MyCatIsHighAsFk

You often talk about on your podcasts about the good places to go and visit in America.

I will be on my honeymoon in August. I'll be visiting New York, Miami and Texas. Is Houston still a good place to see? You mentioned how Dallas should now be avoided.

Mark Rippetoe

Houston is just another big city run by socialists. Like Edinburgh without the architecture. Depending on where you fly in, there are lots of nice places to see here. But August is a really shitty time to see them.

wal

You should come to Australia. We have all the Texas stuff and its cheaper and our dogs don't have rabies. If you really want to go to Texas we have one in Queensland.

jeremyw

You should visit Austin, San Antonio and the hill country. In the morning visit the touristy areas like the Alamo, Enchanted Rock, or some other outdoor attraction. In the afternoon find a swimming hole: Barton Springs, Landa Park Pool, Blue hole, there are many choices. In the evening go to a dance hall or other live music venue. Eat barbeque and as much Tex Mex as possible. This is the unique Texas experience. Everything else is part of a state of mind.

Johnsonville

I am 29 6ft 220lbs running 4 day Texas method but I keep hitting walls when my focus deviates away from strength training a bit. When I make sure to eat excessive amounts, sleep well, and don’t get beat to shit at work (block mason) or grappling I make great progress. For periods of more grappling or when work gets busy and I’m laying block 60 hours a week a HLM template seems appropriate. Would it be enough stress if I were to use one of the programs from barbell prescription? Writing this I realize it sounds obvious that it will benefit me, but I am curious what others think. One last thing; I’ve program hopped over the last ten years and have found out I respond best to higher intensity programs.

Current lifts:
Squat 385x5
Dl 415x5
Bench 285x5
Press 160x1, 140x5x5

James Rodgers

How far into the Texas Method did you make it? Did you ever run it out into triples, doubles and singles?

Satch12879

Maybe don’t do the Texas Method? I think you’re seeing the reason Rip says it’s best for unemployed kids.

Johnsonville

“How far into the Texas Method did you make it? Did you ever run it out into triples, doubles and singles?”

I ran it out entirely first, then did 3,2,1 for deadlifts and 5,3,1 squats along with Nick's intermediate upper body routine. Been cycling that for a few rounds and will make progress consistently under the right circumstances.

“Maybe don’t do the Texas Method? I think you’re seeing the reason Rip says it’s best for unemployed kids.”

That’s the point of the question. From what I hear there are a handful of HLM templates in barbell prescription, which is what I’m looking for. Also, I said four day Texas method split, never said I was doing the original program.

Jonathan Sullivan

You are doing way too much to stay in a high-volume TM variant. An HLM approach like those outlined in BBRx or PP could work for you, sure. You aren't an old guy, but it sounds like you are an over-worked under-recovered guy, which is SORTA the same thing. A more forgiving four-day heavy-light split might work for you, too, and you could "Block" it out to better accommodate a heavy physical job and grappling. You have to decide what your emphasis is, and stay focused on recovery. You might want to think about getting a coach, in person or online, who can dispassionately look at what you're doing and map out an appropriate program.