Cleans and snatches absolutely necessary for TM?

[Mitch Rivers]

Quick stats:
Recently finished my LP and am ready to move on to the TM. Began on Sep 14 2016 a fat 264.
Starting Weights:
Squat: 135x5x5
DL: 135x1x5
Press: 50x5x5
Bench: 105x5x5

Current weights ( as of 1/19/17):
BW: 269
Squat: 375x3x5
DL: 385x5
Press: 145x3x3
Bench: 240x3x5

I have practiced the Clean but am unable to correctly rack the barbell due to long forearms.

I've not attempted the snatch yet at all.

I am training recreationally with no (current) aspirations for competition. I don't particularly feel the need to train for power as I have no other athletic endeavors and a desk job as a financial advisor. Being strong and eventually more lean is fine with me.

Is there something else such as back extensions etc. that I can substitute or are these important to continued progress in my core lifts??

Your input is appreciated.

M

[Eric Larousse]

Most people even athletes dont need olympic lifts. Im not knocking them but they arent necessary at all and especially for a general strength trainee. If you decide you need to develope power i would start doing jumps and throws over cleans to be honest.

[Adam Franklin]

While you stated you are not a competitive powerlifter, look at some of the powerlifting-focused templates in Practical Programming for examples of programs that do not include olympic lifts. Your "light" pull day can be something like SLDL's, good mornings, RDL's, etc... depending on your strength, limb lengths, training history, etc...

Also, I'll add that Texas Method is a young man's program (just assuming, you didn't give your age). You may want to look at other intermediate programming, especially if you are not going to be a competitive strength athlete.

[Mitch Rivers]

While you stated you are not a competitive powerlifter, look at some of the powerlifting-focused templates in Practical Programming for examples of programs that do not include olympic lifts. Your "light" pull day can be something like SLDL's, good mornings, RDL's, etc... depending on your strength, limb lengths, training history, etc...

Also, I'll add that Texas Method is a young man's program (just assuming, you didn't give your age). You may want to look at other intermediate programming, especially if you are not going to be a competitive strength athlete.

Thank you this is great advice. I'm just through the Texas method section in PPST but trying to formulate something for tomorrow's training as my first day on TM.

I'm 30 y/o and had (I think) decent success on my LP and would like to roll with TM until I can't anymore then maybe a 4 day split or something like that??

[Adam Franklin]

If you are going to do the 3 day TM, I would recommend starting your squat intensity day at 365lbx5 (your previous 3x5 work weight) and your volume day at 325lbx5x5 (80 to 90% of your intensity day). This will build in a bit of a deload, and it will allow you to get accustomed to the added volume of 5x5. You should be able to make 10 lbs jumps for a few weeks, but be prepared to switch to 5 lbs jumps. You will be up to 365lbx5x5 before you know it!

Also, be ready to spend some effort outside of the gym on recovery (food, sleep, relatively low stress, etc...). Volume day on 3 day TM is brutal. You can run the 3 day TM out, then move to HML, 4 day TM, 1 lift per day, or any other intermediate-type program.

I just notice your squat and deadlift are really close together. Have you have your form checked our for both? Typically, this is a sign that your squats are high or your deadlift form is jacked up. This is not always the case, but it is a trend...

[Mitch Rivers]

If you are going to do the 3 day TM, I would recommend starting your squat intensity day at 365lbx5 (your previous 3x5 work weight) and your volume day at 325lbx5x5 (80 to 90% of your intensity day). This will build in a bit of a deload, and it will allow you to get accustomed to the added volume of 5x5. You should be able to make 10 lbs jumps for a few weeks, but be prepared to switch to 5 lbs jumps. You will be up to 365lbx5x5 before you know it!

Also, be ready to spend some effort outside of the gym on recovery (food, sleep, relatively low stress, etc...). Volume day on 3 day TM is brutal. You can run the 3 day TM out, then move to HML, 4 day TM, 1 lift per day, or any other intermediate-type program.

I just notice your squat and deadlift are really close together. Have you have your form checked our for both? Typically, this is a sign that your squats are high or your deadlift form is jacked up. This is not always the case, but it is a trend...

Hey thanks a ton. I was sitting here planning out exactly what to do in gym tomorrow and that ups my confidence going into TM.

Just to clarify 10 lb jumps for a couple weeks for both VD's and ID's? Then to 5's until phases 1-4 run out?

No I haven't had my form checked on anything yet. I think you're right that if something is off it is my Deadlift.

I am not sure when I am going to make it to Kingwood (my parents live there), but hopefully in next 30 days I will have a Saturday session with Andy Baker. Otherwise I'll post a form check video to be checked out.

[perman]

Thank you this is great advice. I'm just through the Texas method section in PPST but trying to formulate something for tomorrow's training as my first day on TM.

I'm 30 y/o and had (I think) decent success on my LP and would like to roll with TM until I can't anymore then maybe a 4 day split or something like that??

I think 3 day Texas Method can still work for you, but it's not a program you should assume you can run for a long time, but it's easier to handle than SS right after it if you pick your ID weights conservatively. Speaking as a 32 year old who had been running 3-day TM for years prior, I recently switched to 4-day TM cause VD started to feel like it made me totally useless the entire next day. So just evaluate continuously whether the demands of the program are reasonable and switch the moment you doubt whether they are.

[Mitch Rivers]

I think 3 day Texas Method can still work for you, but it's not a program you should assume you can run for a long time, but it's easier to handle than SS right after it if you pick your ID weights conservatively. Speaking as a 32 year old who had been running 3-day TM for years prior, I recently switched to 4-day TM cause VD started to feel like it made me totally useless the entire next day. So just evaluate continuously whether the demands of the program are reasonable and switch the moment you doubt whether they are.

Thanks. That is much longer than the 6 months or so I expected to be able to pull off TM. I have strength goals of my squat being well into 400's, DL around 500 and bench over 300. If I can accomplish that by the time I shift to HLM or something else I'll be happy.

In your experience is this reasonable in next 6 mo to year on TM?

[manveer]

Thanks. That is much longer than the 6 months or so I expected to be able to pull off TM. I have strength goals of my squat being well into 400's, DL around 500 and bench over 300. If I can accomplish that by the time I shift to HLM or something else I'll be happy.

In your experience is this reasonable in next 6 mo to year on TM?

Not perman, but yes that is reasonable if you are consistent and take care of recovery.

[Adam Franklin]

Yep, 10lb per week for both volume and intensity days, for the first few weeks then switch to 5lbs increases on both lifts when needed.