The Texas Method E-book

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Note from Editor: There is a new version of this book. Follow THIS LINK to see it. The links below have been fixed to prevent anyone purchasing the old version. 

All readers on 70’s Big want to get strong, and almost all of them want to get big and strong. They will use a linear progression like Starting Strength or the Greyskull LP, yet seem sort of lost as to what to do next. The Texas Method is typically recommended, yet there isn’t a clear guide on how to transition into it, how to properly progress it, how to tweak it as you advance, or how to use it for sub-goals like weightlifting and swollertrophy. Until now.


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This 64 page e-book is lays the foundation for basic programming, outlines the Texas Method template, how to transition into it, how to progress and tweak it, and how to use the Texas Method for various sub-goals like swollertrophy, conditioning, and power development. Learn how to increase the discrepancy between your Volume and Intensity Day loads. Get solid guidelines on what it is you should be doing in every workout. Learn all the tips and tricks that can help you achieve your goals on an intermediate program.

Table of Contents:
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 – What is the Texas Method?
Chapter 2 – The Transition
Chapter 3 – Changing the Recipe
Chapter 4 – Sub-goals
Conclusion

With over 25,000 words and over 30 tables, figures, and pictures, you’ll learn the fundamentals of programming and specifically know how to tweak a TM for your goals. The section on programming conditioning with strength training will be invaluable to all 70’s Big readers.

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Besides, if you don’t purchase the book, you don’t get more pictures of Shana:

33 thoughts on “The Texas Method E-book”

  1. I’m interested in this. How is it delivered? I don’t understand the postage & package fee for an E-book. I don’t know about this stuff.

    It gives you a link to download it from, Aiden. If you have any questions shoot me an e-mail.

    –Justin

  2. ^ lol I was wondering the same thing; $4.90 S/H?

    I don’t understand the S/H either since it’s a download (that is not under my control); It accounts for tax. I’ll keep you updated.

    –Justin

  3. Awesome man…So, you do talk about how to tweak the program if your goals are to complete in olympic weightlifting? The reason I ask is because in on of your previous posts about the Texas Method you say the program makes it difficult to get in good oly work….Care to comment?

    TM is primarily a strength program, but you can either use the TM to prep for weightlifting (if you are a new, weaker lifter who is limited by strength), or use the principles of TM for assistance on a weightlifting program. There’s a section with templates.

    –Justin

  4. Also, part I, are you implying that a part II will be issued at some point?

    Yes. It will be several months at least before it is done.

    –Justin

  5. Justin,

    First my disclaimer – this is my first post, but I have been reading this website since the beginning. I know you put a lot of time and effort into what happens here and I have been a regular visitor. It is a valuable resource for many.

    Next please understand that I do not intend to start a flame war. I hope this can lead to a respectful debate.

    Now my issue. I haven’t read your e-book, but it appears that this is a repackaging of material from Mark Rippetoe. The Texas Method is something he put together and is outlined in his books (Starting Strength and Practical Programming for Strength Training). You worked for Mark at one time and traveled with him doing seminars and coaching. Now you have your own e-book that you are charging $29.99 for based on information that appears to have been repackaged from Rippetoe. I understand that a guy needs to make a living and all that, but this doesn’t smell right.

    Can you explain how this is different than what Rippetoe has already put out in his book? Why would I pay $29.99 for this when I can get info from the source and buy Rippetoe’s Practical Programming book for $21.95?

    As someone who has had others make a lot of money from my work I may be overly sensitive – but on the surface this doesn’t seem right. If I’m wrong please set me straight.

    There is a small description at the beginning of the post:
    The Texas Method is typically recommended, yet there isn’t a clear guide on how to transition into it, how to properly progress it, how to tweak it as you advance, or how to use it for sub-goals like weightlifting and swollertrophy. Until now.

    But I’ll let Justin go into further explanation

    –A.C.

    It’s a valid question zozz. No, I’m not re-packaging material from Rippetoe. The very first chapter emphasizes that I refer to a weekly manipulation of volume and intensity as “The Texas Method” for congruity’s sake. It’s based off of the original template that is in Practical Programming — and I clarify that. However, the way that the I modified the TM for myself as well as other lifters is different than how Rip would program it. I have used it on a lot of different people with these modifications with great success. I find myself having to explain what to do on a regular basis at workshops, chat rooms, and e-mails with 70’s Big readers and this e-book is a clarification on all of that material. If I was merely regurgitating Rip I a) wouldn’t sell it because I like Rip and b) wouldn’t have enough material to write over 25,000 words for a book.

    The weekly manipulation of volume and intensity isn’t novel to Practical Programming, and PP is a bit limiting in scope of getting really deep into how effective this program can be. The only principles that are essentially used from PP are volume, intensity, and the outer shell of 5×5 vs 5RM. After that it progressively leaves the ground that was paved in PP by Rip, Pendlay, and Kilgore. No to mention the sub-goals chapter — which is 10,000 words in itself on various topics that readers on this site are actively training for like getting bigger or conditioned — are not included in PP. PP is a foundation for programming, I’ve always said this, yet people implement it poorly. I like to teach, and I’ve done so repeatedly on this site without compensation. One of my new goals is to release products that help people learn how to program effectively. The conceptual framework in PP is understood by me, Rip, or a small percentage of readers, yet there are still people destroying themselves with huge levels of 5×5 workouts and not progressing their absolute strength very well. Hence the release of this book.

