SSLP for novices or something else i.e the bridge

Programming Discussion
1

Hi BBM
I just saw on Reddit that you guys supposedly don’t recommend SSLP anymore, this is Reddit so I don’t know how accurate this would be, but if this is true what would you recommend to a true novice the bridge repeatedly for example
Thank you for all the great work you guys do

2

The free Bridge v1 program is what Jordan recommends. Do that once. If you felt that you got good results, you can do it again. Then move on to Hypertrophy (3 day or 4 day) or one of the other strength programs on BBM (Bridge 3, HLM, 12 week Strength).

Have a look around the forums here (both moderated and unmoderated) and you will see a range of suggestions as to what to do after the Bridge v1.

3

Sorry to clarify the bridge rather than SSLP for a complete novice?

4

Reason for my being pedantic about clarification is for years everyone was obsessed with lp, I knew Jordan felt parts of lp were suboptimal, but I didn’t realize that now he feels that it is essentially useless and is better replaced by the bridge
and btw thanks for the response

5

I can’t speak for the man, but my take is that it’s not useless, necessarily.

There are components in the bridge that make it potentially more useful than a stock SS LP. Examples include:

  1. loading prescriptions using RPE rather than “thou must add x lbs every time”.
  2. Exercise variety could be another. I am told there is good evidence that exercise variety is actually a good thing for long term development.

I also think these concepts, when introduced early on, can be useful later in their training lifetime. Where as the SS LP doesn’t really do the same thing, in my opinion.

6

I did SSLP for 3 months before switching to Bridge and I think I should’ve sooner. I still think that a complete novice needs a linear progression, because strength increases so rapidly in the first couple weeks and you learn so much by simply doing the exercise every session, but there is absolutely no reason to do any “resets”, more than that, I think now you should stop the LP even before you trully “stall” on all your lifts. Those last 3-4 weeks of my LP were not productive at all. My deadlift was still climbing, but I was beginning to fail squats and my presses were completely stalled.