Texas Method Program Guide — Weekly Periodization for Intermediate Lifters
A complete breakdown of the Texas Method — the volume/recovery/intensity structure, Bench and OHP 6-week mesocycle, three max types, progression options, and how to run it in the RepCheck app.
The Texas Method is a weekly periodization program created by Glenn Pendlay and popularized by Mark Rippetoe in Practical Programming for Strength Training. It splits the training week into three days — Volume, Recovery, and Intensity — rotating stress and recovery to drive weekly PRs. It's designed for intermediate lifters who can no longer progress session-to-session but can still set new records week-to-week.
Program Structure
You train three days per week:
| Day | Purpose | Squat | Upper Body | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday (Volume) | High-volume stimulus | 5×5 at 90% of 5RM | Bench or OHP 5×5 | Deadlift 1×5 |
| Wednesday (Recovery) | Active recovery | 2×5 at 72% of 5RM | OHP or Bench 3×5 | Chin-ups 3×F, Back Extension 5×10 |
| Friday (Intensity) | Weekly PR attempt | 1×5 at 100% of 5RM | Bench or OHP 1×1–3 | Power Clean 5×3 |
Bench Press and Overhead Press alternate every week. Week 1: Volume = Bench, Recovery = OHP, Intensity = Bench. Week 2: Volume = OHP, Recovery = Bench, Intensity = OHP. This means each pressing movement gets a PR attempt every two weeks.
Three Max Types
The Texas Method uses three different max types, each tied to specific lifts:
5RM — Squat and Deadlift. Volume Day is 90% of your 5RM, Intensity Day is 100%. Increment is 2.5 kg per week — after completing a 1×5 PR on Friday, your 5RM goes up automatically.
1RM — Bench Press and Overhead Press. Used for the 6-week mesocycle (explained below). Increment is 0 — you adjust this manually every 6 weeks using one of three progression options.
3RM — Power Clean. Intensity Day is 5×3 at 100% of your 3RM. Increment is 0 — increase after completing at least 4 out of 5 sets of 3 reps.
The 6-Week Bench/OHP Mesocycle
This is the most complex part of the Texas Method. Bench and OHP each run on a 6-week cycle that progresses through three phases on Intensity Day:
| Week | Intensity Day (PR set) |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | 1×1 at 100% of 1RM |
| Week 3 | 1×2 at the same weight |
| Week 5 | 1×3 at the same weight |
(Weeks 2, 4, 6 are the alternate press — the cycle counts only the weeks where that specific lift appears on Intensity Day.)
After completing 1×3 in Week 5, you calculate your new 1RM using one of three options:
Let 'er rip — Calculate a new 1RM from your 3RM result, then add 2 increments. Use this when reps have felt smooth and controlled.
Limit — Take the lower of (Let 'er rip value) or (current 1RM + 3 increments). Use this when progress has been grindy.
Slow-roll — Current 1RM + 2 increments. The most conservative option.
Meanwhile, Volume and Recovery Day percentages also increase across the mesocycle. Bench and OHP follow slightly different curves:
Bench Press:
| Cycle Phase | Volume Day | Recovery Day |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | ~80% of 1RM | ~72% of 1RM |
| Weeks 3–4 | ~82% of 1RM | ~74% of 1RM |
| Weeks 5–6 | ~85% of 1RM | ~76% of 1RM |
Overhead Press:
| Cycle Phase | Volume Day | Recovery Day |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | ~80% of 1RM | ~76% of 1RM |
| Weeks 3–4 | ~82% of 1RM | ~78% of 1RM |
| Weeks 5–6 | ~85% of 1RM | ~80% of 1RM |
Note that OHP Recovery Day runs at a higher percentage than Bench Recovery Day across all phases. These percentages are all calculated automatically in RepCheck.
How These Percentages Are Derived
These percentages come from the Lift Vault Texas Method spreadsheet, which uses the Brzycki formula to convert between rep maxes.
