Sean's TM Log

[scarbo]

Here's your problem: By moving deads off volume day, you interfere with your recovery for intensity day (and the following volume day as well).

If I were your coach, we'd back up your volume day weights on squat and pressing movements until you could sustain a decent session, and go up from there. If you are finding deads too hard to do on volume day, it's because you either need to harden up, or you chose too heavy a weight for your squats. This can be seen in your first intensity day failure, which was too much weight for your first week. Should have been 325-330, to allow you a couple of weeks to adapt to the added volume.

I've been doing TM for some time (~6 months), this volume is nothing new. I've been ramping up ID for a few weeks, I've hit 330, 340, 345, and then 355 (all for 5). What would you define as a decent session?

360x4 was totally a mental failure, I'm physically capable of it right now (well not right this moment, but when ID comes). I was thinking too much, didn't get my back and abs tight enough, and waiting too long to even try 5. I'm pretty mad about it.

So you don't think deadlift is a good fit on ID? It seems to me that if you're using a weight that doesn't affect deadlifts 45 minutes later, it won't really affect you enough to drive your ID weight up. I suppose it's a very debatable point.

[Steve Hill]

I've been doing TM for some time (~6 months), this volume is nothing new. I've been ramping up ID for a few weeks, I've hit 330, 340, 345, and then 355 (all for 5). What would you define as a decent session?

360x4 was totally a mental failure, I'm physically capable of it right now (well not right this moment, but when ID comes). I was thinking too much, didn't get my back and abs tight enough, and waiting too long to even try 5. I'm pretty mad about it.

So you don't think deadlift is a good fit on ID? It seems to me that if you're using a weight that doesn't affect deadlifts 45 minutes later, it won't really affect you enough to drive your ID weight up. I suppose it's a very debatable point.

A "decent session" would be a volume session in which you did all the lifts you were supposed to do on the day: squat 5x5, press 5x5 and DL 5x1. DL is a better fit for volume day because of the large amount of systemic stress the lift places on your body - it's why we do something really easy for back on recovery day like hyperextensions or light RDLs. Cleans or snatches fit the better definition of an intensity lift because of the amount of power involved (which ends up being much higher than the DL), but at a lighter load, which allows for recovery for the following volume day while still providing stimulus for adaption.

You're 23 (which is about half my age) and doing less work on Mondays than I do, and that's leaving aside that you're not doing DLs, after 6 months of trying the TM. There's something wrong with your programming. You stated you thought that only six days from your previous intensity day might have helped with your failure on your 2nd intensity day. I'm saying you need to look at your whole program. Mark has discussed the disadvantages of DL'ing on any day other than Monday in his forum as well.

[scarbo]

A "decent session" would be a volume session in which you did all the lifts you were supposed to do on the day: squat 5x5, press 5x5 and DL 5x1. DL is a better fit for volume day because of the large amount of systemic stress the lift places on your body - it's why we do something really easy for back on recovery day like hyperextensions or light RDLs. Cleans or snatches fit the better definition of an intensity lift because of the amount of power involved (which ends up being much higher than the DL), but at a lighter load, which allows for recovery for the following volume day while still providing stimulus for adaption.

I've been reading Justin's Texas Method book as well, and the argument against DLs on volume day is "Once the squat transitions to the TM, the deadlift should be done on Intensity Day. Trying to deadlift something significant after squatting on Volume Day won’t be effective; the posterior chain will be destroyed after 25 significant squat reps. Instead, deadlift at the end of the Intensity Day (after squat and press/bench). The significantly lower volume won’t blunt the posterior chain, and deadlifting heavy will be a nice cap to a solid training week." I do get your argument for it being on volume day, but Justin makes a good point as well. My problem with deadlifts on VD in the past was sporadic performance, some weeks I still felt fine and could pull a PR easily, other weeks, bar would barely get off the floor, again, not feeling totally beat from squats. Maybe this was a failure in recovery, but it was very frustrating.

You're 23 (which is about half my age) and doing less work on Mondays than I do, and that's leaving aside that you're not doing DLs, after 6 months of trying the TM. There's something wrong with your programming. You stated you thought that only six days from your previous intensity day might have helped with your failure on your 2nd intensity day. I'm saying you need to look at your whole program. Mark has discussed the disadvantages of DL'ing on any day other than Monday in his forum as well.

