Texas Method for Bench: Actually Going Well

[Sean Stangl]

I often read that the Texas Method doesn't work for bench. After repeated bouts with linear progression, I got it working for the last month and am solidly in PR territory. I figured an explanation of my TM setup may be useful for discussion.

I'm 25, male, training about 3 years. Squat 545, deadlift 545, press 215, bench 325 3x3.

Important notes are:

1. Benching twice every week, linear press once a week
2. 3x3 on Intensity Day, not cycling rep ranges, for as long as possible
3. Lying Tricep Extensions for whole-tricep work after bench intensity
4. Incrementing Intensity and Volume by 2.5/wk

Before I started TM, I did linear progression +5 2x/wk from 285 3x5 -> 305 3x5, a PR, followed by repeated failure at 310, usually only managing grindy 3-rep sets. To transition to TM, I increased the total weekly volume slightly, taking a safe volume day at 285 5x5, with a record intensity day at 315 3x3.

I squat three days a week, bench two days a week, and press once a week. Although this would seem to disadvantage the press, it has actually been progressing nicely on 6x3 linear.

My weekly setup is as follows:

• Sunday - Bench 5x5 (+2.5/wk)
• Monday - Squat, Deadlift Accessory
• Tuesday - Press 6x3 (+2.5/wk), Press 5x10 (manageable weight, increase if successful)
• Wednesday - Squat, Power Clean
• Thursday - Bench 3x3 (+2.5/wk), ramping LTE 5x10 (+5 if successful)
• Friday - Squat, Deadlift
• Saturday - Rest

This has taken me over the last month from 285 5x5 / 315 3x3 to a very solid 295 5x5 / 325 3x3, with progressing weeks not feeling much more difficult than the week prior.

LTEs are for building tricep mass for stability. They involve a part of the proximal tricep that bench only uses in a partial ROM. I've noticed that lifts generally feel more locked-in if muscle mass is larger. (I'm hoping that this same observation will work for squats by involving hamstring-specific training like RDLs, but I don't have enough data to report yet.)

I hope this helps you set up bench on TM.

[Tredaway]

Ferrum, thanks for sharing what you have learned and congratulations on your progress. I have a couple of questions for you, on the intensity day is the 3x3 done as sets across and have you gained body weight during the improvements you've made to your bench or have you kept your body weight the same ?

Once again well done and thanks for sharing.

[Sean Stangl]

Ferrum, thanks for sharing what you have learned and congratulations on your progress. I have a couple of questions for you, on the intensity day is the 3x3 done as sets across and have you gained body weight during the improvements you've made to your bench or have you kept your body weight the same ?

The 3x3 is for sets across. It could probably also be done ramping; I don't think it would make a big difference. Bodyweight has remained consistent at 201lbs.

[dr3w]

Thanks for the tip on LTE to help bench press, my bench press has always been weak. I haven't been doing any accessory lifts for triceps, the last time I did dip, I hurt my shoulder and I haven't done any since

[Tredaway]

The 3x3 is for sets across. It could probably also be done ramping; I don't think it would make a big difference. Bodyweight has remained consistent at 201lbs.

Thanks for the reply, a couple more questions for you. what rest periods are you taking for both the volume day and the intensity day and are you just taking very quick rests between sets for your LTE's as your going for mass ?

Thanks again for your time

[Sean Stangl]

Thanks for the reply, a couple more questions for you. what rest periods are you taking for both the volume day and the intensity day and are you just taking very quick rests between sets for your LTE's as your going for mass ?

Rest doesn't matter, provided that you get enough of it, and provided that you don't wait so long that you get cold. Try to take a short rest, and if you feel fatigued during your set, simply rest for longer next time. In this way you can titrate to the right amount of rest for your personal recovery ability. For bench, I usually take anywhere from 7-10 minutes, only going when I feel ready. For heavy squat, I never take fewer than 15 minutes between work sets. I would rather rest longer and get the sets.

For LTEs, I take about 2-3 minutes, which is not quite enough for me to feel fully recovered but enough to not compromise form. Given all the stress of completing the main lifts, I like to have more fun with the accessory work, so I program it in a way where failure isn't a problem, and I just rep out, up to 10. For example, for a planned 5x10 backoff for press at 135, I might do {10, 10, 10, 8, 6} as fatigue will allow.

[^pala]

How long can you keep the 3X3 progression? On some point you will fail at the 1X3 of the original TM, so most probably you will fail far faster on the 3X3. What about when you fail? What happens then, for example after 3 sets of 2?
Also, arent the LTE going to kill your triceps for the Sunday 5X5 volume?

[hamburgerfan]

Three days should be plenty of time for your triceps to recover from doing a little work.

[Sean Stangl]

How long can you keep the 3X3 progression? On some point you will fail at the 1X3 of the original TM, so most probably you will fail far faster on the 3X3. What about when you fail? What happens then, for example after 3 sets of 2?

Actually, I've noticed that bench and squat volume are different. 3x3 on TM for squat would be a significant increase in difficulty from 1x3, but additional sets across at record weight on bench do not feel noticeably more difficult than the first set. I think this is because bench is much less taxing. I usually feel beaten after squats, but still feel energetic even after ground-out bench sets. I could definitely do more than 3x3, but that seems to be the sweet spot for progress at the moment.

After 3x3 fails, I will probably stick with 3RM for as long as possible. When that is no longer possible, I'll cycle between 3 singles and 3RM, attempting to increase each independently, having had success with a similar system for the squat. When that no longer works, I'll take a reset and restart a novice-style linear progression, ending up back at the TM 3x3. I've taken several linear resets so far, and always wind up with productive PRs at the end of them.

Also, arent the LTE going to kill your triceps for the Sunday 5X5 volume?

No, because the weight for LTE is much lower than the weight used in bench. A top set of LTEs for me would be around 135lbs x 10, which is difficult, but mostly for the vastly undertrained part of the tricep that forms the anterior part of the armpit. I'm never sore or fatigued for volume day.