Not Feeling Athletic?
by Carl Raghavan, SSC | December 17, 2024
You’ve been doing the program, but something isn’t right. You’re
sluggish, you’re tired all the time – you just don’t feel like
an athlete. But why? Well, let me share some hard truths about the
Starting Strength Linear Progression (SSLP). You probably already
know the first three, really, even if you’ve been trying to ignore
them. But the last two? You’ll fight me to the bitter end, convinced
you’re the exception. But here’s the thing – I promised to explain
why you’re not feeling athletic. I never promised that you’d like
the answer.
Food
Habits
Yes, eating: the one
thing we all do multiple times a day (unless you’re doing
intermittent fasting). What you eat matters, and deep down, you know
this. Eating quality foods that support your training will directly
affect how you feel. Start with protein. Sure, cold pizza and a
Bloody Mary might help you survive a hangover, but they won’t build
a strong, resilient body. You already know what you should be eating,
but you ignore it when it’s convenient, thinking a few sets of squats
will erase whatever damage you did in the kitchen. Spoiler: they
won’t.
Active Daily
Lifestyle
If your life revolves
around commuting or sitting at a desk, you’re probably not moving
enough. You’re not getting in enough steps, sunlight, or fresh air.
Walking 7-10K steps a day is a simple solution that you may find
boosts your mood, sharpens your focus, and gives you a break from
doomscrolling on your phone. A daily stroll might be exactly what you
need – just ask Stan Efferding, who recommends 10-minute walks
after every meal. If you don’t have time for that, try walking a
few minutes after each meal. Small steps add up.
Sleep
I know most people
don’t like to count this as part of training, but sleep is crucial.
We may be in 2024, but there’s still no pill to replace lost sleep.
Prioritize it, because better sleep won’t just improve your bench
press – it’ll improve everything. So, sleep more.
Now
for the heart of the issue: the lesser-known reasons why the SSLP may
have you feeling sluggish and unathletic.
Chins
You’ve been dodging
chin-ups. When the deadlift gets too stressful to perform every
session, chin-ups come into play. Yes, they suck – especially if
you’re gaining weight as the program suggests. You won’t see
impressive weekly progress in your logbook, but that doesn’t mean
you’re not getting stronger. It’s like the story of Milo and the
bull. Every time you do chin-ups with more body weight, you’re
lifting more, even if the numbers look the same on paper. Chin-ups
have always been part of the SSLP, but they’re tough. And the lat
pull-down machine? That’s just easier.
Power
Clean
Finally, we come to the
exercise everyone loves to hate: the power clean. This light-day
deadlift variation has been part of the SSLP since its inception, but
people make excuses to skip it – age, flexibility, whatever. You’ll
happily swap it for rows because, hey, they use your back and
deadlifts are a back exercise, right? Wrong. Deadlifts are so much
more, and I’ve explained why you shouldn’t row in a previous
article. The power clean teaches you to be fast, fearless, and most
importantly to be more athletic. Rows are just the easier, more
comfortable choice. But we’re not here to give you easy – we’re
here to get you stronger in the basic barbell lifts. I know you don’t
want to admit this, but the power clean is a basic barbell lift. It’s
not elite: it’s basic. So don’t skip them.
Basically:
do the program the way it’s written before you make claims about
whether it does or does not work, or does or does not make you
“athletic.” You can’t say orange juice sucks if all you’ve
tried is Sunny D. And similarly, if you cherry-pick lifts then you’re
not really doing the program. I do get why people skip stuff. The
program is simple, but not easy. But if you want to feel athletic
while doing the program, you need to stop making excuses and follow
it as it’s actually laid out. Make good food choices, walk more,
sleep more, and maybe do your chins and power cleans. Or don’t.
Personally I don’t mind the whole fat powerlifter vibe, but it’s
your choice.
