Write-Up on The Texas Method

[bango skank]

An Explosive TM Template?

Monday [High Volume/High Intensity]
Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Power Cleans 5x3

Assistance Exercises:
Dips 3x8
Pullovers 2x20

Wednesday [Low Volume/Low Intensity]
Front Squat 3x3
Standing Press 3x5
Pendlay Row 3x5

Assistance Exercises:
Good Mornings 3x10
Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups 3x8

Friday [Dynamic Effort]
Squat 10x2, 1 minute rests
Deadlifts 15x1, 30 second rests
Bench Press 10x3, 1 minute rests
Clean High Pulls 5x3, 1 minute rests

[Andalite]

An Explosive TM Template?

Monday [High Volume/High Intensity]
Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Deadlift 5x5

Assistance Exercises:
DB Incline Press 3x12
Dips 3x8

Wednesday [Low Volume/Low Intensity]
Front Squat 3x3
Standing Press 5x5
Pendlay Row 5x5

Assistance Exercises:
Good Mornings 3x10
Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups 3x8

Friday [Dynamic Effort]
Squat 10x2, 1 minute rests
Bench Press 10x3, 1 minute rests
Power Cleans 10x2, 45 second rests

Assistance Exercises:
Push Press 3x3
Clean High Pulls 3x3

i would NEVER use compounds for assistance exercises. u have no idea how difficult this program is.

plus: for DE work, its 10x2 for squats and 8x3 for bench

[ReformingBB]

Out of curiousity, what are your rest times like on your 5X5 work? Also, what are the poundages you're using for your 5X5 work, and what's your current 3RM?

Up 2-3 pounds each session (switch between a brand of plates in Kilo intervals and pounds).

Last successful 5x5 was 183, which was tough but I didn't see 185 being a problem

Latest 3rm which is a tie for one I had a view months ago on an Intermediate 5x5 was 215, which went up relatively easily. I then did 2 sets bench with a pause on the chest after that attempt at 195X3. Wrist pain may have been from wrist curls the week before.

Thoughts?

[ReformingBB]

what are your troubles with the leg drive? Are your feet coming off the floor or something?

Nope, just mental fatigue or something where I am having a hard time keeping my whole body tense. I'm new to the leg drive thing, pulling the bar apart, and holding a big breath, so it's a conscious effort for me to do those.

[ReformingBB]

i would NEVER use compounds for assistance exercises. u have no idea how difficult this program is.

Word. 5x5 across on squats are super grueling. I definitely wouldn't be able to do a 5x5 on deads after them.

[Andalite]

Word. 5x5 across on squats are super grueling. I definitely wouldn't be able to do a 5x5 on deads after them.

exactly....and once u start hitting really heavy weights then u are practically ****ed if u try to do compounds after that. damn..i would never do that.

i would keep the exercise selection for assistance exercises simple:

monday - ab work
wednesday - rev hyper + pull throughs
friday - arms + ab work

simple and easy

Andalite

[bango skank]

i would NEVER use compounds for assistance exercises. u have no idea how difficult this program is.

plus: for DE work, its 10x2 for squats and 8x3 for bench

assistance exercises usually are compounds, whereas accessory work is usually not. right? Are you talking about the push press and the clean high pulls? I didn't know where else to put them in and I thought since I'm going lighter on Power Cleans that the low volume push press and chp would be acceptable.

my squats are 10x2... but where did you get 8x3 from for bench? Reread the second to last paragraph on pg. 188, PP.

[bango skank]

Word. 5x5 across on squats are super grueling. I definitely wouldn't be able to do a 5x5 on deads after them.

good point. changed.

[bango skank]

exactly....and once u start hitting really heavy weights then u are practically ****ed if u try to do compounds after that. damn..i would never do that.

i would keep the exercise selection for assistance exercises simple:

monday - ab work
wednesday - rev hyper + pull throughs
friday - arms + ab work

simple and easy

Andalite

true... but I don't need assistance in any of those areas... and I do GMs instead of hypers. I changed Incline Press to Pullovers.

[bango skank]

Word. 5x5 across on squats are super grueling. I definitely wouldn't be able to do a 5x5 on deads after them.

What about making the 5x5 deads ramped up to a top set?

[Andalite]

What about making the 5x5 deads ramped up to a top set?

then its not the texas method

[VikingMan]

exactly....and once u start hitting really heavy weights then u are practically ****ed if u try to do compounds after that. damn..i would never do that

Hmmm. I would, and do. Here's my stuff. Built it before you posted this thread Andalite, and it's been working fabulously.

