Deload - Texas Method - Phase 3

Hello to any Coach,

Question on deload. Yes, I have browsed the forum for this and I do not see my situation very clearly.

H: 5'4
W: 190 lbs
SQ: Intensity 330x2(set)x2(rep)
DL: Intensity 370x2(rep)
Press: 140x5x1 [Following Nick Delgadillo compressed TM]
BP: 195x5

Here are my questions:
1. I am about to start week 9 on the cyclical approach as stated on PPFST on the TM. After week 9 is done and I should end on according to my notes at 340x5x1, should I deload? I do feel a little beat up now, but have not failed anything.
2. If the answer to (1) is yes, then the next question is how to go about the deload? I have seen some ideas, but in general it looks like I shouldn't really drop intensity.
3. If the answer to (1) is no, then do I just start a new cycle by adding 10 pounds (give it or take) to the start of my last 9 week cycle and move on for another 9 weeks hopefully to end at 350x5x1?

Thanks!

If you have reached the end you will have to deload by design. If you are running out 5 singles and are beat up then you are beat up from intensity, not volume, so you'd have to reduce intensity because there isn't much volume to reduce at that point.

Thanks for the reply Robert. So to clarify I am feeling pretty beat up overall, not because of the singles. Volume day is a killer, I am actually quite excited for my resting days to kick in.

So on the deload, if it is by design. How do I actually work it out. I do not recall seeing examples of deload in PPST. I did see an article from Andy Baker about it, and his was more like a deload in frecuency, rather than volume and intensity. So in all honesty, not sure how to perform a deload without having to get detrained in 1 week.

As an example my first week on phase 3 of TM, for the Squat, was: 235x5x5 vol day and Intensity was 300x3. Today I did 275x5x5 vol day and on Thursday expect to do 340x5x1.

I thought that after I am done I would start a new 9 week cycle as follows:
250x5x5 vol and with intensity 310x3, which was week #4 on the the current 9 weeks I am doing. In other words I would start on the 2nd cycle and end up hopefully doing after 9 weeks 350x5x1. This seemed like 6 weeks of doing something I already did with no PRs up until the last 3 weeks.

Looking for guidance in the deload and the transition to a new 9 weeks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jahir Estrada

Thanks for the reply Robert. So to clarify I am feeling pretty beat up overall, not because of the singles. Volume day is a killer, I am actually quite excited for my resting days to kick in.

So on the deload, if it is by design. How do I actually work it out. I do not recall seeing examples of deload in PPST. I did see an article from Andy Baker about it, and his was more like a deload in frecuency, rather than volume and intensity. So in all honesty, not sure how to perform a deload without having to get detrained in 1 week.

As an example my first week on phase 3 of TM, for the Squat, was: 235x5x5 vol day and Intensity was 300x3. Today I did 275x5x5 vol day and on Thursday expect to do 340x5x1.

I thought that after I am done I would start a new 9 week cycle as follows:
250x5x5 vol and with intensity 310x3, which was week #4 on the the current 9 weeks I am doing. In other words I would start on the 2nd cycle and end up hopefully doing after 9 weeks 350x5x1. This seemed like 6 weeks of doing something I already did with no PRs up until the last 3 weeks.

Looking for guidance in the deload and the transition to a new 9 weeks.

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You could drop your 5 x 5 to 6 or 7 x 3 and see if you can still drive the singles up. in general, there is an inverse relationship between volume and intensity. You've increased intensity without decreasing volume and it sounds like you are approaching that point where you need to.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Robert Santana

You could drop your 5 x 5 to 6 or 7 x 3 and see if you can still drive the singles up. in general, there is an inverse relationship between volume and intensity. You've increased intensity without decreasing volume and it sounds like you are approaching that point where you need to.

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Thanks again. So I would keep something like that for the new 9 week cycle? Or just for the week deload and then go back to a 5x5?

If you are going to push your intensity day beyond week 9 then you should cut back the volume and rep range on volume day. There is no hard set rule that says week 9 means it is over, it is a template and meant to be used as a guide, which is explicitly stated somewhere on there or in Andy's articles. If you think you have heavier singles in you then start going heavier for triples on the volume day. Bottom line is volume has to go down as intensity goes up. There are many ways to do that. My suggestion is that if your 5 x 1 is getting heavy then start cutting reps on your volume day as you add weight to it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Robert Santana

If you are going to push your intensity day beyond week 9 then you should cut back the volume and rep range on volume day. There is no hard set rule that says week 9 means it is over, it is a template and meant to be used as a guide, which is explicitly stated somewhere on there or in Andy's articles. If you think you have heavier singles in you then start going heavier for triples on the volume day. Bottom line is volume has to go down as intensity goes up. There are many ways to do that. My suggestion is that if your 5 x 1 is getting heavy then start cutting reps on your volume day as you add weight to it.

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Thank for that clarification. Have a good one.

You are welcome