Starting Strength Phase 3

A beginner barbell program and the advanced novice phase of Starting Strength. Chin Up added for upper body pulling volume. Deadlift and Power Clean alternate within Workout A, creating a four-workout rotation. Microloading (2.5lb jumps) typically needed for Overhead Press and Bench Press at this stage.

Origin & Philosophy

Starting Strength was created by Mark Rippetoe, a competitive powerlifter and strength coach based in Wichita Falls, Texas. The program is detailed in his book Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, first published in 2005 and now in its 3rd edition (2011). The companion book Practical Programming for Strength Training covers the programming theory behind the novice progression.

The core philosophy: beginners can add weight to the bar every single session for months — the "Novice Effect." Rather than waste this window on machines or complicated periodization, Starting Strength exploits it with a handful of barbell movements, linear loading, and full recovery between sessions. Strength is treated as the most fundamental physical adaptation — muscle size, power, and endurance all improve as side effects of getting stronger.

Who It's For

• Experience: Beginner lifters who have completed Phases 1 and 2 (typically 2–4 months of training)
• Goal: Squeeze the last gains out of novice linear progression before transitioning to intermediate programming
• Prerequisites: Solid form on all 5 lifts from Phase 2. Upper body lifts starting to slow down or stall with 5lb jumps.
• Diet: Caloric surplus still recommended. Recovery demands are highest in this phase since all weights are near personal records

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Chin Up adds much-needed upper body pulling volume — improves back development and bicep strength
• Alternating Deadlift and Power Clean on A days reduces fatigue while maintaining both movement patterns
• Microloading extends upper body linear progression for several more weeks past where 5lb jumps would stall
• Still a simple program — 3 exercises per session, 3 days per week

Cons

• Four-workout rotation is more complex to track than Phase 2's simple A/B alternation
• No direct arm, ab, or lateral delt work — Chin Up helps biceps but isolation work is still absent
• Bench Press and Overhead Press are each only trained 3 times every 4 sessions — even lower frequency than Phase 2
• You're near the end of novice gains — progress is noticeably slower and stalls become more frequent
• Requires microplates (1.25lb each) for upper body lifts — most gyms don't have these

Program Structure

• Split: Full body, 4-workout rotation
• Periodization: Straight linear progression — add weight every session
• Rotation: Four workouts (A1, B1, A2, B2) cycle continuously. With 3 sessions per week, the pattern shifts each week
• Train 3 days per week on non-consecutive days (e.g., Mon/Wed/Fri)

The press/bench alternation and the deadlift/power clean alternation are now independent of each other. This creates 4 distinct workouts:

Workout	Lift 1	Lift 2	Lift 3
A1	Squat	Bench Press	Deadlift
B1	Squat	Overhead Press	Chin Up
A2	Squat	Overhead Press	Power Clean
B2	Squat	Bench Press	Chin Up

A sample 3-week rotation training Mon/Wed/Fri:

	Monday	Wednesday	Friday
Week 1	A1	B1	A2
Week 2	B2	A1	B1
Week 3	A2	B2	A1

Exercise Selection & Rationale

Squat still leads every session — by Phase 3, your squat technique is solid and the weight is heavy enough that you need to be fresh for it.

Bench Press and Overhead Press continue to alternate, but now across a 4-workout cycle instead of 2. Each pressing movement is trained roughly 1x/week. This is lower frequency than Phase 2, but at this stage the weights are heavy enough that more recovery between pressing sessions is beneficial.

Deadlift and Power Clean now both appear only on A-days, alternating between them. This further reduces deadlift frequency (from every A-day in Phase 2 to every other A-day here), which is necessary because deadlift weights are now very heavy relative to the lifter's capacity.

Chin Up is the new addition, appearing on all B-days. It fills a gap in the program — until now there was no direct upper back pulling work besides deadlifts and cleans. Chin-ups build the lats, biceps, and forearms, and the strength carries over to deadlift lockout and bench press stability.

Substitutions: If you can't do Chin Up for 3 sets of 10, use Lat Pulldown (3x10) or band-assisted chin-ups until you build enough strength. If still substituting Bent Over Row for Power Clean, that continues to work here.

Set & Rep Scheme

• Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press: 3x5 — same as previous phases
• Deadlift: 1x5 — same as previous phases
• Power Clean: 5x3 — same as Phase 2
• Chin Up: 3x10 — higher reps than the other exercises because chin-ups at bodyweight are less taxing. Once you can do 3x10 at bodyweight, start adding weight (via dip belt) and do 3x5 on alternate chin-up sessions

Progressive Overload

Weight increases per session:

Lift	Increase
Squat	+5lb
Deadlift	+5lb
Bench Press	+2.5lb (microloading)
Overhead Press	+2.5lb (microloading)
Power Clean	+2.5lb (microloading)
Chin Up	+2.5lb (once doing weighted chin-ups)

Phase 3 is where microloading becomes essential for upper body lifts. You'll need fractional plates (1.25lb each side) to make 2.5lb total jumps. Without them, you'll stall much sooner on Overhead Press and Bench Press.

