Tweaking the Texas Method for continued progress
Stats:
Age: 30
Weight: 195 (+~1lb/week)
Height: 5'5"
Squat: 325 -> 360 lb (+35)
Bench: 205 -> 235 (+30)
Press: 137.5 -> 155 (+17.5)
Deadlift: 355 -> 380 (+25)
I've been running the Texas Method in various forms for ~4 months, but my lifts have been pretty stagnant for the last month. My program looks like this:
Volume: Squat 5x4 @ 85%, Bench 5x5 @ 90%, SLDL 3x5 @ 70%
Recovery: Squat 2x5 @ 60%, Press 5x5 @ 90%, Chins 3x5
Intensity: Squat, Press, Bench, Dead for 1x5, 2x3, 5x1
I've tried dropping a set from squat volume day, running out the rep ranges, and finally cycling intensity day, as suggested by PPST. However, my progress began to stall around the time I tried cycling intensity day rep ranges. I'm also getting pretty beat up: growing pain in my elbows and knees, and extensive fatigue that won't go away. Today was Intensity day, and I experienced actual regression on squat, press, and bench before giving up for the day.
I'm not sure where to go from here, as my main goal is still general strength. Should I drop to a 4-day TM spread over 3 workouts/week? Switch to HLM? Cut the intensity day rep range cycle down to 3, 2x2, 5x1? Take a week off (or deload somehow) to dissipate fatigue? I feel like I'm staring down the abyss of "an endless cycle of changing routines" mentioned in PPST...