JR's Texas Log

[JRovinsky42]

First to answer the above question, I usually rest 3 minutes or so between sets, I find I rest more when doing my rows, and have rested 5 minutes or so when working on my PR's for the bench press. I keep a stop watch with me so I do not exceed 5 minutes, as I have done so in the past and have actually felt worse.

Workout #24- August 16,2008

Squat
135x1x10
190x2x5

Standing Press
135x8x3

Lower Back Extensions
200-20
220-20
240-20

Ab Mach.
160-8
170-6
180-6

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

Chinups
3x10xBW

30 Min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M


Workout #25- August 18, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
305x1x1

Bench Press
135x1x10
225x1x3
250x5x1


Deadlift
280x1x5
315x1x1
345x1x1

30 Min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M


Workout #26- August 21, 2008

Squat (+5 lbs)
135x1x10
185x1x5
245x5x5

Bench Press (+5 lbs)
135x1x10
205x5x5

Pendlay Row(+5 lbs)
165x5x5

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

30 Min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M

[JRovinsky42]

Workout #27- August 25, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
260x1x5

Bench Press
135x1x10
225x1x3
255x1x1


Deadlift
280x1x5
315x1x1
355x1x1

30 Min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M

[JRovinsky42]

Workout #28- August 28,2008

Squat(+0)
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
250x5x5

Bench Press (+0)
135x1x10
225x1x1
210x5x5


Pendlay Row
170x8x3

Weighted Decline Situps
3x15x45lbs

30 min Elliptical Intervals Lvl 3 115 R.P.M.

Notes: Felt totally fried during squats/bench, had to squeeze workout in at night due to work and a night class.


Workout #29- August 30,2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
200x2x5

Standing Press
135x5x3
145x1x1

Lower Back Extension
240-20
260-20
280-20

Ab Machine
110-20
120-20
130-20

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

Chinups
12x1xBW
6x1xBW

30 Min Ellipitcal Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #30- September 1,2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
260x1x5

Bench Press
135x1x10
225x1x1
245x1x1

Deadlift
290x1x5
320x1x1
365x1x1

Notes: Still feel like crap, the only thing I felt really strong in was deadlifts, hit a new PR, didn't even feel up to doing cardio, and am begining to believe I need a true 10% reset on Squats/Bench/Standing Press. I think my change in work schedule coupled with night classes has really thrown me for a loop, as I was used to working out during the afternoon after some decent sleep. I am going to resett everything except deadlifts, and work my way back up.

[JRovinsky42]

After two days of almost complete rest, in which I slept about 9 hrs a night I finally feel out of my really bad slump. Will hit the gym tomorrow night hard, I think I dodged a bullet by sleeping more and just taking some time to relax.

[JRovinsky42]

After an almost two week break in which I found out I had the flu, I returned to my regular workouts last week. So far have been highly succesful and have not changed much, just dropped some weight and working my way back up.


Workout #31- September 15, 2008

Squat (+5)
135x1x10
185x1x5
240x5x5

Bench Press(+5)
135x1x10
195x5x5

Pendlay Rows(+5)
155x5x5

Weighted Decline Situps
3x15x45lbs

30 Min Ellipitcal Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #32- September 17, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
195x2x5

Standing Press (+5)
135x8x3

Lower Back Extension
200-20
220-20
240-20

Ab Machine
100-15
120-15
140-15

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

Chinups
3x10xBW

30 Min Ellipitcal Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #33- September 19, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
300x1x1

Bench Press
135x1x10
225x1x1
235x5x1

Deadlift
270x1x5
315x1x1
335x1x1

30 Min Ellipitcal Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #34- September 22, 2008

Squat (+5)
135x1x10
185x1x5
245x5x5

Bench Press(+5)
135x1x10
200x5x5

Pendlay Rows(+5)
160x5x5

Weighted Decline Situps
3x15x45lbs

30 Min Ellipitcal Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.

Notes: Felt great today, bench was a breeze, the week and half or so off really has recharged me and I am looking forward to Friday's PR workout.

