Mixing intermediate and novice programming?

[PressesPeople]

Hey, has anyone tried moving their squat and DL to the texas method, while still doing press and bench on a novice schedule?

Is this a bad idea? I feel like I just don't get enough exposure to the upper body lifts when I'm only doing each one every 2 weeks, essentially (and yes, I realize that the recovery day is the alternating lift, but that's not heavy enough to matter).

I love how the texas method works with my squat and DL (and powerclean), though. Just not my bench and press.

[Yare]

When my bench got stuck I just subbed them out with bench variations and my bench would go up. Declines really helped. About 12lbs to my bench in one month

[Jimmy Tereyla]

Hey, has anyone tried moving their squat and DL to the texas method, while still doing press and bench on a novice schedule?

Is this a bad idea?

Yes, No.

[PressesPeople]

Yes, No.

Did you try this? How did it work out? Why did you try it?

[Jimmy Tereyla]

It's been discussed before, but oftentimes, one will stall sooner on 1 or 2 lifts. At that point in time, what makes the most sense? Continuing to stall while you wait for the other lifts to catch up? Switching everything to intermediate, thus giving up linear progression? No.. you program for where you are in the advancement of each lift.

I am still milking linear progression on the press (mostly because I'm now doing the new version of it and find that I have room left to progress), while on TM for everything else. It works, you just need to play around with your programming.

[Michael Wolf]

The basic concept of running Novice for some lifts and Intermediate for others is definitely just fine.

Though if you did stall on your Squat and DL before your Press and Bench Press, I'd look into something being wonky with your programming. That's pretty unusual, and would seem to indicate something being up.

[Jimmy Tereyla]

Though if you did stall on your Squat and DL before your Press and Bench Press, I'd look into something being wonky with your programming. That's pretty unusual, and would seem to indicate something being up.

If people are following SS religiously without life, injury, etc getting in the way, then yes, I agree. For the vast majority, I think that programming to fit your needs and abilities is key. There are many, many scenarios that could lead to the style of programming being discussed.

I agree with you in principle, though.

[Michael Wolf]

If people are following SS religiously without life, injury, etc getting in the way, then yes, I agree. For the vast majority, I think that programming to fit your needs and abilities is key. There are many, many scenarios that could lead to the style of programming being discussed.

I agree with you in principle, though.

Yes, programming to fit your needs and abilities is key. However, since humans have a lot more muscle mass and strength potential in their lower body than their upper, it is unusual for someone to need Intermediate level programming on their squats and deadlifts before their presses and bench presses. Barring a major injury or issue with his lower body to explain it, this would be something of concern. I wrote earlier that programming might be wonky; could be, but technique is probably the first thing to look at here.

[PressesPeople]

It's not so much that I've stalled on my upper body lifts any more than I have on my lower ones. I'm just finding that exposure to each lift only 2x each month isn't enough.

[Jimmy Tereyla]

What are your numbers? Did you stall on your squat before going to TM?

Are you leaning towards powerlifting, where bench is more crucial?

There is carryover between bench and press..