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Thread: intermediate program choice question

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    Default intermediate program choice question

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    If the Texas method is the more stressful of the two programs between it and the Starr model then why in the world would you use the Texas method if you can make the same rate of progress on a less stressful program? Or is it that the Texas method may be a bit faster and more efficient?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Larousse View Post
    If the Texas method is the more stressful of the two programs between it and the Starr model then why in the world would you use the Texas method if you can make the same rate of progress on a less stressful program? Or is it that the Texas method may be a bit faster and more efficient?
    The way Andy recommends using HLM is a pretty loose framework. If you can set it up in a way that allows you to progress 5 lbs a week on 3-5 x 5 as a post-novice lifter, then the application of stress is, by definition, appropriate. If you can't make that kind of progress without breaking apart the volume and intensity stimuli and spreading them out throughout the week, you're probably too advanced an intermediate for plain vanilla HLM, and Texas Method type of stress might be necessary to disrupt homeostasis (stress), invoke supercompensatory mechanisms(recovery & adaptation), and get stronger.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Larousse View Post
    If the Texas method is the more stressful of the two programs between it and the Starr model then why in the world would you use the Texas method if you can make the same rate of progress on a less stressful program? Or is it that the Texas method may be a bit faster and more efficient?
    It's not that simple. It's about how much you need to lift to disrupt homeostasis and thus increase your strength.

    Generally, if you're strong enough (like, brutally strong) where one single work set will disrupt homeostasis, you might do fine on a less stressful program. But if you got immense work capacity, and it takes you five work sets to disrupt homeostasis, then you need something more stressful. It's not a question which program is better, but which suits you better.

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    I think a lot of people around here have a completely warped interpretation of the interplay between volume and adaptation.

    The more volume you do, the greater the increase in underlying fitness. However, simultaneously, the more volume you do, the greater the increase in overall fatigue levels. Nevertheless, the entire point of programming, if you want to make gains at an optimal rate, is to figure out how you can do as much volume as physically possible while still recovering by the time your peak week rolls around.

    The more volume you perform and successfully recover from, the stronger you will get at the end of each training cycle. It is really that simple.

    This is why people who go through programs like Smolov, or whatever else, can come away with 30-40lbs increases on their maxes in ~3-4 weeks despite the fact they are "intermediate" or even "advanced" lifters.

    More volume, more progress. Do as much as you personally can. You don't even need to "program" per se until you've added as much time/volume as your schedule/body can accommodate. After you've reached your personal limit in terms of resources, whether that limit be practical or physical, that is when you need to start periodizing. Before that point, you can just get stronger by doing more.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Narvaez View Post
    I think a lot of people around here have a completely warped interpretation of the interplay between volume and adaptation.

    The more volume you do, the greater the increase in underlying fitness. However, simultaneously, the more volume you do, the greater the increase in overall fatigue levels. Nevertheless, the entire point of programming, if you want to make gains at an optimal rate, is to figure out how you can do as much volume as physically possible while still recovering by the time your peak week rolls around.

    The more volume you perform and successfully recover from, the stronger you will get at the end of each training cycle. It is really that simple.

    This is why people who go through programs like Smolov, or whatever else, can come away with 30-40lbs increases on their maxes in ~3-4 weeks despite the fact they are "intermediate" or even "advanced" lifters.

    More volume, more progress. Do as much as you personally can. You don't even need to "program" per se until you've added as much time/volume as your schedule/body can accommodate. After you've reached your personal limit in terms of resources, whether that limit be practical or physical, that is when you need to start periodizing. Before that point, you can just get stronger by doing more.
    What do you think of the opposite argument that you should do the least possible amount of volume possible (that still results in progress)? Usually justified with volume being a finite resource that shouldnt be 'wasted' if you are still able to adapt without using more?

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    Yea i thought I recall in your videos that you said you should use the LEAST amount of volume possible because that way once you stall out you can use more volume to progress and that by not doing that you leave yourself nowhere to go volume wise if you had started out doing a shitload of volume?

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    Post got eaten. So this is short version.

    Instead of thinking of it like this:
    "do the least amount possible when you stall so that you can add more to keep going"

    Think like this:
    "do the most amount possible and add even more when you stall"



    Using enough volume to just make progress is arbitrary. How do you define acceptable progress? 5lbs per workout? 5lbs per week? This is all aribtrary both the rate and the size of performance increase. This isn't how it really works most of the time in the real world. Performance often spikes and stagnates until the next spike.

    When you run out of resources, that is when you start periodizing. This is quite literally why block periodization was invented. They couldn't give the athletes more drugs and they literally ran out of time in the day to add more volume. So they HAD to figure out another solution. And the solution was focus on specific qualities during specific blocks while maintaining other qualities. Arrange the blocks in an order that will result in synergistic performance increase during the peak. ex: hypertrophy block ---> strength block ---> speed block just before the season starts. The problem of what to do when you run out of volume is already solved. You just have to actually develop your work capacity and recovery ability to the point where you can even consider anything else besides just adding more volume in the first place.

    You cannot start off doing maximum volume loads anymore than you can start off squatting 500lbs. You have to adapt to be able to withstand high volume loads. Even Weightlifting coaches slowly work their athletes up to training 10x+ week over the course of ~1-3 years or so. Same thing happens during your "novice" and "intermediate" phase. If a novice tries to train every day from the start, they won't hack it. You have to develop that ability. So, IMO, there is no need to worry, as a novice/intermediate, about giving yourself nowhere to go. You can't do your max volume loads anymore than you can squat your genetic potential. Have to adapt first.
    Last edited by Tom Narvaez; 10-14-2014 at 05:38 PM.

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    starting strength coach development program
    Excellent posts, Tom N. Please keep up your SSC credential for our benefit.

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