Programming around a regularly scheduled sport

[rickynu]

So, I am 50 years old, got the bug to play hockey about 7-8 years ago (I skated some when I was younger, never really play organized as a kid, just pickup games).
When I started, I picked up on the skating just fine, but conditioning-wise I felt I lacked. I tried many things, HIIT (perhaps most like 1 minute shifts in a game), endurance training (running, etc, get my wind up?), etc. Truth is, after each game, I felt I was sore, my back hurt, and I had knee and back pain.

About 6 months ago, I started a simple 5x5 linear program using squats, bench and deadlifts. I would do this 5x5 about 2 times a week (around my games, so that I wasn’t so sore as to impede my ability to play). I know, I suspect the “per-workout” volume may be too much for a guy my age, but so far it has been working. I started at about 180lbs on all 3 exercises, and am up to 240 on the squat and deadlift, and 220 on the bench (after a minor pec pull), say about twice a week (around my Monday night hockey games). I am starting to feel that the volume is a little too much, and am having a hard time recovering.

Is it time that I move to a Texas Method program (cutting back on volume, increasing weight at a faster pace?). If so, how can I work around the “performance event” such that I can train, and function during a game (say Monday nights)? I think that from a strength perspective, I am leaving something on the table in going so slow with my progress (the frequency of weight increases).
BTW – since I started doing the linear programming fairly regularly, my back pain and knee pain has vanished, and am finding that with my increased dead-lifting capacity, my ability to absorb hits (and make people bounce off of me), has increased. I am 5’10”, and gained 10 lbs to 205 lbs, but feel more solid and stable (no shit).

So, the ultimate question is, how can I maneuver the program around a weekly performance event (Monday nights)? I would like to have a short-term goal of 300lbs 1RM on each of the bench and squat, and 400 lbs on the dead (I suspect these are totally attainable).

[Brent Carter]

I think you should do a reset and run the Starting Strength Linear Progression:

[rickynu]

I think you should do a reset and run the Starting Strength Linear Progression:

Giddy up! Sounds like I was doing strong lifts and didn’t even know it! Ok will shift gears to SS, and see how it goes, will keep you posted and many thanks for feedback (time to reread my SS book!), looking forward to more gains!