Texas method Journey

[musclehead09]

This log is my testimonial to what the Texas method will do for me. Here is my setup:

Monday (Volume Day)
Squat 5x5
Bench Press/OHP 5x5
Pull Ups 5x5

Wednesday (Recovery Day)
Squat 2x5 80% of Monday
Bench Press/OHP 3x5 80% of previous Monday
Barbell Curls 3x6-12
Back Extensions 3x8-12

Friday
Squat 1x5
Bench Press/OHP 1x5
Deadlift 1x5
Barbell Shrugs 3x6-12
Weighted Dips 3x8-12
Kroc Row 1x20+

*Calves can be done any lifting day
*Grip work done anyday of the week
*Core can be done any lifting day
*Rower machine/Jump Rope (Intervals) for conditioning 1-2 non lifting days a week

My goals on this program are:

Weigh 185 lbs
Squat 405x5
Bench 275x5
Deadlift 495x5

[musclehead09]

Monday Feb. 11, 2013

Squat 5x5 205 (first 3 sets were hard last 2 not so much)
Bench press 5x5 150 (Pretty easy)
Pull ups 5x5 10 lbs (Easy)
Decline Sit ups no weight 3x12

Bouta go to the gym for today's workout

[xRequiem]

Subbed.

Your routine looks pretty solid but there's one thing that concerns me. Shrugs and weighted dips on recovery day might be too much. I would put them on Monday and do a circuit with your assistance: shrugs, abs, pull ups and dips if possible to save time. My recovery day is usually just light squats, light bench/press, back extensions and possibly abs/curls.

[musclehead09]

Subbed.

Your routine looks pretty solid but there's one thing that concerns me. Shrugs and weighted dips on recovery day might be too much. I would put them on Monday and do a circuit with your assistance: shrugs, abs, pull ups and dips if possible to save time. My recovery day is usually just light squats, light bench/press, back extensions and possibly abs/curls.

Thanks bro! Repped I will do that then. Makes sense it'll make Wednesday short and sweet. Now I do believe I started out a little high with 205 this past Monday. However ima stick to that weight for next week and do 230 on this friday Friday for 5. 205 was rough for my first 5x5 day so ill keep it at 205 until I hit 240-245 on intensity day

Ah **** can't rep ya gotta spread it around first. But I'm subbing to ur log too.

Also would u still do 5x5 weighted pull ups if I put em in a circuit? Or would you do 3x8-12 like I have the dips?

[musclehead09]

Wednesday Feb. 13th, 2013

Squat 2x5 165
OHP 3x5 60
Back Extensions 3x8-12 BWx12, 25lb x 10, 35lb x 8

Barbell Curls 3x4-12 60x12, 70x10, 80x4
Calf Raises 3x12 100
Left hand Plate Pinch 3x10 25lb
(left forearm half an inch smaller and weaker)

Decline sit ups 3x12 BW

[Drew50]

in brah

I would say to put dips on Friday because Monday's 5x5 is alot of work already. As well as switch out the pull ups with the shrugs. I personally wouldn't want sore traps going into a deadlift session. Anyway you'll figure it out what works for you

[musclehead09]

in brah

I would say to put dips on Friday because Monday's 5x5 is alot of work already. As well as switch out the pull ups with the shrugs. I personally wouldn't want sore traps going into a deadlift session. Anyway you'll figure it out what works for you

Yeah I'm thinking about doing the shrugs right After the deadlifts on Friday followed by the Kroc Row and dips. Thanks for the advice

[GinjaNinja85]

Subbed dude. How long have you been training for and what was you doing before TM?

[musclehead09]

Subbed dude. How long have you been training for and what was you doing before TM?

