2 TM Questions Regarding Cycling Intensity and Deadlift Training

[ChadTheMeatBeast]

1. What are people's opinions about cycling the intensity during intensity day? For instance, instead of always doing a 5RM (or always 3RM, etc.), does anyone have any experience cycling the intensity?

2. It looks like the standard for deadlift programming in TM is the same as it was for novice programming. You add weight each week and then reset the weight when you can't achieve a PR for your 5RM for a few weeks. Is that accurate, or is there more subtley to deadlift programming for TM that I am missing?

[hatmanii]

1. What are people's opinions about cycling the intensity during intensity day? For instance, instead of always doing a 5RM (or always 3RM, etc.), does anyone have any experience cycling the intensity?

2. It looks like the standard for deadlift programming in TM is the same as it was for novice programming. You add weight each week and then reset the weight when you can't achieve a PR for your 5RM for a few weeks. Is that accurate, or is there more subtley to deadlift programming for TM that I am missing?

1. I've cycled from 1-3 reps on intensity days with success. You can try to overachieve and best your 1rm from week one by making it a 2rm, and then a 3rm, etc...

2. Some people like to use the squat/PC to help drive up the deadlift (similar with using the bench to drive up the press), but it depends on what works for you. And yes, it is similar to novice, however instead of every other workout (SS), or even every 4th (onus wunsler), you are doing it once per week (wichita falls novice).

-Hat

[MilkEnthusiast]

1. Yes, this is what I did on TM; I don't have experience with any other way.

2. Not sure on this one. My friend is borrowing my copy of Practical Programming right now, so I can't check either.

[zepled37]

1. What are people's opinions about cycling the intensity during intensity day? For instance, instead of always doing a 5RM (or always 3RM, etc.), does anyone have any experience cycling the intensity?

2. It looks like the standard for deadlift programming in TM is the same as it was for novice programming. You add weight each week and then reset the weight when you can't achieve a PR for your 5RM for a few weeks. Is that accurate, or is there more subtley to deadlift programming for TM that I am missing?

I did just 5RM for a while on intensity day and then switched to just 3RM. Not sure if it would have made a difference to me or not. Mentally, it is probably easier to switch it up. I almost like the idea of starting with a 1RM, then 2RM, then 3RM with the same weight then increment the weight slightly and repeat this wave of 1RM, 2RM, 3RM. Might be kind of slow progression though.

For me, the squat volume really seemed to help my deadlift quite a bit for a while when I was on TM. I think the cleans help me also just as the deadlift helps my cleans.

I wish there was something similar for the squat that could be done because the alternating exercises really seems to help me. (alternate press/bench press, alternate cleans/deadlift, but nothing to alternate squats with). I guess for squats it would have to be a squat variation like front squats, pause squats, but doesn't seem quite the same as alternating the other exercises.

[Alex Bond]

Lots of people alternate one week deadlift, one week something else (power clean?) on TM. For reps on intensity day. I am planning on doing 5RMs until I stall, then keep on going with 3RMs, then when those stall, resetting and starting 5RMs again, hopefully about where I stopped 5RMs at the first stall. Do whatever works for you - TM is a chance to play around and find what agrees with your body and what helps you progress.

[stronger]

I've done 5RM squats every week for 6 months, no reason to switch yet.
I do speed bench and speed press on intensity days, I found these help my volume day progress much better.

[zepled37]

I've done 5RM squats every week for 6 months, no reason to switch yet.
I do speed bench and speed press on intensity days, I found these help my volume day progress much better.

6 months on TM? What are your lifts up to?

[stronger]

6 months on TM? What are your lifts up to?

squatted 405x5, pulled 405x4, benched 215x4x6, pressed 137x4x6 and ive powercleaned about 215, although I need work on this. As you can see, I dont have wonderful pressing strength. My squat shows no sign of slowing down, my pressing movements have been much more enjoyable with DE work on intensity day and a different set/rep scheme, and I'm going to start haltings and rack pulls on mondays, when I usually deadlift. Much less stress that way.

I'm 5'9, 205lbs, 22-24% bf. 20 years old.

I might have still been a novice when I started TM. I was coming off of a few months of Madcow 5x5, and I never did Starting Strength. Oh well, I'm happy with my progress.