Question for Andy Baker regarding Texas Method

[eavdr10]

Hey Andy, We emailed back and forth about a year ago after I purchased one of your programs. I train in my garage and the program I had purchased was geared more towards someone with access to more equipment. You were kind enough to send me a few different programs of yours that would work out better for me and I thank you for that. I had started your Garage Gym Warrior program and it was great! Unfortunately some BS with work happened, stress got to me, and I stopped training for a good 4 months. I restarted NLP this past September and I am nearing the end. I really want to reach my goals sooner than later of Squatting in the 4's, Pulling in the 5's, benching in the 3's, pressing in the 2's. I am planning on taking a run at your Texas Method after NLP runs out.

Male, 6', 233 lbs., up from 222 lbs at start of NLP, turning 39 yo this month, do not plan on competing, but i compete with myself daily hah

Current lifts
Squat 365 3x5 have not failed yet
Deadlift 410 1x5, failed 415 working back up on deload
Press 165 lbs 3x5, failed 167.5 working back up on deload
Bench 235 3x5, failed 237.5 working back up on deload

I worry about protein, but i eat what i want. I don't count calories. I generally have 2 scoops whey in morning and at night. Eat big, sometimes shitty meals, for lunch and dinner. Always protein though. But it just may be smothered in cheese, sauce, and bread, or paired with mashed potatoes, the buttery, creamy kind etc. My lifts have jumped eating this way. Last attempt at NLP ate a lot but very clean, i didn't see the progress I've seen this time. I have gotten strong this way, and haven't put on an enormous amount of fat. I do care about aesthetics, but i want my goals reached. I have a feeling ill be happy aesthetically when I'm benching 315 and pulling 500 plus.

So my question, lol, would you recommend Texas Method for me, and if so, would substituting Incline on monday instead of flat bench help or hinder my bench progress? Ive read that incline, press, and Bench programmed together can work wonders. So id be incline monday, press Wed., and intensity flat bench every friday.

Sorry for the novel, I just like to provide as much info as possible so it makes my question easier to answer

Thanks!

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

The Inclines won’t be an adequate stress to drive weight up on the Bench Press by themselves. Just Bench on Mon and Fri. I use Inclines on medium days in my HLM programs which puts Bench on the heavy day. But when I do this the Bench session is pretty high in volume. If you are trying to use Incline on the VD in a TM type program your overall Bench Press Volume will be very low and it’ll be tough to make much headway

[Jeff LC]

Last attempt at NLP ate a lot but very clean, i didn't see the progress I've seen this time.

This is always for one reason - when you eat cleaner, you're not eating as many calories. It's very, very easy to get a ton of calories when all your food is smothered in bread cheese and sauce. If you then went to only eating veggies, whole grains, and lean meats, you would find it immensely difficult to maintain the same level of caloric intake. So, the reason eating dirty drove your lifts up isn't because the dirty food, but just because that is what allowed you to intake the amount of calories you needed.

[Jeff LC]

Incline dumbbell bench is the one exercise i would like to add as an accessory to my current programming which is just the strict, zero changes, NLP. But i don't have the damn time.

[eavdr10]

This is always for one reason - when you eat cleaner, you're not eating as many calories. It's very, very easy to get a ton of calories when all your food is smothered in bread cheese and sauce. If you then went to only eating veggies, whole grains, and lean meats, you would find it immensely difficult to maintain the same level of caloric intake. So, the reason eating dirty drove your lifts up isn't because the dirty food, but just because that is what allowed you to intake the amount of calories you needed.

Yes. I agree. I did pre plan everything out on my fitness pal, i was taking in 3500 calories per day, 400 grams of fibrous carbs. I felt that would be sufficient to continue to drive progress. Im sure it would have been, and my body was just getting used to running off healthier food perhaps. Regardless, I think for now, I'm going to just continue to eat and get stronger. Once i hit my desired goals lifts wise, I will then reassess the diet and finally put the health and fitness together. Especially if I'm going to push through Texas Method.

[k_kws]

This is always for one reason - when you eat cleaner, you're not eating as many calories. It's very, very easy to get a ton of calories when all your food is smothered in bread cheese and sauce. If you then went to only eating veggies, whole grains, and lean meats, you would find it immensely difficult to maintain the same level of caloric intake. So, the reason eating dirty drove your lifts up isn't because the dirty food, but just because that is what allowed you to intake the amount of calories you needed.

If anyone hasn't already read this: Eating Through the Sticking Points | Matt Reynolds
One of my favorite articles here.

[eavdr10]

If anyone hasn't already read this: Eating Through the Sticking Points | Matt Reynolds
One of my favorite articles here.

It is a great article. Nothing like eating big on a weekend and squatting Monday morning, and that load feels a lot lighter than you anticipated