Thanks man repped. And for a long time I had workout ADD (started lifting randomly 2 years ago). Before this tho I finally did Starting Strength taking me into the intermediate stage in Mark Rippetoes chart as I started to stall after I hit those lifts. I'm sticking to this for all it's with and can't wait as I want to become a powerlifter

2 years went by and not many results so I said WTF I'm gonna finally start listening to a lot of people on here and my goal changed from physique to strength

[GinjaNinja85]

Thanks man repped. And for a long time I had workout ADD (started lifting randomly 2 years ago). Before this tho I finally did Starting Strength taking me into the intermediate stage in Mark Rippetoes chart as I started to stall after I hit those lifts. I'm sticking to this for all it's with and can't wait as I want to become a powerlifter

2 years went by and not many results so I said WTF I'm gonna finally start listening to a lot of people on here and my goal changed from physique to strength

Cool man, I'm on TM too

[musclehead09]

My legs are still sore. Anyone think an incline of 4 walking 3.2 mph would be good to do for 30 minutes as active recovery?

[musclehead09]

Cool man, I'm on TM too

Awesome dude! Ill subscribe to urs as well! Do u think walking for half an hour would be good conditioning/active recovery if ur sore?

[GinjaNinja85]

Awesome dude! Ill subscribe to urs as well! Do u think walking for half an hour would be good conditioning/active recovery if ur sore?

No, recovery day and foam rolling would do just fine. Anything else would more likely harm recovery IMO. I do conditioning when I can, either the day after VD, the day after ID or both.

Look forward to the sub

[musclehead09]

No, recovery day and foam rolling would do just fine. Anything else would more likely harm recovery IMO. I do conditioning when I can, either the day after VD, the day after ID or both.

Look forward to the sub

Thanks dude! Ill do it the day after VD. My left hamstring is pretty sore after recovery day. Prob need to do more dynamic stretching before lifting.

I just subbed to ur page now

[musclehead09]

ive been thinking. i eventually wanna do some strongman stuff once i hit HUGE numbers on my dead/squat/bench. Should i be power cleaning on mondays? I know the original Mark Rippetoe layout template was cleans on fridays and deadlifts on mondays which sounds so dumb. who can PR every week on the deadlift if doing them after 5x5 squats. So the only thing else i wanna change is maybe do 5x3 cleans on mondays and put the weighted pull ups on wednesdays. Would this be a good idea guys?

[arian11]

Awesome dude! Ill subscribe to urs as well! Do u think walking for half an hour would be good conditioning/active recovery if ur sore?

I wouldn't over think something so trivial as walking. I basically walk with my dog every day either around my apartment complex or at the park. I don't count it as cardio or try to keep track and regulate it depending on what I'm lifting that day.

[musclehead09]

I wouldn't over think something so trivial as walking. I basically walk with my dog every day either around my apartment complex or at the park. I don't count it as cardio or try to keep track and regulate it depending on what I'm lifting that day.

Very true. Thanks. If i have strongman aspirations do you think i should be doing cleans on monday?

[arian11]

Very true. Thanks. If i have strongman aspirations do you think i should be doing cleans on monday?

Why cleans? That is a portion of an Olympic lift.

[musclehead09]

Why cleans? That is a portion of an Olympic lift.

In strongman you do clean and presses and you need explosive power. Explosiveness is one of the key factors.

[arian11]

In strongman you do clean and presses and you need explosive power. Explosiveness is one of the key factors.

Don't they do continental cleans with thick bars and weird sh!t like that? I don't know much about strongman but I haven't really seen them do the traditional clean with a nice thin bar and catching in the bottom position like Olympic lifters do.

[musclehead09]

Don't they do continental cleans with thick bars and weird sh!t like that? I don't know much about strongman but I haven't really seen them do the traditional clean with a nice thin bar and catching in the bottom position like Olympic lifters do.

you're right about the thick bars and weird ****. I don't have a thick bar at my gym. But i wouldn't be catching it in the squat position that's just called a Clean. A Power Clean you just catch it and you're not even in the squat position.

[arian11]

Very true. Thanks. If i have strongman aspirations do you think i should be doing cleans on monday?

In strongman you do clean and presses and you need explosive power. Explosiveness is one of the key factors.

you're right about the thick bars and weird ****. I don't have a thick bar at my gym. But i wouldn't be catching it in the squat position that's just called a Clean. A Power Clean you just catch it and you're not even in the squat position.

