Texas Method Question

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12-11-2009, 12:41 PM
BTW_72

Texas Method Question

I didn't want to waste Rip's time so I'll see if you guys have experience with this. I'm doing the basic Texas method and the volume day takes forever. I'm a working father with limited time. Probably like many of you. My basic routine:
Tue: Squat 5x5
Press/Bench 5x5
PC 5x3

Thurs: Squat 80% 2x5
Light Press/Bench 3x5
Back Ex
Pull Ups

Sat: Squat Heavy 1x5
Press/Bench 1x5
DL 1x5

I also play rec. ice hockey on Sat nights. Anyway, does anybody see a problem with doing the Tue squat at 6:00am, the Tue press and pc Tue 7:00pm. Thurs, Sat sessions 6:00 am. Sat night ice hockey. Just wondering if anybody has tried to split up the volume day.
Thanks
12-11-2009, 12:55 PM
stronger

Practical Programming mentions that splitting up routines is fine and can be beneficial, so it should be fine.

Volume day takes forever, I hear ya

btw, I do my deadlifts on volume day and powercleans on my 3rd day. It could save you some time
12-11-2009, 01:03 PM
matclone

Elite weightlifters have trained like this for years, i.e., splitting up the training day. I don't have any personal experience with this, but I don't see any reason not to try it.
12-11-2009, 07:03 PM
El Viejo

When I switched from SS to the Texas Method I also ran into a time problem with volume day. At first I cut my rest time between squat sets to 3 minutes, but I had to really reduce the weight. As the weight increased again I was forced to increase the rest time and as a result I kept running out of time before I could to my deadlifts. (I do squats, presses, and deadlifts on volume day). Anyway, I decided that I would have to split up volume day or never deadlift, so I moved the DLs to Tuesday. I still do the rest of the program as prescribed with Recovery day on Wednesday and Intensity on Friday.

I also decided to do one other tweak a couple of weeks ago - I'm now alternating between Intensity and Dynamic Effort on Fridays. I felt that at my age (57) that I needed to reduced the max effort days a bit. I'm going to continue this for the next month or 2 and see what happens.
12-11-2009, 07:12 PM
zepled37

My volume day takes 2 to 2.5 hours including about 15 to 20 minutes warm-up and I do:

Squat 5x5
Bench press / press 5x5
Power Cleans 3x5

Is this about how long it takes every one else?

Only have to take about 5-6 minutes between sets so far (a little less on cleans) so I imagine this will end up closer to 2.5 to 3 hours in a few more weeks...2 hours or so is not bad, but 3 hours is a bit much...though only lifting 3 days a week helps out even if it is a long day in the gym.
12-11-2009, 07:31 PM
stronger

Quote:

Originally Posted by zepled37

My volume day takes 2 to 2.5 hours including about 15 to 20 minutes warm-up and I do:

Squat 5x5
Bench press / press 5x5
Power Cleans 3x5

Is this about how long it takes every one else?

Only have to take about 5-6 minutes between sets so far (a little less on cleans) so I imagine this will end up closer to 2.5 to 3 hours in a few more weeks...2 hours or so is not bad, but 3 hours is a bit much...though only lifting 3 days a week helps out even if it is a long day in the gym.

mine takes about 2 hours 20 minutes, with 5x5 squat, 5x5 press/bench, set of deadlifts, ab work and dips. I take plenty of rest between my squats.

wednesday takes an hour or less, and friday takes maybe 1.5 hours.
12-11-2009, 10:33 PM
famendoza

Quote:

Originally Posted by zepled37

My volume day takes 2 to 2.5 hours including about 15 to 20 minutes warm-up and I do:

Squat 5x5
Bench press / press 5x5
Power Cleans 3x5

Is this about how long it takes every one else?

Only have to take about 5-6 minutes between sets so far (a little less on cleans) so I imagine this will end up closer to 2.5 to 3 hours in a few more weeks...2 hours or so is not bad, but 3 hours is a bit much...though only lifting 3 days a week helps out even if it is a long day in the gym.

I think the volume day is acknowledged to be the longest gym training scheduled day in the Texas method. For a lot of people, Saturday or Sunday is a better day to do Volume day - for other people, where ever you have a free chunk of time which isn't competing with other priorities/duties. You don't want to be antsy seeing if you can beat the clock before the gym closes on a volume day, though I've been put in that situation before and it wasn't that bad.