Thoughts on Maintenance

[rkrauss]

Hey all,

I am currently finishing a round of Texas Method and I really need to get cardio back into my life. I love committing to strength programs but I work as a firefighter and cardiovascular endurance is just too important to my well being.

That said, I would like to maintain the numbers I am putting up. Reading about maintenance the general consensus is to simply reduce volume. I am looking for some input on staying with texas or switching to a different program.

My current thought is:

Monday
Drop squats to a 2x5 instead of 5x5
Drop Bench/OHP to a 2x5 as well

Wednesday
Reduce squat to 1x5
Reduce Bench/OHP to a 2x5 or even a 1x5
Keep pull ups the same

Friday
Keep the squat 1x5 or just reduce a few reps
Keep bench/OHP at a 1-3 rep max
1x5 Deadlift (moved from monday)

I'm 5'9" 183 pounds if it matters.

Current lifts:
Squat 5x5 @ 335
Bench 5x5 @ 225
OHP 5x5 @ 155
Deadlift 1x5 @ 385


Any advice, tips, or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Eric Larousse]

Use the max effort method so you can maintain and possibly progress while allowing cardio

Monday
Squat or variation to a 1rm plus 2 backoffs at 90% plus an 80% set

Wed
Press or variant same deal
Dips
Chins

Friday
Deadlift max effort same ordeal except I'd jut limit this to 2 back off sets one at 90 one at 80


Next Monday
Bench
Dips
Chins

And so forth

Condition on days you train or even days you don't. what this program does isn't allow you to work up to what you can do that day.

If you shift into a maintenance program not built with any progression you will over time get weaker which is not good for job performance or life.

[A Schenck]

Sooo.... dropping volume from your strength training won't improve your cardiovascular endurance. Do you have a plan for how much and what type of conditioning work you will start to add in?

[Mugaaz]

I don't understand why you'd approach this as maintenance. I would still program for and expect to make strength improvements. Cardio is not going to destroy you unless your definition of cardio is running marathons.

[Aws123]

Might want to look into a HLM setup since its a bit easier to recover from. Ive been running one myself for months with great progress and still get in two conditioning sessions a week.

[quikky]

Keep training productively. If you plan to get weaker, you will.

I would decrease intensity, and increase volume and plan to get stronger. TM is low volume anyways, lowering the volume further will decrease your work capacity and will hurt your training long term.

Add your endurance training gradually in your off days. It won't affect your strength training unless you train it super hard.

[jonfla]

Hey all,

I am currently finishing a round of Texas Method and I really need to get cardio back into my life. I love committing to strength programs but I work as a firefighter and cardiovascular endurance is just too important to my well being.

That said, I would like to maintain the numbers I am putting up. Reading about maintenance the general consensus is to simply reduce volume. I am looking for some input on staying with texas or switching to a different program.

My current thought is:

Monday
Drop squats to a 2x5 instead of 5x5
Drop Bench/OHP to a 2x5 as well

Wednesday
Reduce squat to 1x5
Reduce Bench/OHP to a 2x5 or even a 1x5
Keep pull ups the same

Friday
Keep the squat 1x5 or just reduce a few reps
Keep bench/OHP at a 1-3 rep max
1x5 Deadlift (moved from monday)

I'm 5'9" 183 pounds if it matters.

Current lifts:
Squat 5x5 @ 335
Bench 5x5 @ 225
OHP 5x5 @ 155
Deadlift 1x5 @ 385


Any advice, tips, or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Do you have a particular cardio goal in mind? Are you actively *uninterested* in pushing your strength any further, or are you just concerned that the two won’t play nice together?

I’m an intermediate with two days per week of cardio making consistent strength and cardio improvements. It’s very possible to train the two together, you just have to be smart about it. At your level of training advancement, there’s no reason to think that you can’t do both.

[Satch12879]

Where was it said that intermediates and beyond couldn't and shouldn't do conditioning?

Definitely not around here or in the books or by the coaches.