Texas Method Program Critique Please

[zepled37]

Here's what I've started: I'm taking a pretty big de-load the first few weeks after not really being able to recover from the advanced novice program for a while. I'm not in real bad shape(~17% BF, 198 pounds, 5'9"), but am looking at dropping about 10 pounds of fat after I've put on 20 pounds in the last few months. (I was on a diet earlier in year and went from about 206 @ 22% down to 180 @ 13%.)

Week A
Volume - Squat 5x5, Bench Press 5x5, Power Clean 3x5sets
Recovery - Split squats, 10-20x3 sets for first few weeks switch to front squats 3x3, Press 5x2sets, Chin-ups 3 sets, Bent over Good Morning 10x3sets
Intensity - Squat 5x1set, Bench Press 5x1set, Deadlift 5x1set

Week B
Volume - Squat 5x5, Press 5x5, Power Clean 3x5sets
Recovery - Split squats, 3 sets for first few weeks switch to front squats 3x3, Bench Press 5x2sets, Pull-ups 3 sets, Bent over Good Morning 10x3sets
Intensity - Squat 3x1set, Press 5x1set, Deadlift 3x1set


So far on recovery day I haven't been going to failure on the chin-ups/pull-ups and I'm planning to keep the good mornings fairly light but feel my low back is a weak point so that's why I put them in. On squat and deadlift I'm alternating each week on intensity day between 5 reps and 3 reps. Keeping the bench and press at 5 reps since I rotate movements. From what I've heard, Rip is doing away with front squat recommendations, but I kind of like them.

I enjoy power cleans, but not sure I'm getting much out of them. My technique is not great, but decent. Wondering if I should move chins/pull-ups to Monday and alternate each week with power cleans.

Squatting and deadlifting on the same day sucks! Not bad so far since I started light, but I've tried it in the past and couldn't do one rep in the deadlift with a weight I've done 5 reps with on a different day!

best 5x3sets lifts:
SQ - 325
BP - 215
Press - 125
DL - 365 x 5 x 1 set

Have SS and PPST #1, and planning to buy PPST#2 this weekend so that should help also, but was curious to get people's input on the forum.

Thanks.

[Tenbagger]

Your program is very similar to what I've been doing for a while. I found doing power cleans on volume day difficult, because the 5*5 squat and 5*5 bench press took most of the zing out of my body. For me, 5*1 dead lift on monday and 5*3 power clean on friday worked better.