Texas Method and recovery

[jake272]

I searched around to see if this question had been answered, but I didn't find anything that is specific to my situation. I recently transitioned from HLM to TM, I was wondering if I should wait to start TM until I'm certain that I'm gaining weight? I took in 4000 kcal/day last week, and my weight stayed the same, I weighed in at 213.4 lbs. I'm 21 and 5'11". I figured that since TM starts off lighter to avoid getting stuck early, that I could start the program, and if I slowly add in calories over the next few weeks, my bodyweight would increase about the same time as the weight on the bar starts to get heavy.

Should I try to start TM right now, or stick with HLM until I know my bodyweight is increasing weekly at a slow rate? I started TM this week, but I think I started off too heavy, I didn't get all my reps on intensity day for the squat and deadlift because I was getting 355x5x5 on squats and pulled 440 at a meet last Saturday, so I thought 365x5 on squats and 405x5 on deadlift would be a good starting point. My back was hurting when I was lifting the numbers mentioned previously, so I figured my form was probably shit, my back stopped hurting completely today, buuut I only got 365x4 on squats and 405 only once on deadlifts. Bench was fine, however, got 227.5x5, so I guess I can lift less when my form is correct.

So my other question is should I keep going with the TM, and just reset my lifts to a lighter weight where my form is shitty? Or stick with HLM using good form on the lifts until I know my bodyweight is going up, then switch to TM? I was also wondering if it's OK to have a physical job and do TM as long as I get sufficient calories and sleep? I usually get 8 hours of sleep, maybe 7 on nights where I have school at 7 am. I could also switch to a Wedneseday,Friday, Sunday schedule if getting 8 hours of sleep the day before workouts is vital ( I'm on a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday schedule and I usually train on the weekdays where I only get 7 hours of sleep the night before). My physical activity at work varies, so I may burn more calorie some days than others, so should I be OK as long as my weight goes up fairly consistently and I get sufficient sleep? Thanks for any suggestions, my programming/recovery situation is a dumpster fire right now....I could use some input.

[Bradley Gish]

I've ran TM with decent success. I'm 33, 6'1 @ 238( more like 225 when I ran TM cycle). I work a somewhat taxing job, drink every day, and can't remember the last time I slept 8 hours all night. 5'11 213 is not bad, @ 21 years of age I'll think you will be fine. I probably would've started my first ID squat workout @ 355, and Volume Day @ 320x5x5, especially if you have been running HLM for a while. Let some fatigue dissipate. I've learned from experience that you don't want to enter a new program totally in a fatigued state. Take a conservative reset, and you will be glad you did two months down the road. As for your weight gain, if I were you, I would strive to put on 5 more pounds, that way you can train very close to the limit of that weight class, and not have to worry about cutting one week out. Unless you plan to move up to 220-242.

[jake272]

I've ran TM with decent success. I'm 33, 6'1 @ 238( more like 225 when I ran TM cycle). I work a somewhat taxing job, drink every day, and can't remember the last time I slept 8 hours all night. 5'11 213 is not bad, @ 21 years of age I'll think you will be fine. I probably would've started my first ID squat workout @ 355, and Volume Day @ 320x5x5, especially if you have been running HLM for a while. Let some fatigue dissipate. I've learned from experience that you don't want to enter a new program totally in a fatigued state. Take a conservative reset, and you will be glad you did two months down the road. As for your weight gain, if I were you, I would strive to put on 5 more pounds, that way you can train very close to the limit of that weight class, and not have to worry about cutting one week out. Unless you plan to move up to 220-242.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, probably just need to take a more conservative approach to transitioning between programs. And I'll probably go up to 220-242 unless I can make some decent gains by going up a few pounds and staying right under the 198-220 limit.

[BBB]

I searched around to see if this question had been answered, but I didn't find anything that is specific to my situation. I recently transitioned from HLM to TM, I was wondering if I should wait to start TM until I'm certain that I'm gaining weight? I took in 4000 kcal/day last week, and my weight stayed the same, I weighed in at 213.4 lbs. I'm 21 and 5'11". I figured that since TM starts off lighter to avoid getting stuck early, that I could start the program, and if I slowly add in calories over the next few weeks, my bodyweight would increase about the same time as the weight on the bar starts to get heavy.