Lol. You could find a strongman log on here and go in and ask them what they think would be the best exercise(s) to start off with.

[musclehead09]

Lol. You could find a strongman log on here and go in and ask them what they think would be the best exercise(s) to start off with.

good catches lol. I meant power cleans. And for strongman they don't land in the squat even with clean and presses. but good idea thanks.

[musclehead09]

So ready for int day. Lot of accessory work after the big 3. Got shrugs, weighted dips, Kroc rows, grip work, calf raises, and side twists. The last 3 won't be so taxing so it may sound like a lot but once I get past the Kroc rows the other stuff will good to finish with

[musclehead09]

Friday Feb. 15th, 2013

Squat 1x5 230 (4 reps to parallel were of medium difficulty and last rep ass to calves was HARD)

Bench 1x5 175 (Very hard may of stared too heavy suprisingly..former 4RM was 185 so in 2 weeks ill go for 180 and see where I go from there. 4th rep I didn't touch chest which is not like me)

Deadlift 1x5 230 Easy

Assistance:
Barbell Shrugs 135x12, 170x8, 205x4
Weighted Dips BWx12, 20lbx10, 30lbx6
Kroc Row 60x25 (Amazing feeling in Lats)
Calf Raises 3x12 100
Forearm curls 3x20 20lb dumbbell
Side Twists 20x20, 35x12, 45x10

[xRequiem]

Awesome, now eat a metric **** ton and get some rest.

[musclehead09]

Awesome, now eat a metric **** ton and get some rest.

Hell yeah man. Going to Olive Garden with fiancé later gonna eat a **** ton there and a **** ton beforehand.

I know powerlifters don't count calories BUT for health reasons what would be a good limit to put on? 500 above maint?

[jshaw5]

IMO, I think you're going overboard with the accessories. First off, I would keep the accessories on recovery day to a very minimum. The sole purpose of the day is to aid recovery. Do you light squats and bench/press, maybe throw in some curls if you want. More than that and you're jeopardizing your recovery for intensity day. I would also keep the accessories on intensity day to a minimum. Intensity day is supposed to be high intensity, but low volume. Throw in a bunch of accessories and you turn it into a high intensity high volume session. Accessories are ok on volume day, but you're already doing a lot of volume, so you don't want to destroy yourself. If you really want to add in a few accessories, you might be best off throwing in an accessory day on Tuesday. Having said that, I think your best bet is to just focus on the big 4, chinups/pullups, and some ab/core work. Your biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, traps, etc. will get plenty of work and you'll add on some good size just from doing the main lifts. You can do whatever you want, that's just my 2 cents.

Good luck with TM, it's a great program.

[musclehead09]

IMO, I think you're going overboard with the accessories. First off, I would keep the accessories on recovery day to a very minimum. The sole purpose of the day is to aid recovery. Do you light squats and bench/press, maybe throw in some curls if you want. More than that and you're jeopardizing your recovery for intensity day. I would also keep the accessories on intensity day to a minimum. Intensity day is supposed to be high intensity, but low volume. Throw in a bunch of accessories and you turn it into a high intensity high volume session. Accessories are ok on volume day, but you're already doing a lot of volume, so you don't want to destroy yourself. If you really want to add in a few accessories, you might be best off throwing in an accessory day on Tuesday. Having said that, I think your best bet is to just focus on the big 4, chinups/pullups, and some ab/core work. Your biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, traps, etc. will get plenty of work and you'll add on some good size just from doing the main lifts. You can do whatever you want, that's just my 2 cents.

Good luck with TM, it's a great program.

Thanks for the advice man repped! If u see on Wednesday I only did curls ab work and calves. Today I did do quite a bit. But ill take the advice and restructure the assistance

[musclehead09]

Realized I still have Workout - Workout linear progression gains that are still possible. I am of intermediate strength at my current weight but if I get up to 200 lbs I can make it to my goals much faster. So back to Starting Strength it is for now. I will of course keep using this log for my SS workouts as I will still do the Texas Method once linear progression stops at 200 lbs of bodyweight