The Texas Method: Part 1 by Justin Lascek

[BeastMode]

That's a badass squat. I'm not an expert but I'm sure others can modify this:

Squat 380x5x5
Bench Press 250x5x5
Press 140x5x5
Row 190x5x5
For deadlifts you may want to do speed deadlifts (dynamic effort) in place of cleans. Try 2 sets of 10 at 55-60% of your deadlift 5RM; 245 may be a good place to start.

The volume day weights above are a bit conservative, it's better that way; leave yourself room to grow into the program. Adjust the volume day depending on how difficult you feel the intensity day lifts are; if difficult add weight, if moderate maintain volume day weights. Goal is to have the volume day drive up your intensity day lifts.

So I definitely need to start light like on madcows?

I was under the impression that starting light was to get the body accustomed to squatting 3x a week, which I am.

[scwot]

Can anyone recommend what numbers I should start?

Squat- 455x5
Bench- 295x5
Row- 235x5
Press- 175x5
Deadlift- 445x5 (max from 4 weeks ago, haven't done them since)
Clean- 205x1 (haven't done cleans for 2 years)



Alright.

There's a thread on TM volume days that Rob Is started. I believe the average 5x5 v 5RM was 83/84% for squat and 85-87% for presses. That might be a good place start.

[Immortal_k]

So I definitely need to start light like on madcows?

I was under the impression that starting light was to get the body accustomed to squatting 3x a week, which I am.

It's just to get the body use to the high volume on Monday, 5x5 for sets across is tough. It's best to stay conservative when starting any new program.

Also, forgot to mention that sets for the DE deadlifts should be 90 sec apart, time them.

[Rob Israel]

The common wisdom is start your Intensity Day at the next weight your 3x5 would have been. So if your last LP day was 405x5x3 (3 sets of 5) then your next ID would be 410x5. Then do the math for volume:

Personally, I would start at about 85%: so it would 0.85x410=350 for 5x5 volume day. If all goes well, you could leave the weight there on volume day for 1-4 weeks and just keeping adding on ID. You don't want to use more volume than you need.

If you can do 455x5 for one set today, then you should start ID at 460 and your volume at 390 (.85x460) for 5x5.

I think Andy Baker would say don't start light-- you are wasting your time by 'resetting.' Keep driving that top set 5RM higher. Once you can't, keep going and either switch to triples or 5 singles across.

Also, there is a lot of debate about whether 5x5 is necessary on the presses. You could try 3x5.

One more note, adjusting to 5x5 might be tough. Prepare to be sore. If I take a break, I can't go right back and do my volume day, I have to do a light day, then a ramping volume (sometimes only 4 sets) then finally my first volume day, but I'm geezling... I've also done light/ramping volume and then an intensity day (with the smallest reset possible not risking failure). After deloads I have to reset a bit, I think everyone does...

[Michael Loucas]

I only looked at the screenshot.

Major drawback is that this file increases both volume and intensity day on a weekly basis, which will not work over a longer period of time.

It is a wiser approach to be more conservative with VD increases, i.e. keeping it constant for a few weeks before increasing it, while trying to bring the ID up.

Probably not the best idea to use a spreadsheet, but if you're hell bent on using one it isn't that hard to modify the formula where it calculates volume day.

Something like the following:

=if((ID-VD)>=65,VD+5,VD)

ID and VD will obviously be the cell names. What that formula will do is check to see if the intensity day is 65 lbs higher than the volume day, if it isn't it will stay the same, if it is it will increase by 5.

You can even put variables in place of the 65 and the 5 referencing to another cell so you can tweak these numbers whenever you want.

[BarbellJunkie]

All that would do is maintain a 65lb gap. Once a 65lb gap is established it will just go back to 5lb increases forever, which is obviously not sustainable. Basically to use TM you should use your brain to program, not a spreadsheet (though it's of course fine to record your training in one.

[Michael Loucas]

All that would do is maintain a 65lb gap. Once a 65lb gap is established it will just go back to 5lb increases forever, which is obviously not sustainable. Basically to use TM you should use your brain to program, not a spreadsheet (though it's of course fine to record your training in one.

Exactly, thats why I said "probably not the best idea to use the spreadsheet". Another option is you can also use %'s for the if statements too. Make it so VD is 85% of ID.

Something like the following:

=if((.15*ID)<=65,VD,VD+5)

That will check if VD is 85% of ID. If it is more than 85%, VD will stay the same. If is less than 85%, VD will increase by 5.

Created one, feel free to use.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...3A3dVVTY3RNVVE