Should I try to start TM right now, or stick with HLM until I know my bodyweight is increasing weekly at a slow rate? I started TM this week, but I think I started off too heavy, I didn't get all my reps on intensity day for the squat and deadlift because I was getting 355x5x5 on squats and pulled 440 at a meet last Saturday, so I thought 365x5 on squats and 405x5 on deadlift would be a good starting point. My back was hurting when I was lifting the numbers mentioned previously, so I figured my form was probably shit, my back stopped hurting completely today, buuut I only got 365x4 on squats and 405 only once on deadlifts. Bench was fine, however, got 227.5x5, so I guess I can lift less when my form is correct.

So my other question is should I keep going with the TM, and just reset my lifts to a lighter weight where my form is shitty? Or stick with HLM using good form on the lifts until I know my bodyweight is going up, then switch to TM? I was also wondering if it's OK to have a physical job and do TM as long as I get sufficient calories and sleep? I usually get 8 hours of sleep, maybe 7 on nights where I have school at 7 am. I could also switch to a Wedneseday,Friday, Sunday schedule if getting 8 hours of sleep the day before workouts is vital ( I'm on a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday schedule and I usually train on the weekdays where I only get 7 hours of sleep the night before). My physical activity at work varies, so I may burn more calorie some days than others, so should I be OK as long as my weight goes up fairly consistently and I get sufficient sleep? Thanks for any suggestions, my programming/recovery situation is a dumpster fire right now....I could use some input.

Very good numbers!

I think you just started with too high a weight. You can't start at your limits and expect to make progress; you need some runway room. I would scale back everything and add weight back slowly. Don't worry, it's not wasted time. This will give you time to recover, groove your form and get you mentally settled into making progress again. I like to feel like I haven't done enough work, just motivation to slap on 5-more lbs next week

Since you were already doing 355x5x5, that's what I'd do on intensity day: 355x5. Your volume day will be 90% of that (320x5x5) as BGish1984 said. You will be at 405x5 in no time.

Regarding deadlifts, you were probably burned out, but the starting point was also way high. If your best in a meet was 440 then I'd start with 365x5. It may seem light, but it's plenty and will be going up 5lbs/week anyway. Again, you don't want to fatigue yourself with DL's and not be able to do squats either. Heavy DL's really stress the CNS, I've been known to skip them sometimes, but then again, I'm not 21

Are you pulling on your squat volume day? If so, I'd move that to intensity day. I'm usually pretty beat up after squat/bench volume, not to mention that it takes a long ass time.

After making the adjustments, give yourself at least a few months to gauge progress. Don't jump around.

I've been running the Texas Method for just over a year now. My squat started at 335x5 and in 10-months went up to 410x5. I'm much older than you (and a little lighter), so you should have no problems making gains.

Hope that's good motivation, good luck!

[jake272]

Very good numbers!

I think you just started with too high a weight. You can't start at your limits and expect to make progress; you need some runway room. I would scale back everything and add weight back slowly. Don't worry, it's not wasted time. This will give you time to recover, groove your form and get you mentally settled into making progress again. I like to feel like I haven't done enough work, just motivation to slap on 5-more lbs next week

Since you were already doing 355x5x5, that's what I'd do on intensity day: 355x5. Your volume day will be 90% of that (320x5x5) as BGish1984 said. You will be at 405x5 in no time.

Regarding deadlifts, you were probably burned out, but the starting point was also way high. If your best in a meet was 440 then I'd start with 365x5. It may seem light, but it's plenty and will be going up 5lbs/week anyway. Again, you don't want to fatigue yourself with DL's and not be able to do squats either. Heavy DL's really stress the CNS, I've been known to skip them sometimes, but then again, I'm not 21

Are you pulling on your squat volume day? If so, I'd move that to intensity day. I'm usually pretty beat up after squat/bench volume, not to mention that it takes a long ass time.

After making the adjustments, give yourself at least a few months to gauge progress. Don't jump around.

I've been running the Texas Method for just over a year now. My squat started at 335x5 and in 10-months went up to 410x5. I'm much older than you (and a little lighter), so you should have no problems making gains.

Hope that's good motivation, good luck!

Sweet, thanks for the suggestions.