The ksc texas method

[Peter Egener]

Congrats on the progress.

I am 48 yrs and on GGW at the moment. The volume is high and the intensity is compounding now with offsets at only 5% for Medium day.
I have had to increase my calorie intake to above maintenance to keep from feeling too beat up now that I am in the 3rd 3 week cycle, but I think I could run it again if I wanted to without killing myself.

At age 43 it might not hurt you to go into a 4 day a week template to spread the load and take a break from the full body HLM (and mix it up a bit). You can always go back to HLM after a 8-12 week run of TM.
I have the KSC TM program too, and it look very doable for older guys with the volume cycling approach it contains.

After GGW, I'm going to do Andy's KSC Method for RAW Power Lifting just because it looks so cool. I'll try to run it for 3 cycles (18 weeks) before I go into a 4 day H/L split (a version of SM40) as I move into Spring and Summer (in Oz). Then I'll take a break and start again with a couple of cycles of GGW (see Andy's article). I don't compete so like to mix things up.

Any of Andy's programs are worth every cent. Good luck.

Pete

[c17guy]

I had big plans of dips and chins, but they didn't materialize. Just did the program as written. Added a few extra rest days to align my schedule so I would have gyms available while traveling but that's about the only modification I remember.

[c17guy]

Did you use the assistance exercises or just stick with squat, bench, press, dead, row?

Sorry, forum moron.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I'll piggyback on this. Just finished GGW. I think the 5% might be a case of under promise and over deliver.

42 yr M. 5'9" 220

S: 405 -> 440 = 9%
B: 265 -> 290 = 9%
P: 175 -> 190 = 9%
D: 445 -> 500 = 12%

I didn't feel too beat up while I was running it either. Only 20 lbs to go for my sticker.

Nice job on this. And yes, you are correct, generally the 5% increase on the lifts is the minimum expected. Between 5-10% is often the norm. I think this has less to do the "magic" of the program and more to do with the fact that the program is laid out for you in explicit detail and it's fairly sustainable for most. This combo means that people will actually do the program instead of hopping around between 5 different things in that same 12 week period. Basically any reasonable program will yield some good results if you can just get the guy to train his ass off for 12 weeks and be consistent. Easier said than done.

But again, nice job on the program.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I believe that Andy's online lifting group is actually doing this. They just finished 3 day full body H-L-M and I believe that they are switching to a four day TM split done over three days per week.

Kind of. We're still doing the 3 day per week HLM and will likely drop frequency to a 3 day per week heavy-light split after this, although TM could work here as well

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Food for thought:

A Plan for Annual Periodization (Part 2: June – December) – Andy Baker

I think Part I has the part about the TM in it. But basically I like TM maybe 1-2 times per year for a limited amount of time, on the tail end of a higher volume / lower intensity HLM program. It's been an effective program for me to use in getting lifters prepped for meets in 8-12 week cycles.

[tavccp]

I’m almost finishing ggw, i’ll test 1RM next week in the 4 lifts.

Despite not sleepibg well I did pretty well in the program. I’m Hoping to hit a big PR in deadlift and press. 4x2 and 1x2 were fast and easy. I failed 4x2 on bench, though. I did 2x2 plus 3x1. For the squat i’m expecting a conservative PR.

I’m willing to do ksc next but not sure, if i’m stil sleeping bad i’ll give ggw another run in a 4 day split. Or even doing ksc for pressing moviments and ggw for the rest. I dont know

Anyways, i’ll share my progress in ggw as soon as I test my 1 RMs

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

If recovery is blunted by sleep issues, do the easier of the two programs which is GGW. If you need extra stress on the Pressing movements, add a day of Benching or Pressing on Saturday for a medium amount of volume/intensity. Like 4x5-6x75%. It'd be whichever lift you are doing on Weds, which, if anything stalls, it's usually that lift.

And yes, you can do an HLM/GGW routine for Squats/Pulls and TM for Pressing. No problem to mix and match

[Konstantinos]

So, as i asked initially, it is ok the KSC Texas Method for my age (43 years old) ? i dont have any sleep or eating issues.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Yes, it'll work fine if you adhere to the volume cycling approach. Aim for an aggressive 12-16 week run with the program and then ease off the gas pedal a bit with something like an HLM program that is lower average intensity across the week. TM can't be used all year long, but I use it effectively with people in runs of 8-16 weeks at a time alternated with other modes of training.