starting strength gym
Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Catatonic's Texas Method log

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    81

    Default Catatonic's Texas Method log

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    I've decided to make a switch to Texas Method instead of waiting to stall on linear progression, leaving some room for me to adapt to the new programming.

    Currently stats:

    Height: 5'10"
    Current bodyweight: 220-230 - I'm doing some very gradual dieting right now, mostly just cutting out the pastries and other garbage.

    Last lifts were...
    Squats: 325x5x3
    OH Press: 160x3
    Bench Press: 225x5x3
    Deadlift: 365x5
    Power Clean: 215x3

    I'm a 25 year old full-time nursing student living in Olympia, Washington. A little over a year ago, while I was working full time as a landscaper, I made a run at linear progression. I had no previous weightlifting experience, and while I was making good progress, my job imposed some serious limitations on my recovery. I stopped lifting altogether after I pulled a muscle in my back at a job site. My squats were at 295x5, unbelted, and my deadlift was 305x5.

    After the back injury, I stopped lifting for about a month, and in the meantime, my girlfriend and I decided that we were going to quit our jobs and go to school full-time and move back to Olympia (we were in Seattle at the time). I started lifting again in August, and brought my squats from 245x5x3 to 325x5x3, just before Christmas. A milieu of personal obligations and stress distracted me from training, and again, I quit. On a whole, the transition into the new year was burdened with personal problems, but - to my credit - I had been wise enough to sign up for the Starting Strength seminar in Redmond, taking place at the end of February. As this date drew closer, I was compelled to start training again. As my lifting progressed, so did my mental state.

    Its now two weeks following the seminar, and my ambition to get strong has never been better. While its tempting to see how far I can push myself in linear progression, since its an eagerly observed attribute in lifters in this community, I'm opting to switch to TM to preserve long term progress. Stalls are natural, but I'd rather not have my transition into TM be preceded by weeks of being physically ground down - novice progression is important, but so is the early progress as an early intermediate.

    On Monday, I'm beginning Texas Method.
    Last edited by Joe Kirsch; 03-09-2012 at 12:03 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    81

    Default The program

    This is how my program will look, at least to start:

    (sets x reps)

    Monday:
    Squat 4x5
    Bench 5x5/ Press 5x5
    Power Clean 5x3

    Wednesday:
    Practice Power Snatch (I've never used recovery squats)
    Press 3x5/Bench 3x5
    GHR - volume will be added very gradually on these.
    Chins

    Friday:
    Squat 5PR
    Bench 3PR/Press 3PR
    Deadlift 5PR
    Last edited by Joe Kirsch; 03-11-2012 at 10:08 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    81

    Default

    Time to play catch up:

    First off, I haven't been using the program listed above for the past few months; instead, I've been using a general framework from a TM-inspired 4-day split:

    Tues:
    Intensity Bench 3RM/Intensity Press 3RM
    Chins - 3-5 sets
    Dips 2-3 sets

    Wed:
    Volume Squats - 5x5
    Barbell Rows - 3x5

    Fri/Sat:
    Volume Press/Volume Bench - 5x5
    Barbell Curls

    Sun:
    Intensity Squat - 5RM
    Deadlift
    Deadlift assistance

    I've found that in using more of a general framework, I'm able to integrate components of autoregulation/intuitive training. I don't hold back on doing extra sets of 3 for my presses, for example, if I'm feeling strong on an intensity press day. This has resulted in me naturally gravitating toward 3 ascending sets of 3 on bench, while doing 2 ascending sets of 3 for overhead press.

    Most recently, I've experimented with cutting back volume day on squats to 3x5 instead of 5x5, and I found I was able to successfully drive improvement on intensity day; I have no desire to push volume for volume sake, so 3x5 will be my standard for volume day until modifications are required.

    My current bests at this point are:
    Squat: 350x5
    Bench: 245x3
    OH Press (strict, non-olympic): 170x3
    Deadlift: 375x5

    At one point, I was doing 2 days of Olympic lifting alongside my Texas Method programming, and since I'm relatively new to the sport, the sub-maximal weights hardly interrupted recovery; in fact, I'd claim the extra physical activity and range of motion helped. I did manage to clean and jerk 250, however, before refocusing on strength gains.
    Last edited by Joe Kirsch; 06-04-2012 at 01:15 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    81

    Default

    I lost my written workout log, so I can't really provide any detailed updates on my training; since the loss of the notebook, I transferred my long onto my computer, and I guess I'll just dump everything here and now. I've long since switched from Texas Method, beginning with autoregulated training, then 5/3/1, then a bastardization of a Jim Steel program (which I'm currently running.)

