The Rippetoes Starting Strength Program consists of 2 main Workouts - Workout A and Workout B.

Workout A
3×5 Squat
3×5 Bench Press
1×5 Deadlift

Workout B
3×5 Squat
3×5 Standing military press
3×5 Power cleans

You use these 2 workouts to train on 2 Non-consecutive days per week.

So week 1 might look like:
Monday - Workout A
Wednesday - Workout B
Friday - Workout A

Week 2:
Monday - Workout B
Wednesday - Workout A
Friday - Workout B

You can use different days such as Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday or Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday’s, as long as you get in 3 workouts on 3 non-consecutive days each week.

Weight:

Every week make it a goal to increase each of your lifts by 2.5%. Meaning if I lifted 100lbs for my Bench Week 1 then Week 2 I would try for 102.5lbs. If I did 200lb Squats Week 1 I would try for 205lbs in Week 2. Sometimes you will be able to do more but don’t mess with your form just to lift more.

DO NOT change the weight between each set during a workout, keep the weight the same, as stated above change the weight on weekly basis if possible.

The Intended Audience:

The exact intended target audience of the book Starting Strength is the coach of pubescent/teenage kids who want to get bigger and stronger, frequently for a sport. The book, and the program contained within, emphasizes the gradual but consistent progression in weight of a handful of basic exercises with specific and incredibly detailed recommendations on proper technique. As a result, it is very useful for any newcomer to the weight training game, as well as anyone who is making a “comeback” to the iron sport. If you haven’t trained in awhile and want to get back into weightlifting, then the Starting Strength program will probably be ideal for you, as it will help get you back into shape rapidly. If you are new to weight training, then this program, as simple as it is, is arguably the ideal method for the first several months of your training.

Again, this program (and the book) is for:

1) Strength training coaches
2) Newcomers to the weight room
3) “Old timers” looking to get back into lifting shape
4) Anyone who hasn’t mastered the squat, bench and deadlift, but would like to.

If you have been using exclusively nautilus machines, Hammer Strength machines, or bodyweight-type workouts, then this workout will also be a great introductory weight training program to teach you the “zen of the iron.”