Help me program dips into T Method

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

Hi,
Did SS, then T method...started out too high on weights and burned out. I have been giving 3X3 a shot for 2 months and now am ready to take another swipe at TX method.

I will use the standard template below

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...e_texas_method


Here is my dilemma: I really like dips and dont want to give them up. Dips are not part of the template. At firtst, I wanted to drop bench all together and sub weighted dips, but I decided to keep the bench. Where does that leave dips? My thoughts:

1) On volume bench day, do 3X5 bench and 2X10 dips
2) On light bench day, just do 3 sets of dips and no bench
3) Intensity day, add 2 sets of 15 body-weight for added volume


Your thoughts on my ideas, or better ideas?

The only other modification to the program will be to do 1 set of 10 curls on volume and 1 set of pull ups on intensity day and 2 sets of chins on recovery day instead of 3 sets.

Thanks

[SciFat]

Dips are nothing but dips, dropping full bench from a program in place of a simple assistance exercise will end up hurting you in the long run.

Dips are no different then doing pull ups and chins. Its something you can hit at the end of your workouts and with a high rate of frequency. Basically what I'm saying is 2-4 sets of 8-12 reps of dips per training day is not going to kill you. Like everything else just do it and you will figure out what is effective or what is not. At that point you can start manipulating to some degree.

[Sean Herbison]

started out too high on weights and burned out.

Unrelated to your question, I know, but I see this quite often, so what do you mean by "burned out" in your case?

1 set of 10 curls

If you're going to put curls in, I'd do a few sets to make it worthwhile. Personally, I haven't felt like curls interfere with my other lifting.

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

I was doing squats at 235 for 5 sets if 5 when my 5 rep max was ~260. After a month, my knees started hurting for the first time in my life and my squats had moved up by 5 pounds and my deadlift and bench stalled hard. I was just feeling run down every day, despite sleep and eating. My body was telling me I was on the verge of an injury. I took a week off and started doing some stuff I sort of made up, just enjoying my new found SS strength then tried a 3X3 program that got me nowhere, so now I am doing TX method again. But I am OK with starting much lighter and gaining strength more slowly. I am 42, so I think slower may be better anyhow.

I just recently passed a 400 pound deadlift and I want a 400 pound squat and 500 pound deadlift in 12 - 16 months. The way my squats progress, though, it might be more like a decade before I see a 400 squat, which is by far, my hardest gainer of the SS lifts.

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

How many sets of curls to add some ammo to the guns and what rep scheme would you suggest?

[hollismb]

Why not just try it on VD like the article suggests?

Assistance Work: If it were up to me, I'd limit any assistance exercises to some brief arm work on Monday.

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

Why not just try it on VD like the article suggests?

Dips or curls? Personally, I feel dips are more of a fundamental, core lift than an assistance.

[hollismb]

Dips or curls? Personally, I feel dips are more of a fundamental, core lift than an assistance.

Either. Both. Whatever. Pick one or two exercises and do them after the main lifts for a few sets (3-5) of high (12-15) reps. They're still an assist, especially when done unweighted for higher reps (hypertrophy). For example, Chin-ups are important too, and actually part of the base program, can be loaded incrementally as well, but are still just an assistance exercise.

[Sean Herbison]

How many sets of curls to add some ammo to the guns and what rep scheme would you suggest?

I don't have any magic numbers. I do one day of 3*5 and one of 5*10. I've also got one day of 5*3 weighted chinups, just adding 2.5lb/week, and one day of bodyweight chinups, currently at 6*6.