TM ideas

[straingth]

Hey guys, I have been on the Texas Method for 3 1/2 weeks now. I want to add the power snatch into my routine and I also wanted to build up more explosive strength. I am beginning to do some throwing in hopes of joining the college track team (I haave only learned the javelin thus far), and I want to join the school's weightlifting team; I am a rising freshman, by the way.
Here are my 5RMs (lbs):
Squat: 270
Deadlift: 315
Bench: 205
Press: 135
Power Clean: 135 (I just solidified my form)

Pull-ups: BWx9,8,7

Weight: 215 lbs
Height: 6' 5.5"

My current routine is:
Week 1: Day 1- Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Rows 3x8

Day2- Squat 2x5 (light)
Press 3x5 (light)
Power Clean 5x3
Pull-ups BWxmax

Day 3- Squat 5RM
Bench 5RM
Deadlift 5RM

Week 1: Day 1- Squat 5x5
Press 5x5
Rows 3x8

Day2- Squat 2x5 (light)
Bench 3x5 (light)
Power Clean 5x3
Pull-ups BWxMax

Day 3- Squat 5RM
Press 5RM
Deadlift 5RM

The rows were there to serve as light back work.

Here is a routine I am considering:
Week 1: Day 1- Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Power Clean 5x3

Day2- Front Squat 2x5 or 3x5
Press 3x5 (light)
Power Snatch 2x6
Pull-ups BWxMax

Day 3- Squat 5RM
Bench 5RM
Shrugs 5RM (maybe alternate with C&J 1RM)

Week 1: Day 1- Squat 5x5
Press (olympic) 5x5
Power Clean 5x3

Day2- Front Squat 2x5 or 3x5
Bench 3x5 (light)
Power Snatch 6x2
Pull-ups BWxMax

Day 3- Squat 5RM
(Push) Press 5RM
Deadlift 5RtM

I want to eventually do some DE work with the Bench and Squat, once I exhaust current progress. I am not doing the double hip hyperextension, but rather one hyperextension at the beginning of the lift; I still get underneath the bar at the top of the lift.
Here are my concerns:
1) Will 100% front squats be a good idea for those light days?
2) Does the Clean & Jerk 1RM, a movement I have never done, belong on Friday?
3) Would the Shrug alternating with the deadlift be too hard to recover from? I assume the C&J would be a buffer for over-training with those two lifts. I would start the shrugs once my deadlift stalls)
4) I am using the push press as an explosive lift. I am using the olympic press as an explosive lift with the addition of having it work the abs and superior quads (I have no way of doing weighted sit-ups). Does any one believe the push press does not belong here?

[veryhrm]

huh huh huh... you said rising...

Now that that's out of the way... what were you doing before you started TM? Did you do the SS beginner prog or that Graystone LP or something similar? Are you sure you've exhausted said gains. For your size (based on my internet honed sensibility) and age those 5RM's seem a little light esp on the squat and DL for you to require weekly planning. i don't mean this as a dis of any sort, just want to make sure you won't waste your summer on the comparatively slow TM if you don't need to.

as neither a thrower nor a weightlifter, i'd think that even if you stick w/ TM you need more DL (and cowbell). Your proposed plan has you doing it 1x5 every 2 weeks. In general, if you think of this as the off-season you want to focus on strength gains and heavy work. you can focus on power and skills later on when you can't work yourself to death because of the need to perform at meets. and also because you'll be a freshman in college and it will suck to have to sleep 10 hrs a day.

[Mr.City]

You might want to get some coaching on the oly lifts first, and may want to check out Justin Lascke's book about TM.

[straingth]

I did starting strength for a short time (a month or so). I wish I could have went longer, but i was already lifting for a couple years. So yeah, it is possible that I could make more novice gains, but it is not likely.
I was not planning on alternating the deadlift with the shrug until I am at the point where I cannot recover on a weekly basis. My deadlift has stalled for about a month due to grip issues; I am getting straps extremely soon, but I am still trying to figure out how to get a hold of some old seatbelts.

I am going to pass on getting oly lifting coaching.
A book about the TM? That sounds amazing. A thread on here (http://startingstrength.com/resource...t=23588&page=1) shows that some people say the book is a bit overpriced.