Volume Day is calculated as 90% of the estimated 5RM from your Intensity Day weight. As the mesocycle progresses and Intensity Day reps increase (1→2→3), the estimated 5RM from the same weight goes up — which pulls Volume Day up with it:
- Weeks 1–2 (1RM single): 1RM × 0.8888 × 0.9 = 79.99% of 1RM
- Weeks 3–4 (1RM double): 1RM ÷ 0.9722 × 0.8888 × 0.9 = 82.28% of 1RM
- Weeks 5–6 (1RM triple): 1RM ÷ 0.9444 × 0.8888 × 0.9 = 84.72% of 1RM
The constants (0.8888, 0.9722, 0.9444) are Brzycki conversion factors for 5, 2, and 3 reps respectively.
Recovery Day is a fixed ratio of Volume Day:
- Bench Press: Volume × 0.90 → 71.99% / 74.05% / 76.25%
- Overhead Press: Volume × 0.95 → 75.99% / 78.17% / 80.48%
OHP uses a higher recovery ratio (0.95 vs 0.90) because Rippetoe notes that the press doesn't need as large a reduction on the light day as the bench does.
In RepCheck, these are stored as fixed percentages of 1RM rather than recalculated dynamically — the result is the same.
Squat and Deadlift Progression
Squat and Deadlift follow simpler weekly linear progression with a 2.5 kg increment per week:
- Squat Volume Day (Monday): 5×5 at 90% of 5RM.
- Squat Recovery Day (Wednesday): 2×5 at 72% of 5RM (80% of Volume Day weight).
- Squat Intensity Day (Friday): 1×5 at 100% of 5RM — this is your weekly PR attempt.
- Deadlift (Monday only): 1×5 at 90% of 5RM. Deadlift does not appear on Wednesday or Friday.
Both lifts increment by 2.5 kg per week. Squat progresses based on your Friday PR. Deadlift progresses based on your Monday performance — there is no separate Intensity Day set for Deadlift.
Power Clean
Power Clean appears on Intensity Day (Friday):
- Warm-up sets ramping to 85% of 3RM
- Main work: 5×3 at 100% of 3RM
The 3RM increases when you complete at least 4 out of 5 sets successfully. No heavy singles — the focus is on explosive triples.
Stalling Protocol
When you fail on Intensity Day (this applies primarily to Squat):
| Situation | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Can't complete 1×5 | Do 2×3 at the same weight, or +2.5 kg |
| Can't complete 3 reps | Switch to 2×2 |
| Can't complete 2 reps | Switch to 5×1 |
| Singles stall | Drop to 3×1, then use that weight as your new 1RM and restart the cycle |
For Volume Day stalls, reduce sets (5×5 → 4×5 → 3×5) or drop Volume Day weight by 5–10% and rebuild.
Who Is This For?
The Texas Method is for intermediate lifters who have exhausted beginner linear progression — typically after 6–12 months of a program like Starting Strength or StrongLifts. You need to be comfortable with Squat, Bench, Deadlift, OHP, and ideally Power Clean. The program demands significant recovery — adequate sleep and caloric surplus are not optional.
Expect roughly 2.5 kg per week on Squat and Deadlift, and progression every 6 weeks on Bench and OHP through the mesocycle.
Running Texas Method in the RepCheck App
When you select Texas Method in the RepCheck app, it asks you to set your max values for each lift:
Enter your 5RM for Squat and Deadlift, your 1RM for Bench and OHP, and your 3RM for Power Clean. Squat and Deadlift increase by 2.5 kg automatically each week. Bench, OHP, and Power Clean stay at the same max until you adjust them manually — Bench and OHP after the 6-week mesocycle using one of the three progression options, and Power Clean after completing at least 4 out of 5 sets. The app calculates all Volume, Recovery, and Intensity Day weights — including the mesocycle percentages and warm-up sets.