[Tor]

Hey JR,

I have a few questions for you, hope you don't mind: I can't tell by your notations if your heavy bench days are multiple singles or one set of 5. Also, what's been going on with your bodyweight during your log? It sounds like you were going to try losing weight. Is that correct? Are you actually dieting while doing the TM?

And finally, did you advance through the Starting Strength novice program as outlined by Rip? And if so, what were your final working sets for the core lifts at the end of the program?

Anyways, it looks like you're crushing it on the bench and deadlift, keep up the hard work.

Tor

[JRovinsky42]

Sorry if my writing is confusing I just try to get everything down as short/quick as possible because I am terrible of keeping track of numbers. For my Monday I do some single sets of 5 for warm-ups followed by my final set of 5x5, what I was doing initially was doing too many warm-up sets, which was messing with my recovery on my final 5x5 work set.

Bodyweight is something I needed to address as I have noticed something very strange, over the past two months or so overall all my lifts have been going up, I have noticed some decent size increases in my chest/things/upper back but my bodyweight has decreased. I am now down to 210, my lightest ever. Believe it or not last year I ballooned to 265, for 5'9 is just fat. My diet hasn't been the best due to work/ scheduling conflicts but I try to just watch my daily protein intake of about 200 g, and I am currently using a non-prohormone based test booster Testabolan with Lean Xtreme ( to control cortisol). To be honest with you I get asked if I have lost wake, told I look smaller, but my lifts have all gone up, especially my deadlift numbers, although I am a little stuck on my bench press stats.

Rippetoe: I did his program as written with a little more cardio than he would prob. recommend for about a year and a half( I spent the other half messing around with some program that really was almost a hybrid bodybuilding split with a 5x5 that someone made up for me). In between I tried Starr's 5x5 but I just found it to be to damn boring. During the programI had to reset three times but my final lifts were (from my old log which I can no longer find on bodybuilding.com).

Bench- Start- 135 Finish- 215 (My current 1 rep max is 255)
Squat- Start- 105 Finish- 225 (My current 1 rep max is 305 although some weeks my legs feel fried)
Deadlift- Start 135 Finish- 250 (My current 1 rep max is 365)
Standing Press- Start 65 Finish-115 (My current 3 rep max is 135 kind of stuck at that)

I hope this helps, I must say his program really fixed my problems/set my mind set in the right direction. I can not tell you the last time I attempted to do a barbell curl but I really just want to get stronger, build up decent enough endurance.

Any questions contact me or you can get at me on aim: Reevolutionj2005

[Tor]

Hey JR,

Thanks for the response, I really appreciate it. I just finished my first week of TM and I'm trying to adjust my expectations/stay on the right track, so first hand info like yours is invaluable.

Not sure if your final numbers for SS were your 1 rep maxes, or your max weights for the 3x5, but if they were 1 rep maxes and you are where you say you are now, then you are fucking crushing it, man, seriously. Up 40 lbs in bench, 80 lbs. in squat, 115 lbs. in deadlift? Fucking a, sweet. Did you make those jumps on the Texas Method, and how long did it take?

Still a couple of clarifications: still not sure what's going on with your bench. For example, on Workout #33 you have as your final bench set "235x5x1". Does that mean you unracked the weight, pressed it 5 times and then racked it again? Or that you unracked the weight, pressed it once, racked it, then repeated this 4 more times? Out of curiosity, why do you use a different amount on Bench than on Squat or Deadlift, where it looks like you exclusively do 1 heavy single on your TM Friday?

In regards to the weight loss, that's impressive. I've heard of novices doing what you describe, losing weight while getting stronger, but never of intermediates and not with the kind of success you've been exhibiting. Right on. You mentioned the Testabolan a couple of times, and I'd be curious what you think it's doing for you that red meat wouldn't.

