Returning to Linear Progression After 5/3/1

[Mr.Rose]

Hello Rip. I began my lifting career using Stronglifts (please don't flog me, I'd not yet heard of Starting Strength) and topped off with a 475 squat, 525 deadlift, 255 bench, and 180 press. I moved on to 5/3/1 and have been using it for the past two years. My body fat has reduced, my ability to crank out higher reps with heavier weights has gone up, I can sprint a Prowler with 315 lbs for 10, 40 yard laps in under 15 minutes, and my "show muscles" have increased.

My strength in terms of 1RM on the squat and deadlift has actually decreased over this time though; squat dropped to 415 and deadlift dropped to 490. My pressing movements have only gone up 5 pounds on the bench and 10 on the press. I'd like to return to a fully strength oriented program and I'm unsure how to begin.

Do I jump right into something like the Texas Method?

Do I take 80% of my current 1RM and do my fives for a while first?

Any help that you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

My Stats:
Age:38
Weight: 260
Squat: 415
Dead: 490
Bench: 260
Press: 190

[Mark Rippetoe]

Your situation sounds like the kind of thing that would benefit most from the 4-day split. You're obviously not finished with a linear-type progression, and the 4-day is a much more manageable program for an adult than TM, as we have described several times.

[Mr.Rose]

Thanks, Coach. Would it be wise to begin with ~80% of my current 1RM for sets of 5 or should I begin with a higher or lower percent?

[Mark Rippetoe]

This is explained in PPST3.

[Bryan Bulmann]

Mr. Rose,

You may benefit from one of Andy Baker's intermediate programs. As Rip suggested above, a 4-day split program works very well for adults (physically and time management wise). Andy Baker has a Strength & Mass for lifters over 40 that includes 5-3-1 rep ranges with which you are already familiar (he also has a more aggressive 8-5-2 program). I have been working this program for about a year with very good results. You can find this and other programs for a very reasonable price here: Training Programs ? Andy Baker

Just my $0.02 worth of advice.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Or you could read the books.

[JohnStrangeway]

Or you could read the books.

I really need to do this, this was a good reminder! They are not something you can read once or scan through, you really have to digest them. Although I knowing this, I have not reread in a long time myself.

Almost all answers are there, you just have to understand it.