Texas Method for CFT

[dschenck]

Mark, I like to have goals and I've decided to go for a 1000 CFT. I'm currently at 924lb. Advice, please:

1. This is the TM based plan I've come up with - do you have any suggested changes? I've already asked you about doing a barbell metcon as the "light" day - that's working well so far.

Volume - BS 3 x 6; Press 3x6; DL 1x6; Dips 3x6

Metcon (light) - complex of Powerclean, Front Sq, Push Press - 4 x 9 (for time); GM 2x12; chins to failure x 3

Heavy - BS 1/3/2; Press 1/3/2; DL 1/3/2; Dips
3x6 (am still progessing linerally on these)

2. In deference to my advancing age (46), I wonder if taking a backoff week once a month is a good idea - same program, but doing just one set of 6 in the Volume workout at the last week's 3x6 weight, and then a heavy single at my prior 3RM for the heavy day. Other than slowing down my progress a bit, anything speak against this, or is there a better approach?

Thanks again for your guidance - I'm pretty sure I'll hit the 1000 CFT sometime this winter, which is an amazing thing!

[Mark Rippetoe]

1. I notice the absence of the bench press. Your press will get stronger if you bench once for every time you press. I don't know how valuable the goodmornings will be, even as a metcon element. Better to do RDLs instead.

2. Don't plan a backoff, since you may not need it if you are careful about planning your volume/intensity, but plan on taking it if you need to.

[rocko]

Mark:
Wouldn't the dips help in place of the bench press?

[Mark Rippetoe]

They help, but they are not as scalable as the bench, and progress on them is usually made at high rep ranges which do not apply to strength improvement for a CF Total.

[dschenck]

I switched from benching to dips since my shoulders were bothering me a bit and the dips seem to help (or maybe it is the lack of benching).

Mark, if I go back to benching, where would you suggest I put them in - alternate them weekly with the press on both volume and heavy days?

[Mark Rippetoe]

For CFT training, you need to press:bench at about 2:1.

[dschenck]

Makes sense. I got a 931 CTF yesterday on my heavy day - I'll report back when I hit 1000.

Thanks again for the guidance!

[blowdpanis]

They help, but they are not as scalable as the bench, and progress on them is usually made at high rep ranges which do not apply to strength improvement for a CF Total.

Just out of curiosity, what do you mean by scalable? Weighted dips seem as increment-able as the bench press in terms of small amounts of weight added over time as needed, and I'm not sure I understand why a heavy dip would translate more poorly to an overhead press than a heavy bench.

As a thought, it seems that, on average, for those who can dip safely, dips represent the upper body "push" exercise with the most strength potential (assuming we are talking full range of motion stuff) in terms of load moved, i.e. you + weight on the belt. As such, there seems a certain logic in pursuing these if one does not need to bench for competition.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I agree that dips represent a very good -- if not better -- exercise than the bench press. But to make them contribute to heavy presses they have to be done in a useful repetition range; sets of 20 dips, or even sets of 10, do not translate into convertible conditioning for a heavy single press, mechanically or metabolically. If you can do heavy triple dips, sure, but most people can't or won't due to logistical problems.

[bango skank]

If you can do heavy triple dips, sure, but most people can't or won't due to logistical problems.

such as...?