The VD two days after ID, and six days to the next ID won't happen again, it was just a result of not knowing the gym was closing absurdly early that day. My failures before were: 1) increasing VD weight once I got the 5x5, regardless of how ID went; 2) not logically progressing ID, switching between 5s, 3s, and 2s for the sake of it, which lead into 3) I didn't know whether VD was an effective dose or not because ID was somewhat random, and the whole programming fell apart. I think I understand TM much much better, and I see VD as slowly a means to drive ID (would you say that's right?). Also, I'm not ready for dynamic effort training yet, my problem is that I simply need to get stronger, not that I'm 'too slow'.

[Steve Hill]

The thing is, Volume day isn't significant - it's 90%, or slightly less.

And cleans aren't about being "too slow," they are about building power that is usable to assist the DL. Do what you like, but I think that you're just setting yourself up for problems. I coach a lot of athletes, and this seems to be a recurring theme - they get attached to an idea, and ride it into failure. TM isn't new. Justin's take on it is a bit odd, considering many, many people have been successful with it doing the DL on volume day. The argument that it won't blunt the posterior chain is silly (to me) - it is, systemically, the hardest lift we do. Putting it 2 days before a volume day is a recipe for problems, IMO.

Good luck with your lifting!

[scarbo]

The thing is, Volume day isn't significant - it's 90%, or slightly less.

You are talking intensity I assume? And yes, VD is probably 80-85% 1RM for me.

And cleans aren't about being "too slow," they are about building power that is usable to assist the DL. Do what you like, but I think that you're just setting yourself up for problems. I coach a lot of athletes, and this seems to be a recurring theme - they get attached to an idea, and ride it into failure. TM isn't new. Justin's take on it is a bit odd, considering many, many people have been successful with it doing the DL on volume day. The argument that it won't blunt the posterior chain is silly (to me) - it is, systemically, the hardest lift we do. Putting it 2 days before a volume day is a recipe for problems, IMO.

Good luck with your lifting!

I do appreciate the feedback, I'm not trying to be stubborn (and I apologize if it comes out that way). I ran DLs on VD for some time, and it did not work well after I started progressing the weights. I felt like I was in the situation you described though, getting attached to it and riding it to failure. It's hard for me to see how deadlifts on ID are completely wrong. I have 3 days of recovery until VD squats. I assume Justin has had many people successful on this format as well. Maybe I'm being naive, but DLs on VD or ID both seem to be valid solutions to the problem of where DLs should be (though neither is optimal).

[scarbo]

Week 3: Recovery

09/01/11

BW: 219.5 (+0.5)


Squats
Warmup
265x5x2


Bench
Warmup
185x5x2


Curls
60x10x3

[scarbo]

Week 3: Intensity

09/03/11

BW: 218.5 (+2.3)


Squats
Warmup
360x5


Press
Warmup
167.2x5


Deads (in kgs) (with mixed grip, barefoot)
Warmup
185x3


Dips
BWx5
BW+40x5x3



Solid session, hit everything I wanted.

[scarbo]

Squats
360x5 was good, hard as hell, but good. I'll just add 2.5lb/week to ID. VD should be a solid dose at 320 for now.

Press
167.2x5 wasn't too hard. I most likely could have hit 170x5 today, so I'll stick with 147.2 on VD, and just progress ID.

[scarbo]

Week 4: Volume

09/06/11

BW: 220.3 (+3, maybe less carbs?)

Squats (6-7 minute rest)
Warmup
320x5x5

Medium-hard.


Bench(4-5 minute rest)
Warmup
230x5x5

Medium.

RDLs (in kgs)
Warmup
100x5x3


Chinups
BWx5 (warmup)
BW+30x5
BW+30x4
BWx5

Struggled with them this week, maybe should drop the weight to +25, or +20.


andddd time to recover.

[scarbo]

Week 4: Recovery

09/08/11

BW: 221? scale was drifting hard


Squats
Warmup
255x5x2


Press
Warmup
135x5x2


Curls
65x10x3