Direction on Warmup Sets for Texas Method/KSC TEXAS METHOD?

One of the things I really liked about the SS NLP model is that it was very clear what you should be doing from both a warmup and work set perspective. For example, the SS NLP model typically uses 3 sets of 5 reps for work sets. Using a work set weight of 100 lbs, the scheme becomes clear:

Warmups
--------------
45 X 5
45 X 5
55 X 5
70 X 3
80 X 2

Work Sets
--------------
100 X 5
100 X 5
100 X 5

Understanding how warmup sets work is simple as the weight/rep scheme is pretty straight forward. Reading about the Texas Method though, volume and intensity are typically changed during the week. Given a 3 training day program, Monday would be the volume day (more reps), Wednesday a recovery day and Friday an Intensity day. I am not clear at all on how warmup sets/reps are managed though as the weight/reps are variable in this program.

Can someone with more experience chime in on this please? Do you use a 5,5,5,3,2 rep scheme work warmups for this as well? The Barbell Prescription, Practical Programming and Andy's KSC TEXAS METHOD don't go into much detail on this.

Thanks,

Josh

The concept: Prepare for the work set(s) without getting fatigued in the process.

The execution: Will vary somewhat depending on the work sets for the day, and the conditions.

Some details: All other things being equal:
* A cold garage gym in Wisconsin in January will require more warm-up than a warm garage gym in July in Texas.
* A 57 year old will require more warming up than a 22 year old.
* Heavier work will require more warming up than lighter work.
* Work closer to your max for that rep range will require more warming up than work further from your max at that rep range.

I've seen the latter two points cause most of the confusion, people seem to intuitively grasp the first two. But the last two, especially blending them together, causes confusion.

In short: you will want to add an extra warmup set (or sets) to work up to a heavy single, double, triple, or even a 5RM on Intensity Day, if they're heavy enough. On the other hand, for recovery day you probably don't need any warm-up sets at all, just do sets of 5 all the way up.

Example: A lifter squatting 315x5x5 on VD, 250x5x2 on RD, and 350x3x2 (two triples) on ID.
VD
45x5-10x2, 135x5, 225x3-4, 275x2, then 315x5x5.
RD
45x5-10x2, 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 250x5x2.
ID
45x5-10x2, 135x5, 225x3-4, 275x2, 325x1, 350x3x2.

If the lifter is doing 495x2x3 on ID, he'll need even more warmups by default, just to get to 495. You're NOT going to do 45, 185, 315, 405, 495, right? You understand why that's a bad idea, right? Good, I know you do. So apply common sense to the ideas above.
45x5-10x2, 135x5, 225x3-4, 315x2, 405x1, 455x1 or something like that. That's five warm-up sets, but necessary to get to 495.

But is it, really? What if the lifter is an 800 lb squatter and 28 years old? Then 185, 315, 405 will probably work just fine, because it's so far from his max. So you can see how it gets confusing and how you'll just need to apply common sense rather than a rigid list of rules. Just like the programming itself, past the Novice phase!

As you get more experienced, you'll find a way to adjust the warmup to your own personal predilections.

Warmups are not a set thing. The deal you describe for a novice above is an example for someone starting out. Warmups are individualized to the person to get that person prepared to do the work sets. That's all they are for - how much, how hard, jumps all vary. Even for a single person warmups with change over time with age, injury, order of lifts and other factors.

You don't need to obsess about warmups...just do enough to be ready for the work sets and stop there.

Warmup | Mark Rippetoe

Our Warmup is a Warmup

https://youtu.be/s5hpE9wYka4