Texas Method question

[brihead301]

Hey fellas, I'm trying to figure out how to set up a program based on the Texas method. There's a few things that are confusing to me. One of them being where to put the heavy set of deadlifts in - the volume day, the recovery day, or the intensity day??? I'm thinking 2-week cycles:

First off, my 5RM's for 3 sets that I finished SS with are:

squat - 265 lbs
bench - 220 lbs
OH press - 135 lbs
deadlift - 375 lbs
Power clean - 150 lbs

So here's my plan

Week 1:

Monday - Volume day

squat - 5x5 sets across
bench - 5x5 sets across
Power clean - 3x5 sets across
pull-ups - 2x10 @ bodyweight
abs.

Wednesday - recovery day

Deadlift - 1 x 5 heavy
OH press - 2 x 5 sets across
front squats - 3 x 3 sets across
abs.

Friday - Intensity day

Squat - 1 x 5
Bench - 1 x 3, 2, or 1
chin-ups - 3 sets weighted
abs

Week 2:

Monday - Volume day

squat - 5x5 sets across
OH Press - 5x5 sets across
Power clean - 3x5 sets
chin-ups - 2x10 @ bodyweight
abs.

Wednesday - recovery day

Deadlift - 1 x 5 heavy
Bench Press - 2 x 5 sets across
front squats - 3 x 3 sets across
abs.

Friday - Intensity day

Squat - 1 x 5
OH press - 1 x 3, 2, or 1
pull-ups - 3 sets weighted
abs

Okay, so you can see that both weeks are basically the same, just alternating the OH presses and the bench presses and the chin-ups and pull-ups.

I was going to start out using like 90% of my current 5RM's on monday. I'd go about 80% on wednesdays for bench, but keep it at my 5RM for OH press when it's that week.

For deadlifts, I figure if I start out with them on Wednesday's for one heavy set, but go relatively light on everything else. It will still be kind of a recovery day. Otherwise, I don't know where else to fit the deadlifts in.

Any suggestions, critiques, etc...?

Thanks a lot.

[coldfire]

Deadlifts fit in the intensity day. It doesn't work for long if you put them in the recovery day. Trust me on this one

[brihead301]

Ya, Rip still hasn't responded to my questions yet.

So deads go on Friday then huh?

Where would assistance exercises be placed like goodmornings, hypers, and pull-ups/chin-ups?

Also, is it a good idea to alternate the OH press and the bench press like this?

Thanks man.

[coldfire]

Yep, deads fit friday perfectly. It's like having a little meet every friday

It's fine alternating the presses, though I don't like doing so.

Pull ups/chin ups and hypers fit in the recovery day. I would put good mornings at the end of the intensity or volume day, for 3 not too heavy sets.

[brihead301]

Ok, gotcha.

So do you program it so that Bench press goes on the volume and intensity days, and the OH press goes on recovery day. Or vise-versa?

Also, do you ONLY do chins/pull-ups on recovery day?

And do you still do 5's for deadlifts on intensity day, or do you do a set of 3 or less?

[coldfire]

1.I used to press twice and bench once (on the recovery) day, because I don't care much about my bench. I can bench around 300lbs, but can't press 200lbs (though, I'm very close now).

2. Whatever you like. Not important.

3. I used to stick to 5s, but you can vary them with triples or even singles. The point of intensity day is to make personal records.

[brihead301]

Cool man, thanks a lot. I guess at this point in the training, it's more about just figuring this s*** out on your own.

[coldfire]

Yep. This is the tough part. But once you've run a few of these, you have better understanding of how this stuff works.

[Kastro]

1) Deads on Friday. The whole point is to use the PC volume on Mondays to spur progress on the Friday deads.

2) 3x5 isn't enough volume on PC's on Monday. Go 8x3.

3) Why are you doing front squats on the light day? This is fine, but unless you're looking for quad development or something, light back squats will be more beneficial.

[brihead301]

Thanks Kastro. You really think 8 x 3 on PC's huh?? Wow, I did 5x3 yesterday (rather then 3 x 5) and I noticed a major difference. I will do deads on Fridays.

And, I'd much rather do light back squats on the light day, but I thought it was recommended by Rippetoe to do front squats instead on that day. I personally hate front squats, and I don't particularly care about quad development.

[coldfire]

Front squats are not very important. You can use light back squats. I think that 6x3 will be enough volume for the power cleans. It's a technical lift, and it's hard to keep good form for so many sets.

[brihead301]

I did this yesterday for my volume day:

squat - 235 x 5 x 5
bench - 225 x 5, 205 x 5 x 4 (I just wanted to see if I could do the 225 for 5 reps)
PC - 150 x 5 x 3
pull-ups - 2 x 10
abs

Keeping in mind that my 5RM's are squat - 265, bench - 225, and PC - 155.

Doing sets of 5 rather then 3 really whooped my a**. I feel it today!!!

[Kastro]

Well, if 5x3 is enough for you to spur progress on the deadlifts, then it's fine.

[Be_Rye]

here check this link out here

[brihead301]

That's an awesome link. Thanks man!!

[Be_Rye]

No problem. I'm doing that routine right now but I feel the HIT day isn't very productive for me. My deads definitely went up on this routine though, so that's good.