A bridge to The Bridge

[neandrewthal]

Hello. I am a 30 year old early intermediate, 220 lbs at ~25% bf. Been running The Texas Method for 10 weeks since the end of my LP and I'm planning on doing 4 more weeks of TM cycling to singles for intensity day followed by a peaking week to get some 1RMs. Then it's on to the Bridge for at least the first 8 weeks of my plan to drop to ~17.5 bf in 12-16 weeks.

Since I can't stop playing around with the Texas Method anyway I thought I'd make a few changes to smooth my transition to the bridge.

First I added 2 GPP days. That is not as drastic as it sounds as I was already doing similar (to the bridge) GPP protocols at the end of my volume and intensity workouts. I just moved them to their own days and added the LISS cardio. But I have to admit I'm an absolute Cardio newb. At first I thought I was supposed to just make my heart rate 60-70% of my max which would be 114-133, but that seemed a little low. After a couple of sessions I realised maybe it means 60-70% of the difference between my resting heart rate and max, which would be 146-157. That seems a little more like it to me because I find if I'm not at least 150 it feels like I'm not doing anything. Does that sound about right? If I was right the first time, how important is it to be in the correct range? I just want to make sure I am properly preparing to get the most out of the HIIT like it says in the ebook. Also, if do this twice a week for my last 4 weeks on TM should I keep it up and add in the HIIT sooner on The Bridge or just follow the GPP protocols exactly as written, starting with just the one GPP day in week one etc...

Next, the deadlift volume on the bridge scares me, since I have only been doing one set of 5 on intensity days. So I think I will drop the power cleans on volume day (which I suck at anyway and I maybe shouldn't keep doing without a coach) and replace them with some deadlift volume to get used to pulling more than one set per week. I was thinking since the bridge has 2 deadlift variations for 4 weeks at a time I could do a different variation for my last 4 weeks on TM. Since I'm weak off the floor It seems to me that say, 3x5 of deficit deadlifts at 80% of my 5rm might be a good starting point. I'm not asking for permission, but if there is something wrong with this or a better idea I'm all ears.

Jeez, sorry this is so long. If most of this is inappropriate I hope at least the question about the heart rate will be less inappropriate than the rest. Thanks!

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I would ask you why add 2 GPP days when essentially peaking your TM (e.g. transition to singles)? I wouldn't do that.

Don't be afraid of the deadlift volume given it's rather low intensity. I think "getting used to the volume" by exposing yourself to more volume will negate the effect of adding more volume into the program. We increase this intelligently (biased opinion) on the bridge, so no need to be afraid. Additionally, why would you add volume while transitioning to singles? I wouldn't do that.

[neandrewthal]

I'm glad you asked because if I can't explain why I'm doing what I'm doing then I probably have no business doing it. And if you show that my explanation doesn't cut it then I still have no business doing it.

I would ask you why add 2 GPP days when essentially peaking your TM (e.g. transition to singles)? I wouldn't do that.

I guess when I read the bridge ebook I realised I was neglecting the cardio part of conditioning and probably overcompensated a bit to try to catch up. Not the best reason, but I thought it wouldn't be too much of a shock considering I'm already adapted to the chinups and isometric abs part of conditioning on top of TM (and seem to be recovering alright). I just added the cardio.

Don't be afraid of the deadlift volume given it's rather low intensity. I think "getting used to the volume" by exposing yourself to more volume will negate the effect of adding more volume into the program. We increase this intelligently (biased opinion) on the bridge, so no need to be afraid.

Hmm, I must have been thinking that adding 15 extra low intensity deadlift reps (and they are replacing power cleans) for a total of 20 per week would make me more ready to perform and recover from the 36-53 deadlift reps I would be performing on the first 4 weeks of the bridge and thus obtain more benefit from them rather than negate their effect. I am aware of the principle that a trainee becomes adapted to an amount of volume and after a certain point they must increase it to make further progress, but I thought that the only way that doing an intermediate (between the basic TM and the Bridge) amount of weekly deadlifting for now could hurt my deadlift progress on the bridge would be just by making faster progress right now and being that little bit closer to my limit and having less to gain once I start the bridge. But now that I think about it a little more, The Bridge WAS designed to be run after the LP which has low deadlift volume.

Additionally, why would you add volume while transitioning to singles? I wouldn't do that.

I am only transitioning to singles on the squat, press and bench right now. The intensity day deadlift is still going up in sets of five so I didn't mess with it. The reason that it is still moving in fives is probably that it is a bit behind the other lifts because I hit a major stall with it at the end of LP and spent the first few weeks on TM deloading it to get it moving again. I did think that switching from power clean to a slightly heavier deadlift variant on volume day would help me sustain the increases in my 5RM deadlifts though.

Moreover, I wasn't aware that transitioning to singles is considered "peaking" and that there are other special considerations to take while doing that. I thought that the peaking part was only in the last week where I drop some of the volume in the first part of the week to dissipate any fatigue I may have accumulate before I test for 1RMs at the end of the week.

What I thought I was doing was just manipulating the number intensity day reps while keeping everything else the same (for the squat and presses at least) because I read in PPST3 that that is all that is required to continue progress for the first while after the lifter is unable to progress with sets of 5 every week. I did notice that in the example in the 12 ways to skin article that the volume and light day sets and reps change as the intensity day reps decrease but I didn't really understand why nor think it was necessary the first run through cycling the intensity day reps (I was planning on doing it again after before I found The Bridge). I thought that while decreasing the rep ranges for intensity day I was still just basically doing the same thing I had been doing the whole time: adding weight on intensity day and that the best amount of volume on volume day to achieve that was still the maximum that I can perform and recover from in the allotted time frame from while still being able to sustain linear weekly increases, so basically 5x5.

[Awk1993]

I would ask you why add 2 GPP days when essentially peaking your TM (e.g. transition to singles)? I wouldn't do that.

Don't be afraid of the deadlift volume given it's rather low intensity. I think "getting used to the volume" by exposing yourself to more volume will negate the effect of adding more volume into the program. We increase this intelligently (biased opinion) on the bridge, so no need to be afraid. Additionally, why would you add volume while transitioning to singles? I wouldn't do that.

Jordan, could you respond to the point about what 60% heart rate means? I think the original poster has got this wrong and you literally mean 60% of max (e.g. 114-133 for this poster), right? Cheers

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I guess when I read the bridge ebook I realised I was neglecting the cardio part of conditioning and probably overcompensated a bit to try to catch up. Not the best reason, but I thought it wouldn't be too much of a shock considering I'm already adapted to the chinups and isometric abs part of conditioning on top of TM (and seem to be recovering alright). I just added the cardio.

But you're transitioning to singles, which would indicate a strength taper of some sort to try and realize gainzZz, so adding a competing stimulus like conditioning would be counter productive.

Hmm, I must have been thinking that adding 15 extra low intensity deadlift reps (and they are replacing power cleans) for a total of 20 per week would make me more ready to perform and recover from the 36-53 deadlift reps I would be performing on the first 4 weeks of the bridge and thus obtain more benefit from them rather than negate their effect. I am aware of the principle that a trainee becomes adapted to an amount of volume and after a certain point they must increase it to make further progress, but I thought that the only way that doing an intermediate (between the basic TM and the Bridge) amount of weekly deadlifting for now could hurt my deadlift progress on the bridge would be just by making faster progress right now and being that little bit closer to my limit and having less to gain once I start the bridge. But now that I think about it a little more, The Bridge WAS designed to be run after the LP which has low deadlift volume.

Yes, and again you're kind of trying to peak right now so adding volume is counterintuitive (even if it is on the other lifts)

I am only transitioning to singles on the squat, press and bench right now. The intensity day deadlift is still going up in sets of five so I didn't mess with it. The reason that it is still moving in fives is probably that it is a bit behind the other lifts because I hit a major stall with it at the end of LP and spent the first few weeks on TM deloading it to get it moving again. I did think that switching from power clean to a slightly heavier deadlift variant on volume day would help me sustain the increases in my 5RM deadlifts though.

It might, but might not in the context of the rest of your program. Kind of difficult to predict but I wouldn't add DL volume unless I was going to scrap the singles too.

What I thought I was doing was just manipulating the number intensity day reps while keeping everything else the same (for the squat and presses at least) because I read in PPST3 that that is all that is required to continue progress for the first while after the lifter is unable to progress with sets of 5 every week. I did notice that in the example in the 12 ways to skin article that the volume and light day sets and reps change as the intensity day reps decrease but I didn't really understand why nor think it was necessary the first run through cycling the intensity day reps (I was planning on doing it again after before I found The Bridge). I thought that while decreasing the rep ranges for intensity day I was still just basically doing the same thing I had been doing the whole time: adding weight on intensity day and that the best amount of volume on volume day to achieve that was still the maximum that I can perform and recover from in the allotted time frame from while still being able to sustain linear weekly increases, so basically 5x5.

5 singles is not the same as 1 set of 5 with regards to fatigue generation and outcomes, so yea- it's kind of a peak.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Jordan, could you respond to the point about what 60% heart rate means? I think the original poster has got this wrong and you literally mean 60% of max (e.g. 114-133 for this poster), right? Cheers

Yes, 60-70% max heart rate.

[neandrewthal]

Ok, thanks for the info. I'll try to stop trying to destroy myself on my last 4 weeks so I can survive to The Bridge.