Monday Work (Workload based)

Hack Squats (because my back is still tweaky doing regular deads and squats)
3X5 (heavy)

Flat Bench
3X5 (heavy, last set taken till just before failure, so typically 6-8 reps)

Pendlay Rows
5X5 (had to up the volume on workload Pendlay rows. The absence of deads has had a very real impact on my rowing strength)

Floor Press
Varies 4ish sets, ramped, usually to a top set of 3ish reps, then an additional heavy single

Direct Arm Work
3-4 sets extensions & curls

Shoulder Prehab


Wednesday Work (Military & PC day)

Hack Squats
2X8 (light)

Seated Military
work up to a 5-8RM
then do either 3X5 heavy, or a heavy single

Back Circuit/Conditioning Work (all super setted, 3-4 sets)
TBar Rows
Weighted Hypers
Barbell Shrugs

Lateral Raises


Friday Work (Intensity based)

Hack Squats
5RM

Flat Bench
3-8RM (but always heavier than my 3X5 work on Monday)

Pendlay Rows
5-7RM (but always heavier than my 5X5 work on Monday)

2 Board Press
Varies(similar to floor presses) 3ish sets, ramped, usually to a top set of 3ish reps, then an additional heavy single)

Direct Arm Work
3-4 sets extensions & curls

Shoulder Prehab

So, I'm basically using 3X5 instead of 5X5, and then the special assistance movements on the bench. It worked extremely well in an upper lower setup last summer, and it's working quite well now in a full body arrangement.

The addition of other compound movements as assistance, especially for the bench, is one of the main components that has increased my strength on the bench. It's those balls to the wall grinding reps on the floor and board presses that do SO MUCH for my bench press. When I get under a heavy full bench, and the last rep feels like it's going to pin me, it's the mid point and lockout strength I get from the floors and boards that help me grind it out.

[Andalite]

^^^ but dont u think the 3x5 is lesser than 5x5? i dunno, i am speaking from personal experience and im on week 15 of my program and my squats have gone from 185 to 245 for 5x5 on mondays and now my monday wokrout are LONG like almost over 90 minutes and its very tiring and i cannot imagine doing more compound work after my workout. even doing the regular ab work is a struggle lol (within my head).

its pretty good sir that u had the plan laid out and stuff im not denying that. im just saying that ur level of experience is very different from mine. im a kid. i cant knock out that much work and progress. but, i may try this out next spring when i do this.

[GoJu]

^^^ but dont u think the 3x5 is lesser than 5x5? i dunno, i am speaking from personal experience and im on week 15 of my program and my squats have gone from 185 to 245 for 5x5 on mondays and now my monday wokrout are LONG like almost over 90 minutes and its very tiring and i cannot imagine doing more compound work after my workout. even doing the regular ab work is a struggle lol (within my head).

its pretty good sir that u had the plan laid out and stuff im not denying that. im just saying that ur level of experience is very different from mine. im a kid. i cant knock out that much work and progress. but, i may try this out next spring when i do this.

you may just have bad conditioning, have you actually ever tried more compounds after your workout? you said even your ab work is a struggle IN YOUR HEAD, besides if the compounds are used as ASSISTANCE for the texas method work then the weights would probably be medium heavy at best, nothing someone who works up to it couldn't handle.

I agree with V-man's proposition as well, as usual.

[bango skank]

then its not the texas method

Lemme rephrase the question.

*ahem*

On Monday's could I do 1x5 Deadlifts and warmup with 4 sets of five?

Are you saying that since 5x5 across is too much volume for deadlifts and anything besides 5x5 across on Monday isn't TM, that I just should not do deadlifts on mondays? I believe that's thinking too much inside the very large box.

Lest you forget, The Texas Method is a method where Monday is the stress workout, wednesday is the recovery workout, and friday is the PR workout. Would ramping 5x5 deadlifts cease to make Monday stressful enough to spur progress on Friday's workout? Personally, I don't think so... but this is why I ask.

[ReformingBB]

VikingMan,

I think this got buried in the heat of other conversations (in response to your questions for me)

Up 2-3 pounds each session (switch between a brand of plates in Kilo intervals and pounds).

Last successful 5x5 was 183, which was tough but I didn't see 185 being a problem

Latest 3rm which is a tie for one I had a view months ago on an Intermediate 5x5 was 215, which went up relatively easily. I then did 2 sets bench with a pause on the chest after that attempt at 195X3. Wrist pain may have been from wrist curls the week before.

Thoughts?

