Texas Method

[Squat1]

As a general rule how do you know when to take a deload or rest week with the Texas Method program?
I am into my 10th week and I think I might need an easy week sooner or later, I am still progressing in general, however my chin-ups have stalled for about 3 weeks.

Any help appreciated

[Tom Narvaez]

You shouldn't need a deload week with the Texas Method. Once you stop making progress, you need to reevaluate your volume and intensity parameters and, only at that point, consider a reset to allow fatigue to dissipate.

What does your programming look like for chinups?

[Squat1]

Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure with about 4-5 minutes rest between sets.

I train with the setup as described in the TNation article with generally about 3-6 minutes rest between sets.
I am hoping next Friday's intensity workout will tell me what state my body is in.

[Carlos Daniel]

If you're feeling beaten down, take a light week. It's not the end of the world. If you can do at least 8 chins, you can start doing them weighted.

[stonerider]

who gives a shit about your chin-ups

they're an assistance exercise...

if you care about your chins relative to your main lifts, then set them up in a TM fashion -- volume, light, intensity

otherwise, if your intensity day is still increasing (and volume isn't beating you to death), you're probably fine

when volume starts killing you and intensity day suffers from it, drop a set or two from your volume day and see if intensity goes up again, then slowly add sets back in to your volume day


there really shouldn't be a "de-load" where you lower intensity day

[spiderman]

If you're feeling beaten down, take a light week. It's not the end of the world.

I agree. I don't know why everyone feels the need to increase every week. A little rest at the right times is a good way to avoid injury or illness and also to help maintain mental motivation. Working out tired isn't fun.

[spiderman]

who gives a shit about your chin-ups

they're an assistance exercise...

Unless, like me, they are your primary exercise and you happen to care about them.

[Tom Narvaez]

lol, didn't he address that in the next two sentences?

I think it would be cool to see chinups as a contested lift. I honestly wonder what some of the freaks out there could do.

[stonerider]

I agree. I don't know why everyone feels the need to increase every week. A little rest at the right times is a good way to avoid injury or illness and also to help maintain mental motivation. Working out tired isn't fun.

this is akin to saying "i don't know why everyone feels the need to increase every workout" when doing a novice linear progression

because if you're an intermediate lifter on a progression, you should be increasing week-to-week until you are nearing the end of your intermediate days (which, for most people, probably isn't going to happen, in all honesty)

then again, if you don't give a shit about getting stronger, then there you go... no need to push your apathetic agenda onto everyone else on a STRENGTH-oriented website

[PaulBeech]

That would be an awesome new addition to powerlifting meets. the race to a 700lb chin up.