Switching to Periodized Program

Stats: M 33 280 ~1100 (407, 265, 418).

Let me give some more background. I had my first meet in July. Those were my numbers. I’m doing another meet in a couple weeks and will likely have added 30-40 pounds. I have found great progress with Texas method 4 day split. However, I think the texas method is really taking a toll on my body and I’m having trouble with my bench. My squat seems to be improving. My deadlift is meh mostly because of form and switching back to conventional after a year or so of sumo.

I’ve been thinking I should switch to something like 5/3/1 (Off season conditioning) after my meet to a) lose weight and b) take it easier on my aging body. I know 33 is not that old but I’m not recovering like I used to. I’m sure I could get more mileage out of the TM, but at what cost? I would like to continue lifting for a while and I think training submaximally would help that. Also, for health reasons, I"m carrying too much fat and think that I would be a lot healthier and happier being at 242.

I’ve started to read about periodization etc. and realize that while 5/3/1 may not be the best program for me, it’s start and I can see what works better for me i.e. frequency, volume etc.

So is 5/3/1 the best start for a periodized program or should I keep doing research and come up with my own?

I myself had problems with my bench following a 5x5 program, and I have seen it with other lifters as well. I think it is the lack of direct tricep work. My bench started to take off a lot faster after I started adding a TON of tricep and rear delt work and really made it a point to add some upper body mass. Just a thought.

Following an established program is always going to be better than trying to make your own. The best thing you can do is hire a coach or find a crew to train with. If thats not an option, 5/3/1 is a good choice and Jim is available on these forums for any questions you’d have.

1 Like

Watch this 72 year old man deadlift 260.5kg and then come back and tell me you are too old: 260.5kg World record deadlift for Janos Fabri (72 years old) from Hungary in the Master 4 83kg class!! | By International Powerlifting Federation - IPF | Facebook

5/3/1 is OK but do a variation where you are doing each lift at least twice a week, less than that doesn’t make sense for a newer lifter. If I could go back in time I would have used one of the sample programs on Boris Sheiko’s site.

Ask Amit Sapir for some weight loss advice in the thread he just started.

The “aging body” thing really caught my eye here. I am 35 and have a young child at home, and feel and recover better than I did in my mid-20’s because I am reasonably lean. I was tubbier in my 20’s, though not as strong. Being fat makes you feel old. Bodily processes don’t work as well. I would bet good money that getting lean would change your perspective about your age…you are a young man in the strength game.

W/r/t “periodized” programming, everything is periodized. If you don’t periodize your training, life will do it for you. Periodization is just a fancy moniker for planning over a long period. 5/3/1 is good, but it isn’t a program, it’s a philosophy under the umbrella of which there are hundreds of “programs”. Read and try things out. If you understand the way a plan works, can articulate it and believe in it, it should work for you. Reasonable parameters for powerlifting training are pretty broad.

1 Like

Hey mate, look up the article ‘12 ways to skin the texas method’ questions will be answered there by a very strong lifter and nutrition expert jordan feigenbaum.