my attempt at texas method

[blackbelt2k]

Here is a program I created using the texas method to help me with my stall on squats (stalled around 280lbs, could only rep it once per set).
Week 1:
7/7/2008 7/9/2008 7/11/2008

Squat Front Squats Squat
5x5 3x3 1x1

265 212 330

Bench Incline Bench
5x5 3x3 1x1

210 168 240

Overhead Press Rows Overhead Press
5x5 4x5 1x1

135 135 170

Pullups chinups Pullups
5x5 5x5 5x5

45 35 50

DeadLifts dips DeadLifts
2-3x5 4x5 1x1

335 50 415


Week two is the same except for the 3rd day i'd do 1x2, then week 3 1x3. Critique and let me know what you think.

 

[mrRuckus]

Keep going with this texas thing.

I've already added 20 lbs in 4 weeks to my 5x5 on squats. And 15 lbs or so to my 5x5 press. And 30 lbs to my clean (albeit, i just started doing this).

AND I broke my left little toe last week accidentally kicking my bathroom door as i ran by. Somehow i still manage to squat and power clean


You are bastardizing the program though. Deadlifts take a lot more recovery than squats do. I don't think you can get away with deadlifts twice a week for long.

The press wasn't really intended to be done the same day as bench but rather on a light day instead of bench because it is a much lighter weight and gives the shoulder girdle a rest... just like front squats do for back squats.


Here's what i'm doing.

Mon
Squats 5x5
Bench 5x5
Rows 5x5
Dips 3x5
Pullups or Chinups 3x5

Wed
Squats 2x5 @ 70% of 1RM
Press 5x5
Power Cleans 5x3

Fri
Squats 1x1 or 1x2 or 1x3 or 1x4 or 1x5 rotating each.
Bench 1x1 or 1x2 or 1x3 or 1x4 or 1x5 rotating each.
Deadlift 1x1 or 1x2 or 1x3 or 1x4 or 1x5 rotating each.


Monday is intended to drive the progress of Friday and Wed is a recovery day of lighter lifts.

 

[MrS]

good lifts, that's a solid overhead press you have there.

 

[blackbelt2k]

Thanks for the input MrS. I still deadlift twice because I haven't maxed out yet on it. And I know its a bad idea to put the overhead press and bench on the same day. I saw stronglifts version, where he alternates, but I just feel that putting a week between lifts is going to make me feel guilty, lol. But if this way actually hampers my numbers, then I'll probably alternate .

 

[MrS]

It isn't a bad idea if it works for you.

 

[Kerpal]

Here's what I've come up with based on the Texas Method principles.

I'm alternating between overhead press and bench press, and between deep squats and full squats (hip lower than knee). I plan to go for new maxes in the squat every few weeks after a few weeks of speed work.

A Week:

Monday:

Full squat 5x5
Bench press 5x5
Snatch 8x2
Dips 3x5
Weighted abs 3x5

Wednesday:

Front squat 2x5 (light)
OHP 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
Jerk 8x1
Glute-ham raise 3x5

Friday:

Speed full squat
Bench press 1/3/5 RM
Clean 5x3
Weighted chin up 3x5
Weighted abs 3x5


B Week:

Monday:

Deep squat 5x5
OHP 5x5
Snatch 8x2
Dips 3x5
Weighted abs 3x5

Wednesday:

Front squat 2x5 (light)
Bench press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
Jerk 8x1
Glute-ham raise 3x5

Friday:

Speed deep squat
OHP 1/3/5 RM
Clean 5x3
Weighted pull up 3x5
Weighted abs 3x5

 

[blackbelt2k]

hey Kerpal, how long have you been on this? What gains have you seen bud?

 

[MrS]

Looks solid, Kerpal.
Your log on RT - I don't see any conditioning, how come you post over there?
So do I, but I box.
Just training for strength and body comp?

 

[Kerpal]

hey Kerpal, how long have you been on this? What gains have you seen bud?

Just started it a couple weeks ago. I had a problem with squat form (got into the bad habit of looking up) so I lowered my weight on it and I'm just getting back to where I was before I started the Texas Method. I also just moved so I haven't had much time yet for serious training.

Looks solid, Kerpal.
Your log on RT - I don't see any conditioning, how come you post over there?
So do I, but I box.
Just training for strength and body comp?

I do a lot of conditioning too. Did Work Capacity 101 last week, it kicked my ass.

 

[kickureface]

ive been on texas for about 2 months. it is pretty good, but currently i am disliking the fact that i can't get many lifts in per week. alternating press/bp makes me impatient! >:O
after 5x5 on 3 exercises dips and pullups are out of the question.
cant overload wednesday or friday gets screwed
blehghhh
otherwise its pretty consistent gains

 

[Kerpal]

You do 5x5 OHP and 5x5 BP in the same day? I can't imagine doing that, but I am very weak in pressing movements for some reason. Your OHP is sexy, I wish I could lift that much My OHP and BP have been stuck for a while, I'm hoping this will spur some progress.