[GoJu]

figured I'd place this here, I was wondering if I could get some feedback on this routine I made up based on the texas method, I got some good reviews from a few FI guys I asked:

day 1 (volume day)

parallel box squat - 5 x 5
bench press - 5 x 5
power clean - 6 x 3

assistance:

GM's - 3 x 5-10
abs - 4 x 10-15

day 2 (lower volume)

ATG back squat (paused) - 3 x 3
push press - 3 x 3
snatch grip high pull - 3 x 3

assistance:

bulgarian squats - 3 x 6-10
chinups - 5 x 5
abs - 4 x 10-15

day 3 (PR day)

parallel box squat - work up to a 5RM
bench press - work up to a 3RM
power clean - work up to a 1RM

assistance:

dips - 3 x 5
biceps - 3 x 6-8
triceps - 3 x 6-8

anybody, I like 3's as far as reps go for cleans hence the 6 x 3 on the volume day, when testing limits on cleans I like singles and I prefer triples for heavy pressing than 5's, I also needed more work on the snatch hence the snatch high pulls, anybody? I'm basically wanting most to up my squat and P-clean with a routine like this.

[Andalite]

you may just have bad conditioning, have you actually ever tried more compounds after your workout? you said even your ab work is a struggle IN YOUR HEAD, besides if the compounds are used as ASSISTANCE for the texas method work then the weights would probably be medium heavy at best, nothing someone who works up to it couldn't handle.

I agree with V-man's proposition as well, as usual.

i dunno. ur right: i might be able to pull it off.

let me put it this way: as long as it doesnt hamper my progress it doesnt bug me at all. but to put a definite setxrep scheme to it is something i wouldnt do. instead, i would just list out the assistance exercises and use the triple progression rule on them.

ll repeat myself: as long as the assistance exercise doesnt hamper my progress, its all cool. the second it does, im doing away with them.

Lemme rephrase the question.

*ahem*

On Monday's could I do 1x5 Deadlifts and warmup with 4 sets of five?

Are you saying that since 5x5 across is too much volume for deadlifts and anything besides 5x5 across on Monday isn't TM, that I just should not do deadlifts on mondays? I believe that's thinking too much inside the very large box.

Lest you forget, The Texas Method is a method where Monday is the stress workout, wednesday is the recovery workout, and friday is the PR workout. Would ramping 5x5 deadlifts cease to make Monday stressful enough to spur progress on Friday's workout? Personally, I don't think so... but this is why I ask.

hey Bango, try it out. see if u like it. a lot of things look ok on paper but dont function in the gym. try out ur plan and see if u like it.

i was thinking at one point removing rows and doing 10x2 DE deads on monday and a 1x5 deadlift PR attempt on friday with 3x5 rows on wednesday....just letting u know...

day 1 (volume day)

parallel box squat - 5 x 5
bench press - 5 x 5
power clean - 6 x 3

assistance:

GM's - 3 x 5-10
abs - 4 x 10-15

day 2 (lower volume)

ATG back squat (paused) - 3 x 3
push press - 3 x 3
snatch grip high pull - 3 x 3

assistance:

bulgarian squats - 3 x 6-10
chinups - 5 x 5
abs - 4 x 10-15

day 3 (PR day)

parallel box squat - work up to a 5RM
bench press - work up to a 3RM
power clean - work up to a 1RM

assistance:

dips - 3 x 5
biceps - 3 x 6-8
triceps - 3 x 6-8

this looks prety good IMO...best of luck with it.

[VikingMan]

^^^ but dont u think the 3x5 is lesser than 5x5?

Lesser in what sense? Obviously, there's less work being performed (which I'm supplimenting with the special assistance movements). But, the work that IS being performed is at a higher intensity. The weight that you could get, at a max with 3X5 is going to be higher than the weight you can get with 5X5. Now, I'm definately NOT saying 3X5 is better than 5X5. Simply that it works quite well, and has for me.

[VikingMan]

Up 2-3 pounds each session (switch between a brand of plates in Kilo intervals and pounds).

Last successful 5x5 was 183, which was tough but I didn't see 185 being a problem

Latest 3rm which is a tie for one I had a view months ago on an Intermediate 5x5 was 215, which went up relatively easily. I then did 2 sets bench with a pause on the chest after that attempt at 195X3. Wrist pain may have been from wrist curls the week before.

Thoughts?

What are you rest times between sets for your 5X5 work?

One thought, when you stall with a given protocol, is to use the same underlying ideas of that protocol, but change it up a bit. So. We're using 5X5 here, and you stall on it. Well, don't just keep banging your head against it. Maybe switch it to 3X5. Then, when that breaks, switch that to 3X3. Then, when that breaks yet again, go BACK to 5X5. All the while, using anything from a 3RM to a 6-7 RM for your intensity day, as long as the weight is more than what you're using for your workload work. THAT, I think, is a sequence of set/rep schemes that follows this methodology quite well, that WILL result in good gains.

A word on time frames involved. I would prefer to never be too far away from the higher amounts of volume. So I'd go as long as I could with the 5X5 work, then use the 3X5 work for 2-3 weeks, then the 3X3 work for 1-2 weeks, and then back to the 5X5 work. Basically, changing the parameters of your workload work makes it a small peaking cycle.