An idea I had: it sounds like you're down to a body weight now where skin-fat calipers might be useful, if fat loss is a priority to you. At 265, they might not have worked so well, but they should give you pretty consistent readings up to, say 20% body fat. I've found them to be amazingly consistent in their readings (within a 1/4 of a % on a day to day basis) and it can really help to let you know if the weight you're losing or gaining is fat/muscle or some combination.

peace,
Tor

[JRovinsky42]

Workout #35- September 24, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
200x2x5

Standing Press
145x1x1

Lower Back Extensions
240-20
260-20
280-20

Ab Mach
120-15
140-15
160-15

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

Chinups
3x11xBW

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #36- September 26, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
260x1x5

Bench Press
135x1x10
225x1x2
240x5x1

Deadlift
275x1x5
320x1x1
340x1x1

30 Min. Ellipitcal Lvl 3 Intervals 110 R.P.M.


Workout #37- September 28, 2008

Squat (+5)
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
250x5x5

Bench Press(+5)
135x1x10
205x5x5

Pendlay Row(+5)
165x5x5

Weighted Decline Situps#5
3x15x45 Lbs

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #38- October 1, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
205x2x5

Standing Press(+5)
135x8x3

Lower Back Extension
200-25
220-25
240-25

Ab Mach.
140-15
160-15
180-15

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

Chinups
3x11xBW

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M


Workout #39- October 4, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
265x1x5

Bench Press
135x1x10
245x5x1

Deadlift
280x1x5
325x1x1
345x1x1

30 min Ellipitcal Lvl. 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #40- October 6, 2008

Squat (+5)
135x1x10
185x1x5
255x5x5

Bench Press (+5)
135x1x10
210x5x5

Pendlay Row(+5)
170x5x5

Weighted Decline Situps #5
3x15xBW

30 min Ellipitcal Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #41- October 8, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
210x2x5

Standing Press(+5)
140x8x3

Lower Back Extension
220-25
240-25
260-25

Ab Mach.
160-10
180-10
200-10

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

Chinups
3x12xBW

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #42- October 10, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
270x1x5

Bench Press
135x1x10
225x1x3
250x5x1

Deadlift
285x1x5
330x1x1
355x1x1

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.

[JRovinsky42]

Workout #42- October 10, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
185x1x5
225x1x5
270x1x5

Bench Press
135x1x10
250x5x1

Deadlift
285x1x5
330x1x1
355x1x1

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #43 October 13, 2008

Squat(+5)
135x1x10
185x1x5
260x5x5

Bench Press (+5)
135x1x10
215x5x5

Pendlay Row
175x5x4

Weighted Dec. Situps #5
3x15x45lbs

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #44 October 15, 2008

Squat
135x1x19
215x2x5

Standing Press
135x5x3
150x1x1

Lower Back Ext.
240-25
260-25
280-25

Ab Mach.
180-10
190-10
200-10

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

Chinups
3x13xBW

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #45 October 17,2008

Squat
135x1x10
225x1x5
275x1x5

Bench Press
135x1x10
225x1x3
255x5x1

Deadlift
290x1x5
335x1x1
365x1x1

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #46 October 20, 2008

Squat(+5)
135x1x10
225x1x5
265x5x5

Bench Press (+5)
135x1x10
220x5x5

Pendlay Row(+5)
160x5x5

Weighted Decline Situps #5
3x15x45lbs

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #47 October 22, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
220x2x5

Standing Press
135x5x5

Lower Back Ext.
260-25
280-25
290-25

Ab Mach.
180-10
190-10
200-10

Ball Crunches
3x30xBW

Chinups
3x10xBW

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.


Workout #48 October 24, 2008

Squat
135x1x10
225x1x5
280x1x3

Bench Press
135x1x5
225x1x3
260x2x1

Deadlift
295x1x5
340x1x1

30 min Elliptical Lvl 3 Intervals 115 R.P.M.