VD lifts approaching ID lifts

[Adam Skillin]

Recently, I've failed to increase 3 of my 4 main lifts by 5# on intensity day. I have not failed as yet on a volume day workout.

I'm 31. 5'6, 160 lbs. Been running a 2-day Texas Method-ish program for just 6 weeks after coming off a 5/1 setup. I train Jiu Jitsu 4 days/week, which is why I only weight train twice. ID Squats stalled first, followed by deadlifts, and the press.

I'll try to spare unnecessary details. The following may be relevant.

I deadlift on Intensity Day.
Eats and sleeps are on point. Been gaining weight despite all the jits, which can make it hard to pack on the pounds. I know I'm not exactly massive now, but I was 20 lbs lighter as recently as February.

Squats - ID failure on 5's occurred at 290#. I got 4 reps the first week, only 3 the second. Switched to five singles @ 300 and got all of them, as I did with 305 more recently.

Have continued to increase volume day by 5# successfully. So I've most recently squatted 5 x 5 @ 275 (7 minute rests) on volume day, and five singles @ 305 (2 minute rests) on intensity day.

Similar issues with the other lifts. Volume keeps going up, Intensity is flagging or stalling.

I probably started too ambitiously on the TM style programming. But I'm 6 weeks in now and not sure how to fix it. If I deloaded intensity day by 10%, the weight would be less than volume day, so that clearly makes no sense.

Questions:

What course of action makes the most sense? I don't feel like I fit the profile of someone who needs to add or drop a set on volume day as per Practical Programming, but I can't argue that my total volume is pretty high.

1. Do do I de-load both days (and adjust them to be a little less close together) and get a little forward momentum going again?

2. Am I actually a lady? I know ladies can do volume closer to their 1RM's, so I might be, but I have a significant amount of evidence to the contrary, including a pretty gnarly beard.

3. Should I just be happy I keep successfully increasing the weight on volume day and consider this a sign that I'm getting stronger? If I keep going this way, I'll squat 290 for 5 x 5 in just 2 1/2 weeks, when I was unable to do a single set of 5 with it less than a month ago. Or I'll overtrain myself and end up hating life...

4. Is this type of programming perhaps just completely inappropriate for me, since I am unwilling to stop training hard at Jiu Jitsu 4 days/week?

This got long. Sorry.

[Mac Ward]

Your numbers are not so high that I think that TM is necessarily right for you...yet. The fact is, you're still moving your 5x5...why not do advanced novice, 3x5 on Monday, light day on Wednesday, 3x5 on Friday? Push this as long as possible. That 20lb jump is too much, I don't think you're resting enough (2 minutes is a little short), so back up, regroup, and push LP.

Bottom line: I think you jumped ship on LP a little early...

[Adam Skillin]

Your numbers are not so high that I think that TM is necessarily right for you...yet. The fact is, you're still moving your 5x5...why not do advanced novice, 3x5 on Monday, light day on Wednesday, 3x5 on Friday? Push this as long as possible. That 20lb jump is too much, I don't think you're resting enough (2 minutes is a little short), so back up, regroup, and push LP.

Bottom line: I think you jumped ship on LP a little early...

2 minutes is the rest I've been taking between singles. I feel pretty recovered by about 90 seconds. I've been taking a full, timed 7 minutes between 5's on volume day.

I never really did an LP. I actually started actually training (rather than lifting what I felt like when I felt like it) with 5/3/1 because I thought the volume of LP would be too much along with all the Jiu Jitsu. I guess I hadn't realized at the time that Advanced Novice had a light day. Thanks for the suggestion. I like the idea.

I'm not sure I understand the comment about the 20 lb jump. Sorry if my original post wasn't entirely clear.

I added 10 lbs to my last failed 5RM, but switched to singles. (failed 1 x 5 x 290, switched to 5 x 1 x 300) I also mentioned that I had gained 20 lbs since February (~140 ---> ~160)

Anyway, what would you do with the weight when transitioning to 3 x 5? Just add 5 lbs to the last 5 x 5 workout?

[Mac Ward]

Just add 5 lbs to the last 5 x 5 workout?

Yep.

[Adam Skillin]

I'll make the programming change effective today. I have nothing to lose but stalling intensity day and 6 days of dread leading up to volume day! Thanks again, I truly appreciate the advice.