[Andalite]

Lesser in what sense? Obviously, there's less work being performed (which I'm supplimenting with the special assistance movements). But, the work that IS being performed is at a higher intensity. The weight that you could get, at a max with 3X5 is going to be higher than the weight you can get with 5X5. Now, I'm definately NOT saying 3X5 is better than 5X5. Simply that it works quite well, and has for me.

i meant less difficult. sorry. like i said: i got no probs doing extra compounds provided my progress on the key movements is not compromised.

[mjw8204]

An Explosive TM Template?

Monday [High Volume/High Intensity]
Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Power Cleans 5x3

Assistance Exercises:
Dips 3x8
Pullovers 2x20

Wednesday [Low Volume/Low Intensity]
Front Squat 3x3
Standing Press 5x5
Pendlay Row 5x3

Assistance Exercises:
Good Mornings 3x10
Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups 3x8

Friday [Dynamic Effort]
Squat 10x2, 1 minute rests
Deadlifts 15x1, 30 second rests
Bench Press 10x3, 1 minute rests
Clean High Pulls 5x3, 1 minute rests

That's a lot more work than I'd be able to handle in the time frame, but if you think you can handle it, more power to you. I'd drop a couple sets from press on Wednesday, and I wouldn't use good mornings in the way you are using them here. I'd also probably drop some sets off of deadlifts. Even if it's "speed work", the combined amount of work you're doing on Friday could make Monday's tougher for you.

[ReformingBB]

What are you rest times between sets for your 5X5 work?

One thought, when you stall with a given protocol, is to use the same underlying ideas of that protocol, but change it up a bit. So. We're using 5X5 here, and you stall on it. Well, don't just keep banging your head against it. Maybe switch it to 3X5. Then, when that breaks, switch that to 3X3. Then, when that breaks yet again, go BACK to 5X5. All the while, using anything from a 3RM to a 6-7 RM for your intensity day, as long as the weight is more than what you're using for your workload work. THAT, I think, is a sequence of set/rep schemes that follows this methodology quite well, that WILL result in good gains.

A word on time frames involved. I would prefer to never be too far away from the higher amounts of volume. So I'd go as long as I could with the 5X5 work, then use the 3X5 work for 2-3 weeks, then the 3X3 work for 1-2 weeks, and then back to the 5X5 work. Basically, changing the parameters of your workload work makes it a small peaking cycle.

Great post. I probably rest 2 minutes between sets.

I took a deload last week when I only got 4 on the 4th rep for a second time in a row because I didn't think to change the set/rep parameter.

I fly back to the US Sunday, so I guess I'll go for the 5x5 one last time as I might need a few days of R&R when I get back. That would be a perfect time to start a 3x5?

[bango skank]

That's a lot more work than I'd be able to handle in the time frame, but if you think you can handle it, more power to you. I'd drop a couple sets from press on Wednesday, and I wouldn't use good mornings in the way you are using them here. I'd also probably drop some sets off of deadlifts. Even if it's "speed work", the combined amount of work you're doing on Friday could make Monday's tougher for you.

I lowered my volume on Wednesday a bit more. I've always had a problem with "eating with my eyes," lol.
How should I be using Good Mornings here? I plan to go very light on the weight for them.
I'm gonna play around with my fridays... if the work is too much I'll end up just dropping the clean high pulls and leaving the deads as-is. probably.

[vicjg]

Has anyone added a fourth day to their program?

If so, can someone post an example of what the week looks like w/ four days?

[Dave76]

Has anyone added a fourth day to their program?

If so, can someone post an example of what the week looks like w/ four days?

Take a look at my journal. I'm on a 4 day program written by Rippetoe. There's a definite TM flavor to what I'm doing.

Edit:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...1&postcount=56

[mattforu]

Dave,
I looked at your 4-day. I can kind of see the similarities to TM except are thrus and fri both low volume days, or is there no true low volume day on this plan?

[mattforu]

Not for nothing but as a noob every time I feel like i am learning something someone posts something completley new. what the hell is a bulgarian squat?

[mjw8204]

How should I be using Good Mornings here? I plan to go very light on the weight for them.

I just don't like the idea of using good mornings for "light" assistance work. A lot of people seem to think that they are interchangeable with weighted hypers which is not true, IMO. A light good morning is just that - light. Sure, they may be low impact, but if you do them too light without enough volume, they probably aren't going to do much good. If you do them heavier, they could affect performance on other lower body work for that week. A "heavy" weighted hyper or pull through are still fairly low impact but would most likely have a better effect on your targeted muscle groups.

That's just my two cents.

[jp6v]

Not for nothing but as a noob every time I feel like i am learning something someone posts something completley new. what the hell is a bulgarian squat?

Let me introduce you to a little known website that I stumbled across once: http://www.google.com

For instance: http://www.google.com/search?q=bulgarian+squat