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Thread: On Texas Method and looking for insights

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    Default On Texas Method and looking for insights

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    It's my first post here and I want to thank this community because I have learned much.

    I know there are plenty of threads discussing at length different aspect of the programming but I would appreciate it if I could just do a quick touch base with you guys on what I've been doing and some of my difficulties.

    I have been an athlete most life but mainly a endurance one. Swimmer for many. Years and then running and triathlons. A year ago, I started SS and it went really well. I switched to Texas Method a month ago but my squats is a struggle.

    I'm 39, 6' and I started SS at a body weight of 180. I'm now 218 pounds and here are my lifts:

    Deadlift 1x5: 350
    Squats 5RM: 322.5
    Bench: 5rm 237.5
    OHP: 5rm 170
    PC: 5x3: 180

    I am able to add 5 pounds to my deadlift every week so far and 2.5 to all other lifts. Squats is a struggle and I can't add 5 pounds. I have quickly switched to 2.5 and even this is quite a battle and that last rep has my form almost break.

    I eat well enough with a body weight equivalent in proteins but I have cut back on calories because I got too fat during SS.

    I have many questions at the moment, like am too old for TM, is it ok to cut down the increases and focus on smaller increments (probably fine).

    I would appreciate any insights and advice. My goals this year is to squat 400, deadlift 500, bench 300 and OHP my body weight.

    Thanks for your time!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    7,856

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    Question 1: Can you not add weight to volume day, intensity day, or both?
    Question 2: What is your TM set-up, exactly?
    Question 3: "I eat well enough" is something we hear all the time but is very often not borne out by reality. What does this mean, specifically?

    It is very possible TM is not the program for you at 39, but your post leaves out too many important details to really answer your Q.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    Ok, question 1: It's on intensity days that I struggle to add weight. I switched to 3RM this week so that. I could handle a 2.5 increase to 325.

    Question2: I am following the classic setup:

    VD:
    squat 5x5 90% of 5rm
    Bench or OHP 5x5 90% of 5rm
    Deadlift 1x5

    Recovery:
    Squat 2x5 at 80%
    Bench or OHP 3x5
    Chin ups weighted 3x5

    ID:
    Squats 5rm (did 3rm last time)
    Bench or OHP 5rm
    Power clean 5x3

    Question 3:
    I have 7 shakes of protein a day every 1.5 or 2 hours
    Breakfast with cereals and fruits; banana and blueberries
    A bagel with my second morning shake
    Lunch is a large salad of kale and arugula with vegetables like fennels, and pepper with peach and chicken.
    Dinner is pasta or other things I feel like eating
    Late snack with my last shake: toast, sometimes oatmeal, peanut butter.

    Thanks!

  4. #4
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    Apr 2010
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    Without knowing specific quantities it's difficult to say, but from your description I wonder if you're getting adequate overall calories.

    By your response, do I understand correctly that you're having no trouble adding weight to Monday's VD? 2.5 or 5?

  5. #5
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    Aug 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Wolf View Post
    Without knowing specific quantities it's difficult to say, but from your description I wonder if you're getting adequate overall calories.

    By your response, do I understand correctly that you're having no trouble adding weight to Monday's VD? 2.5 or 5?
    Yeah, no problems adding weight on volume days. Maybe I should start to look at my calories more carefully.

  6. #6
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    Aug 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randver View Post
    Recovery:
    Squat 2x5 at 80%
    You don't specify, but are you doing this as of 80% of Monday's 5x5 weight or 80% of your 5RM? It should be the former

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randver View Post
    Yeah, no problems adding weight on volume days. Maybe I should start to look at my calories more carefully.
    I'd say to look at calories more closely and start increasing the spread between volume and intensity days. 90% is a good place to start, but the % usually has to decrease over to maintain progress without crash and burning on volume.

    Quote Originally Posted by NobodyWillNotice View Post
    You don't specify, but are you doing this as of 80% of Monday's 5x5 weight or 80% of your 5RM? It should be the former
    This too. I assumed it was Monday, but hell, ya never know.

  8. #8
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    Aug 2013
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    Yes, 80% from volume day. That's what I'm doing.

    I'll tweak my diet and estimate how many calories I'm eating and adjust from there. I did my intensity day over the weekend and I just slipped into 3rm. It worked ok. When that fails, I will deload and switch back to 5rm. Everything else is going so well that I'm not going to change much.

    I will increase the differential between volume and intensity and see how that goes. Maybe increase on volume day every two week or something like that.

    Thanks a lot for sharing!

  9. #9
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    Jan 2013
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    You're not training fasted are you? Also, how are the 3 that you do accomplish? Grueling the whole time or is it more just that you run out of gas and have to stop?

  10. #10
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    Mar 2011
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    starting strength coach development program
    OP doesn't seem to have much meat in his diet. Are a bunch of protein shakes an adequate replacement?

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