buying the bridge for me.

That being said, for value, I’d probably run the version of the bridge you have and then, if you are interested in further strength development, get Strength 1 instead.

Will defer to anyone who has actually bought the bridge in its new form and is familiar with the old ofc!

2 Likes
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Thanks Smokes.

4

Yes there is a significant difference between 1.0 and 3.0. Specifically singles exposure and user selected exercises in 3.0. I’m on my second run through of 3.0 and prefer it to 1.0 as you would expect from a paid for program. Also if I’m not mistaken, 3.0 is much more reflective of their current ideas/opinions on programming and training in general. Run 1.0 and if you like it then run 3.0. That’s what I did.