Texas Method light day

[Rob Waskis]

Based on the text and examples in PPST, the light day consists of:
Squats 2 x 5 @ 80% and either
Bench 3 x 5 @ 90% or
Press 3 x 5 @ 100%

(percentages based off Monday's 5 x 5 weight)

Recognizing that "PPST cites examples for you to learn from" (your words), I'd like to learn: why the difference?

Why not use the same percentage/rep scheme for each exercise?

Thanks,
Rob

[Mart002]

you have a heavier bench than press and more carry over (than press to bench, i.e. pressing affects the main muscle used in the bench less than bench to shoulders, with the bench becuase a higher wieght is used carries over to the shoulder). So you offset the bench wieght so it doesnt interfere with the shoulder recupe, the press doesn't effect the chest recupe.

the squat is quite heavy on the whole system, you could use 3 sets if you like, but two is probably effecient.

[Rob Waskis]

The problem I see with this logic is that if my bench is heavier than my press, why would my light sets not be heavier as well? Why would these sets require further weight reduction? And the squats not only more weight reduction but a reduction in volume as well.

As far as carryover, or residual fatigue, I don't understand why this would all of a sudden become a factor. To wit, last week I did 3 x 5 across with bench Monday and 3 x 5 across with the press on Wednesday and residual fatigue was not an issue for my work sets. I don't see how the extra 10% on 3 deload sets makes that much of a difference.

Maybe the answer is "it just does", but intuitively I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that and wonder if there isn't another reason.

[LimieJosh]

Maybe that was a typo, but the extra 2 sets make a huge difference

[Mart002]

The problem I see with this logic is that if my bench is heavier than my press, why would my light sets not be heavier as well? Why would these sets require further weight reduction? And the squats not only more weight reduction but a reduction in volume as well.

My take is... The bench press during the press week is not for bench, you could do lighter and less sets of press and leave the bench press out. But since the bench does carry over to the shoulder you get some working rest plus keep the brain on the bench.

As far as carryover, or residual fatigue, I don't understand why this would all of a sudden become a factor. To wit, last week I did 3 x 5 across with bench Monday and 3 x 5 across with the press on Wednesday and residual fatigue was not an issue for my work sets. I don't see how the extra 10% on 3 deload sets makes that much of a difference.

This is ok for the novice, when you hit a time where you need a full week of recuperation...

Maybe the answer is "it just does", but intuitively I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that and wonder if there isn't another reason.
you need longer to recover as an intermediate...

[Rob Waskis]

Maybe that was a typo, but the extra 2 sets make a huge difference

Not a typo, just switched to TM this week.

[Rob Waskis]

The problem I see with this logic is that if my bench is heavier than my press, why would my light sets not be heavier as well? Why would these sets require further weight reduction? And the squats not only more weight reduction but a reduction in volume as well.

My take is... The bench press during the press week is not for bench, you could do lighter and less sets of press and leave the bench press out. But since the bench does carry over to the shoulder you get some working rest plus keep the brain on the bench.

As far as carryover, or residual fatigue, I don't understand why this would all of a sudden become a factor. To wit, last week I did 3 x 5 across with bench Monday and 3 x 5 across with the press on Wednesday and residual fatigue was not an issue for my work sets. I don't see how the extra 10% on 3 deload sets makes that much of a difference.

This is ok for the novice, when you hit a time where you need a full week of recuperation...

Maybe the answer is "it just does", but intuitively I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that and wonder if there isn't another reason.
you need longer to recover as an intermediate...

I understand that benching during press week is a deload, but that fact is not relevent to my question about percentage used.

A full week of recuperation also has nothing to do with my question.

Longer recovery as an intermediate also has nothing to do with the percentage of weight used on light days (my question).

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

" To wit, last week I did 3 x 5 across with bench Monday and 3 x 5 across with the press on Wednesday and residual fatigue was not an issue for my work sets"

Then why did you switch to texas method? If you are still making progress with SS, keep doing it.

The percentages for the lifts are different because because each cause a different amount of fatigue. The same reason you deadlift for 1 set of 5 ever other day and squat for 3 sets of 5 every day.

[LimieJosh]

The lighter the weight that can be moved with an exercise (sqt>bench>press) the less systemic stress that exercise generates and the less it needs to be modified to meet the requirements of the recovery day.

[Carnivroar]

My "light" day is characterized by not squatting at all. I still go heavy on the bench and press, which ever happens to fall on the wednesday of that week. It works for me.