[Mr.City]

The price is a tad steep, but it does pretty well explaining the transition into TM. If you don't mind me asking, what caused you to stop SS? Stall? Lack of progress?

[straingth]

On the squat, I did a 260x5x3 on the first day of the week (Sunday for me), and I barely finished the sets across and had a sinking feeling in my soul at the thought of doing that again on Tuesday with more weight and again Thursday with even more weight. I really do not think that was just being a pussy. I have also seen people on here switching to intermediate for the same reason.
That happened at the same time i was attempting to overcome a plateau on the bench press. Before starting strength i had a two month plateau. I deloaded and stalled at the same weight. The texas method allowed me to progress to a new 5RM of 205, and I will hopefully get 210 this thursday.

[unochamp1]

On the squat, I did a 260x5x3 on the first day of the week (Sunday for me), and I barely finished the sets across and had a sinking feeling in my soul at the thought of doing that again on Tuesday with more weight and again Thursday with even more weight. I really do not think that was just being a pussy. I have also seen people on here switching to intermediate for the same reason.
That happened at the same time i was attempting to overcome a plateau on the bench press. Before starting strength i had a two month plateau. I deloaded and stalled at the same weight. The texas method allowed me to progress to a new 5RM of 205, and I will hopefully get 210 this thursday.

Had similar issues as you. Started out by improving form through self-video. Added more food (aimed for 300 grams of protein and lots of fat). Finished off with a belt. Gained me another 100 pounds on the squat.

[veryhrm]

On the squat, I did a 260x5x3 on the first day of the week (Sunday for me), and I barely finished the sets across and had a sinking feeling in my soul at the thought of doing that again on Tuesday with more weight and again Thursday with even more weight. I really do not think that was just being a pussy. I have also seen people on here switching to intermediate for the same reason.
That happened at the same time i was attempting to overcome a plateau on the bench press. Before starting strength i had a two month plateau. I deloaded and stalled at the same weight. The texas method allowed me to progress to a new 5RM of 205, and I will hopefully get 210 this thursday.

Ha! funny. I tend to get a sinking feeling in my soul when i do my last warm-up set and it feels pretty heavy, but i haven't even loaded the bar w/ work set weight yet. One thing i've found though is that the "linear progression" isn't actually that linear. Some days i'll barely finish the sets at a given weight and then the next workout the same weight +5 lbs feels ok.

I'm only 6' and twice your age and my SS LB squat working set today will be 285 about 2.5 months in (w/ 1 mostly form related reset). I'm w/ unochamp1 that you should make sure you're eating well and try to keep going w/ the LP. You're just leaving a lot of "easy" gains.

Anyway, how is your DL stalled by grip? Are you using alternate grip? i do double overhand on my wu sets and alternate grip on my work set. It hurts a little but it's perfectly solid (at 305 currently). Because i'm paranoid about imagined imbalances i flip my grip every rep though that's slowing my set down too much and i think i'll switch to flipping every workout instead.

[Edit: when i say my DL grip hurts i just mean that it hurts my skin a little because it is heavy (and yes i use the Rip suggested anti-callous grip which works quite well)]

[straingth]

I eat quite a bit (understatement), but I was not eating at quite this level back with SS.
unochamp1, i haven't consistently done the self video, so that might help the way you are saying it will.
veryhrm, my grips slips out before I can finish the last rep of DL 320x5.

Okay, I will do some SS for a week or so and see how recovery works for that.
This will be the routine:
Sun-Tues-Thurs
Week 1- Day 1
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Power Snatch 2x6
Pull-ups BWxmax3

Day 2
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Power Clean 5x3

Day 3
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

The second week would be Press-Bench-Press.

[veryhrm]

veryhrm, my grips slips out before I can finish the last rep of DL 320x5.

You're using alternate grip and it's still slipping ? is it a sweat issue ?

Okay, I will do some SS for a week or so and see how recovery works for that.
This will be the routine:
Sun-Tues-Thurs
Week 1- Day 1
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Power Snatch 2x6
Pull-ups BWxmax3

Day 2
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Power Clean 5x3

Day 3
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

The second week would be Press-Bench-Press.

That sounds good. Also if that's really killing you and you can't recover check out the PP book (or is it in SS) where there's an advanced novice program or something like that that only has 2 heavy squat days per week. That's still twice the progress of TM.