    6/19/2012
    high-bar squat 295x5x3
    oh press 160x5, 135x8, 115x8
    power cleans 155x1x10, 175x1x14
    pull-ups 6/6/5
    lat-pull downs 12 reps

    6/20/2012
    barbell complex – 2 rounds (evil 8)

    6/21/2012
    bench press 195x5x5
    elliptical – 30 minutes

    6/22/2012
    rest

    6/23/2012
    low bar squat 365 – 3 singles
    clean-and-press 135# x5,4
    deadlift 345x1, 315x5
    dips 8/8/8/8

    6/24/2012
    rowing – 6 intervals: 500m/1 min rest

    6/25/2012
    rest

    6/26/2012
    bench 235x2x4

    6/27/2012
    hike@evergreen
    squat 315x5x1 (325x5, 315x5 on 6/28)
    oh press 140x5x3 (160x3x3 on sunday 6/30)
    pull ups 7/6
    deadlift 405x1
    lat pull down 180# 12/12
    hammer rows – 3 sets

    6/28/2012
    rest

    6/29/2012
    squat 325x5, 330x5
    bb curls – 4 sets

    7/4/2012
    squat 315x5
    deadlift 385x1,395x1, 315x5
    bench press 225x6x3
    hammer rows – 4 sets

    7/5/2012
    barbell complex: cosgrove evil 8 6-5-4-3-2-1

    ------------------
    Began Wendler's 5/3/1...
    ------------------

    7/8/2012
    squat 300x9
    press 145x9
    chins 9/9/7
    bench 135 5x10
    prowler push

    7/12/2012
    bench 205x10
    press 100 5x10
    deadlift 330x8
    hammer rows

    7/15/2012
    squat 320x10
    press 150x6 (not recovered from 7/12 pressing)
    close grip bench press 140 5x10
    chins 5/5/5/5/4
    curls
    prowler push (6x)

    7/19/2012
    bench press 200x3/215x3/225x7/185x5
    deadlift 345x8
    press 135x5
    cg bench 185x8/185x5
    squat 225x5x2

    7/22/2012
    squat 335x9, 295x5
    oh press 135x5x3, 135x12
    cg bench 185x5, 185x8, then 185x8 w/ pause at bottom
    chins 7/7/7

    -----------------
    After this point, I went through another brief stint of autoregulated training, which is negligible and not worth posting. After acquiring Jim Steel's book of programs, I started using his 4-day split (beginning on page 19). I modified it to make room for more overhead press work.
    -----------------

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    81

    Default

    This current training cycle is based on my most recent maxes:
    OH Press: 185
    Bench Press: 275
    Squat: 410 (this could be considerably higher, since I've squatted 330x9 and never tested for a max)
    Deadlift: 450
    Power clean: 260 (this isn't a fixed part of the program, but I deem it relevant)

    The following is my most recent lifting, beginning at the first week of Steel's 8-week program:

    Week 1
    Monday – 8/6/2012
    Squat 287.5 5x5
    Front Squats 265 3x3
    Chins: 11/11/10/6
    Toes to bar: 2 sets of 10

    Wednesday – 8/8/2012
    CG bench press 147.5x6, 160x6, 172.5x6
    Dips 6/7/7/6 (26 total)
    w/ barbell curls & reverse curls


    Friday – 8/10/2012
    Deadlift 315 12x2 (w/ 1.5 min rest)
    Pullups 6/6/6
    Barbell row 185 3x8
    w/ 44kg kettlebell farmer's walk after each set. (3 walks total)

    Sunday – 8/12/2012
    Bench 165x5, 195x5, 205 2x4, 220 2x2, 205 2x4, 195x5, 180x8, 165x10, 150x12, 140x12
    OH Press 145x5x3
    Rear delt raises (10#) 3x10 w/ 2 second pause
    Laterals (25#) 3x10 w/ 2 second pause
    35lb KB press – 1x12 (each arm)

    Week 2

    Tuesday – 8/14/2012
    Squat 310 5x4, 330 2x2
    Front squat 225x5
    Pullups/Chins (varying grip) – 4 sets
    Hanging leg raises – 4 sets (3 second pause at top)

    Thursday – 8/16/2012
    CG Bench 147.5x6, 160x6, 172.5x6, 185x6
    OH Press 135x5, 145x5, 150x5
    DB Curls – 45# 3x10
    Barbell reverse curls – 60# 3x10-14

    Friday – 8/17/2012
    Deadlift (315x4, 340x2, 360x2)x4
    Barbell rows 190# 3x8
    /w 2x44 kg farmer's walk after each set

    Sunday – 8/19/2012
    Bench 165x5, 195x4, 205 5x4
    OH press 135x2, 155x1, 165x4, 115 2x10
    Dips 5/6/7
    Power clean 135x1, 185x1, 225x1, 235x1, 245x1, 255x1, 260x1
    Last edited by Joe Kirsch; 08-19-2012 at 10:13 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    81

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    Week 3

    Tuesday - 8/21/2012
    Squat 330 5x3, 287.5x8
    Chins/pullups - 5 sets to failure, varied grips
    Hanging leg raises - 3 sets of 30

    Since I've transitioned to this program, I feel like I've struggled with maintaining upper back tightness during my squats; this may be due to the fact that I'm deadlifting a lot of volume, combined with a decent amount of upper back work, although some of my past programming has been utterly negligent of upper back recovery and I didn't experience the same problem. I'm suspicious that the dual 44kg farmer's walks are a greater upper back stressor than I originally thought. Its not a major obstacle, though.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •