How tall are you?
Hey all,
This is my first post here but I've been lurking for years, and I've done some research before posting this.
Summary: I was following Texas Method and after only a couple of months I'm missing reps on 5x5. One week later, I repeat and miss more. I'm a 43 yr old male, approximately 155lb and high-bar squatting 255X3 more or less as my max triple.
I started researching "deload week Texas method" and found the Internets complaining that TM is a common thing to start to fail on, that lots of people start to have horrendous volume days. Then I found this video: There's a weight at which you can start | Ask Rip #38 - YouTube where Rip says, "Just Don't Do It." He says it's for the young and the male. He says, "I don't know why they put it first in the book before the Split Routine Model." I looked at the split model and it's very broad, making it trickier to whip something together at the last minute before my Sunday Day 1. Oh well. I should plan better, but that's what a Google rabbit-hole will do.
I'd be thankful for any tips or suggestions. My last four weeks look like this, and it looks like I am falling apart. I'm also starting to experiment due to not getting anywhere.
I'm discouraged.
(all in lbs and sets x reps)
Week 1
Day 1 - Intensity
Squat 250 5x2
Strict Press 125 5x2 attempt became 1x2, 5x1
Pendlay rows 3x7 115
Day 2 - Volume
Squat 225 5x5
Strict Press 105 2x5, 100 3x5
Neutral grip pullups 5x5
Day 3 - Recovery
225 5x2
weights dips 5x6 25lb
wide-grip pullups 5x3
Week 2
Day 1
squat 250 x3
strict press 125 5x2, 120 x3 (failed after 125 s2)
Pendlay rows 3x7 120 (recovering from medial elbow pain, otherwise I do weighted chins)
Day 2
squat 230 5x5
strict press 105 5x5 5,5,4,3,3
5x10 ring rows (again alternative to pullups)
Day 3
squat 230 5x2
weights dips 5x5 35lb
weighted chins 35 5x2
Week 3
Day 1
squat 255x3
srtict press 125x3 fail, waited 1 minute to do 3rd rep after failing 2nd
max chins 3 sets: 10,9,6 (variation)
Day 2
squat 235 5x5 5,5,5,3,3 (starting to fail)
strict press 105x5 5,5,5,4,3
neutral grip pulls 5x5
Day 3
squat 185 2x5 (80% of last) <- trying new recovery
dips 3x6 35
chins 35 5x2
Week 4 - "something's not working out for me realization"
Day 1
squat 255xmax 1 set of 4 but terrible form
strict press 125x2, 30s, 1 more
pendlay row 120 3x8
Day 2
squat 235 5x5 5,5,5,2**,3 < - WTF!
press 105 5,5,5,5,4 - tiny progress
deadlifts 225 2x5 - I read I should do this too weekly (I stopped a month ago due to fatigue)
Day 3
squat 185 2x5
weighted dips 3x7 35lb
Thanks!
How tall are you?
How tall are you?
Height?
Most likely, the answer is to do a novice linear progression (NLP), not more advanced programming like Texas method or a split routine.
The type of stall you describe is covered in the following classic article (which I will highlight as follows: (1) do the NLP, (2) eat a sufficient amount--given that 155lb is very light no matter what the height):
The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe
You need to eat more. If you're north of 6 feet tall, you need to eat a lot more. But I'd imagine if you were that tall and 155, you'd have trouble even putting the weights you're doing now up. I'm basically just seconding what's been said, do the work outside the gym (eating, sleeping, not busting yourself up physically doing other stuff) and get on a new LP. Once that starts to flatten out a 4 day split of some sort is probably a good next step. It helps with keeping workouts short. The three day texas method is not only hard on recovery but on time. Heavy volume day workouts can take hours.
5'6 and change. (it's change at that height).
Gain 50 lbs. There's no point in discussing your programming if you refuse to eat. You should probably do the novice progression (whether or not you think you've done it before) with this in mind.