When you stall (can't complete all prescribed reps for 2 consecutive workouts on the same lift):

1. Deload 10% from your current working weight on that lift
2. Work back up using normal session-to-session increases
3. After 2–3 deloads with no sustained progress, that lift is done with novice linear progression — transition it to intermediate programming

Each lift is tracked independently. You may finish linear progression on Overhead Press months before Squat. Only change programming for the lifts that have truly stalled.

How Long to Run It / What Next

Run Phase 3 until linear progression is exhausted — typically several weeks to a couple months after entering this phase. Total time on the Starting Strength novice program (all phases combined) is usually 3–9 months.

Signs it's time to move on: You're deloading repeatedly on Squat and Deadlift despite good sleep and nutrition. Multiple lifts have stalled through 2–3 deload cycles.

Good next programs:

• Texas Method — the natural continuation recommended by Rippetoe; weekly periodization with volume/recovery/intensity days
• Madcow 5x5 — similar weekly progression with ramping sets
• 5/3/1 for Beginners — monthly periodization, very flexible, runs indefinitely
• GZCLP — tiered approach with more exercise variety

Equipment Needed

• Barbell and plates
• Squat rack or power rack
• Flat bench
• Pull-up bar (or Lat Pulldown machine as substitute)
• Microplates (1.25lb each) — essential for Phase 3. Buy your own; most gyms don't have them
• Dip belt for weighted Chin Up (once bodyweight becomes easy)

If doing Power Clean, bumper plates and a platform are ideal but not strictly required.

Rest Times

• Warmup sets: Just long enough to change plates (30–60 seconds)
• Early work sets: 2–3 minutes
• Heavy work sets: 3–5 minutes (up to 7 minutes near max effort on Squat/Deadlift)
• Chin-ups: 2–3 minutes between sets

Rest as long as needed to complete the next set. At Phase 3 weights, you'll need the full rest periods — don't rush.

How to Pick Starting Weights

If transitioning from Phase 2, continue with your current weights on all existing lifts. Start Chin Up at bodyweight (0lb added).

If starting the program fresh in Phase 3 (not recommended — start from Phase 1), use this method for each exercise:

1. Start with the empty bar (45lb) for a set of 5
2. Add 10–20lb, do another set of 5
3. Repeat until bar speed noticeably slows
4. Use that weight as your first working weight

Common Modifications

• Light squat day: Some advanced novices add a lighter squat session (80% of work weight, 2x5) on the middle training day to aid recovery. This is the "advanced novice" modification from Practical Programming.
• Weighted chin-ups: Once you can complete 3x10 at bodyweight, alternate between bodyweight chin-ups to failure and weighted 3x5 chin-ups on different B days.
• Replace Power Clean with Bent Over Row: Still valid in Phase 3. Rows at 3x5 or 5x3 work well.
• Add accessories: At this stage, some lifters add 1–2 light accessories after the main lifts: Back Extension, Bodyweight (3x10), Bicep Curl (3x10), or Hanging Leg Raise (3x10). Keep them light and don't let them interfere with recovery for the main lifts.
• Drop to 3x3 or 5x1 on lifts near failure: If you're consistently missing the 5th rep, some coaches recommend temporarily dropping to triples or singles at higher weight to continue progressing before transitioning to intermediate programming.

FAQ

Is Starting Strength Phase 3 the last phase?

Yes, Phase 3 is the advanced novice phase — the final stage before transitioning to an intermediate program. It adds chin-ups and creates a 4-workout rotation. Total time on all Starting Strength phases combined is usually 3-9 months.

How many days a week is Starting Strength Phase 3?

It's still a 3-day program on non-consecutive days (typically Mon/Wed/Fri), but now with a 4-workout rotation instead of Phase 2's simple A/B alternation. The four workouts cycle continuously, shifting the pattern each week.

What's different about Starting Strength Phase 3?

Phase 3 adds chin-ups on all B-days for upper body pulling volume, and deadlifts and power cleans now alternate within A-days (instead of being fixed to specific workouts). Microloading (2.5lb jumps) becomes essential for upper body lifts.

Do I need microplates for Starting Strength Phase 3?

Yes, microplates (1.25lb each side for 2.5lb total jumps) are essential at this stage. Without them, you'll stall much sooner on overhead press and bench press. Most gyms don't stock these — buy your own.

What program should I do after Starting Strength?

The natural continuation is the Texas Method (weekly periodization with volume/recovery/intensity days). Other good options include Madcow 5x5 (weekly progression with ramping sets), 5/3/1 for Beginners (monthly periodization), or GZCLP (tiered approach with more variety).

When should I move on from Starting Strength Phase 3?

Move on when you're deloading repeatedly on squat and deadlift despite good sleep and nutrition, and multiple lifts have stalled through 2-3 deload cycles. You may finish linear progression on overhead press months before squat — only change programming for lifts that have truly stalled.