 

[kickureface]

You do 5x5 OHP and 5x5 BP in the same day? I can't imagine doing that, but I am very weak in pressing movements for some reason. Your OHP is sexy, I wish I could lift that much My OHP and BP have been stuck for a while, I'm hoping this will spur some progress.

i have the same problem you do.
bible is buff! i tried bench/press today and when i got to the press, i could barely complete a warmup because of insane tightness after bench!
170lbs for 1 rep is nuts on the press. it's actually my goal. how much do you weigh?

 

[blackbelt2k]

NO, you guys were right. I feel your pain kick..I HATE missing out on some of the lifts, which is what this alternateing strategy is doing. But I tried Monday, and after 5x5 of bench, and 5x5 of squats. I was trembling just OH pressing 120, arms shaking, trunk shaking, legs shaking. I now see why its recommended that you alternate. I'm 5'8 about 165lb. When i started a year and a half ago, i was around 145-150.
On a side note, to all the new guys that are reading this, strength training is definitely the way to go, I used to try bodybuilding all through HS and early college years. NOTHING, has brought me gains like what I'm seeing since i read starting strength.
My OH press lagged for a little, but then i switched to a wider grip, restarted with lower weights, and finally brought it back up to 150 for 4-5x5. I learned to used my lats/traps more in the movement too.

 

[mrRuckus]

Nothing in the Texas Method says that you are limited to certain lifts.

You can still do things like glute-ham raises. The method is just utilizing volume, light, and intensity days.



I'm certainly going to be inserting glute-hams and pull-throughs when my broken toe heals a bit more. I just don't know what day. Likely the end of friday's workout for 2 sets of 10 or something.

I'll probably also do good mornings instead of deadlifts for a while soon enough.

 

[kickureface]

whoops you're blackbelt not bible
personally i think friday is a waste of a workout. maxing every week doesnt do anything to me except inflate the ego, and then get hurt because it goes up so slow!
how's your bf%? 415 at 165 is hax

 

[mrRuckus]

whoops you're blackbelt not bible
personally i think friday is a waste of a workout. maxing every week doesnt do anything to me except inflate the ego, and then get hurt because it goes up so

I don't intend this as rude, but Mark Rippetoe and Louie Simmons of westside are not wrong.

Max effort days are invaluable and are not dangerous. There are far more injuries in sports than heavy lifting.

 

[kickureface]

i think you misread me

hurt (the ego)

 

[blackbelt2k]

i really don't know the exact bf%, as some areas it looks less than others. Using gnc calipers it says i have 8%. But I don't believe that, I'm more like 10% to 12%.

 

[mrRuckus]

i think you misread me

hurt (the ego)

Oh I jumped on the hurt thing quickly because that's the argument a lot of people ignorantly make against 3 reps and below. But that doesn't change anything about max effort days being a "waste of a workout." It's just silly to say that.

 

[Kerpal]

Here is another Texas Method inspired routine I just came up with:

Monday:

Squat variation 5x5
OHP or BP 5x5
Snatch 8x2
Weighted abs 3x5

Wednesday:

Front squat 3x3 or Back squat variation 2x5 (light)
OHP or BP 3x5
Clean 8x2
Jerk 8x1
Weighted pullup or Weighted chinup 3x5

Friday:

Speed squat variation or Squat variation 1/3/5 RM
OHP 1/3/5 RM or BP 1/3/5 RM
Deadlift 1x5 (maybe incorporate platform deadlifts here)
Floor glute-ham raise 3x5
Weighted abs 3x5

I like this one better because it allows more time between the 5x5 squat day and the deadlift day.

I plan to alternate between narrow stance deep squats, "hybrid" squats as taught by Mark Rippetoe, and front squats. If I did a back squat variation for 5x5 on Monday, I will do front squats for 3x3 on Wednesday; and if I did front squats for 5x5 on Monday I will do a back squat variation for 2x5 @ 80% of what I did for 5x5 on the previous back squat variation days.

As for the upper body, I will alternate between bench press and overhead press. The opposing exercise will serve as the "light" work, I will max on Friday, and then alternate for the next week. I'm going to drop dips for now and just work on my bench press since I'm very weak in that movement, and I've decided to stop doing rows. Rippetoe says they're not really necessary, and with deadlifts, cleans, snatches and weighted pull/chin ups, my back will be getting plenty of work anyway.

I just started training at a serious gym and they have chains and bands so I'd like to start incorporating those into the speed work. This gym also has bumper plates so I'm going to try incorporating the Olympic lifts. I still have to get used to the idea that I can just drop the bar. They also have deadlift platforms, so I may try deadlifting from a deficit, maybe lower the platform an inch every week then max from the floor, and then cycle back onto the highest platform. I will have to do more research on that.

I was doing power cleans before but I'm going to switch to snatches, full cleans and jerks from the rack, and once I learn the form maybe the clean & jerk. Right now I'm doing a power snatch because I'm too scared to drop into a full squat position with a weight overhead

I will probably only max on the squats every few weeks, and do speed work in between. My BP and OHP are still so low that I don't think speed work is necessary, and cleans & snatches serve as deadlift speed work since they're explosive pulls from the floor.