The Texas Method training program is great when you have past the initial newbie gains and it is a natural step after Stronglift 5×5 or Starting Strength. It is tougher and more demanding than Stronglift 5×5 and Starting Strength but it is usually perfect when you get stuck and enter a plateau in your gains. Texas Method consists of 6 compound exercises, 3 workouts per week, different loads in every workout and you try to break your personal records every week in the last workout. Compared to Stronglift 5×5 and Starting Strength you do not increase the load every workout, instead you do it every third workout which is once a week. The first workout is based on volume, the second is a bit lighter and in the third it is record time with heavy lifts. Try to increase the load with 2,5 kilos for upper body and 5 kilos for lower body every week if you can manage all the reps in the program.
Workouts and load in the Texas Method
- On volume days you should be doing 5×5 with about 90% 5RM load, meaning 90% weight of what you maximum can lift 5 times.
- In the second workout which is lighter you use about 70-80% 5RM
- The intensiv record day means heavy lifts. 100% 5RM. If you make it you raise the weights for the up coming week
Sleep, rest and nutrition
As in all training programs your sleep is important to make good progress. Aim at 7-8 hours per night. Try not to stress too much either, you do not want stress hormones in your body for maximum gains.
It is also important that you eat enough. For maximum gains you should be on a calorie surplus. Aim at +500 kcal per day. This program is not for building a six pack, it is for gaining strength. If you are not on a surplus you will for sure gain strength and muscles and at the same time lose fat which is great but for maximum strength gain it s not optimal.
Make sure to rest properly between your sets, aim at 2-3 minutes. You should feel pretty fresh before you lift heavy again.
Personal Records in week A and B Vecka
The program is based on two different week variations, week A and B. You do them every second week. Week A is more about Bench Press and B is about Military Presses (overhead press). Make sure to ad more weight and try to beat your personal record in the last and intense third workout. During both weeks you try to increase the load in Squats and Deadlift and during week A you try to increase your Bench Press. For week B you try to make a personal record in Military Presses.
Read More about the Texas Method
The program was created by Mark Rippetoe who also designed Starting Strength. Look him up for more info.