    There are also programming elements that are emphasized throughout that would be made applicable to someone not even wanting to utilize a regular TM style program. And again, the conditioning guide is worth at least $20 in itself because it discusses how to program the conditioning in a strength program. Material like that is not only not in the TM section of PP, but it isn’t laid out in a very direct “this is what you should do given the circumstances” message.

    Feel free to further the discussion. If you make the purchase, give it a thorough read through and are un-satisfied, I’ll refund you the purchase. You’ll see that the material goes beyond what is presently available in hard copy (via Practical Programming, a book that I’ve always highly recommended).

    –Justin

  6. Excellent, I’ll be traveling for work for the next 2 weeks and looking for some good reads while flying and hanging in my hotel room. I’m still crusing through Practical Programming and bought the Greyskull LP E-Book for this purpose, this will make a nice addition and should keep me occupied for my trip.

    When I bought the Greyskull E-book it came in an e-mail with a link for a 1-time download. I assume that’s how this one will work, but $5 s/h for an e-mail seems strange. someone’s getting hosed somewhere.

    Pretty sure I’m doing Greyskull LP when I get back from traveling, carrying that through til fall and then finally hitting Texas Method. Should be fun!

    Yes, the S/H seems strange indeed (it’s not in my control). I’m working on it.

    –Justin

  7. @zozz – I think that’s fair, I’m also curious what more I’ll get out of this then when I’m done PP. I assume Justin’s book speaks more towards transitioning onto Texas, (ie: not dropping everything and throwing every lift into Texas method) and how to customize Texas method for specific needs/goals. PP may cover this, I’m not there yet, but given Rip’s YNDTP stance, I doubt he wrote much customizing into his book.

  8. YNDTP really only applies to the Novice SS program. Rippetoe outlines the Texas Method in PP but doesn’t give a bunch of options for customizing it. This is not due to YNDTP but merely because that are a lot of ways to customize the Texas Method depending on your goals and he choose not to delve too deeply into them.

    As for my opinion, I think $30 is too steep. This is why I have not purchased the Greyskull LP ebook yet either.

    You’re missing out on JP’s book then. There is material I regularly reference and I know the guy and could call him any time. $30 is lower than an average cost of an hour of coaching and you get much more information. But your opinion is yours, and mine is mine.

    –Justin

    Ronn, the primary benefit of materials like these is not the initial acquisition of information, but the thought processes they spur. I’m an experienced coach and John’s book helped me think through programming ruts very effectively and very quickly. I’m confident Justin’s will do the same. Do you believe $30 is too much money to exponentially increase not only your knowledge about training, but (more importantly) your ability to think effectively about training?
    -Jacob

    Jacob was one of my editors for this book.

    –Justin

  9. Greyskull LP is pretty different then SS. I was willing to pony up for a different view of an LP that includes some conditioning work as well. Hoping it’ll be a nice intermediate LP.

    No one has all the answers when it comes to training, so I like to read different views and thoughts and take little bits from everything. What I’ve skimmed so far of the GSLP it offers several different programs, talks about resets, offeres some conditioing work to mix in and some different exercises, like the neck harness for example, which I tried the other day w/12.5 lbs for 25×4, pretty killer. Can’t wait to improve on that.

  10. A.C.
    That’s fair, but I think Rippetoe does seminars all over the country outlining these things for people in person since the modifications to the Texas Method need to be done based on some knowledge of the person it is being modified for and the results they want to achieve. And I believe Justin was part of those seminars for some period of time as well.

    If this is new information, or new ways to apply existing information then I fully support a guy being able to distribute it as his own and make some money from it. If it is repackaging someone elses work, then the credit and at least some of the money should go to the guy who came up with it originally. Maybe that’s the case. Maybe it’s not. If there is more going on in the background that should not be discussed on the internet – just say so and I’ll go away. Again, I am not trying to say the e-book is good or bad, I just had some questions.

    You’re getting into a discussion of “who created the Texas Method” originally which is just splitting hairs. I responded to your earlier comment and hope that clears up any confusion. If not, continue the discussion or shoot me an e-mail.

    –Justin

    Zozz, you’re missing out on the benefit of having the information on hand to reference. Even if Rip does discuss programming at the BB seminar (I’m not sure if he does, I was under the impression that it was exclusively about the lifts themselves,) there is a difference between having a one time conversation/consultation about programming, and having a highly effectively reference on hand to help you better understand and manipulate programming variables. With regard to proper variation of volume and intensity within a strength program for various goals, I haven’t seen as detailed or specific materials as Justin’s book.
    -Jacob

    Jacob was one of my editor’s. And to clarify, there is a programming lecture at the SSS that lasts 1 to 2 hours. It is possible that it is different nowadays, but the overall emphasis on the SSS is teaching the lifts and how to coach them.

    –Justin

  11. Badass. Looking forward to reading, and becoming more awesome.

    zozz,
    TM was actually developed by Glenn for oly lifers he was training back when he was at Rip’s gym. I believe Rip just helped to develope it further.
    I have Practical Programming, I learned shit loads from it, but I still screwed up TM a little when I first transitioned into it by not keeping enough volume on my intensity days. Justin corrected this issue for me. Just an example.

  12. Thanks for the responses and I appreciate that this didn’t turn into a name calling flame war.

    I am really not wanting to get into a discussion on who created what. The truth is that there is not a ton of truly original data or brand new methods when it comes to weight training. Where there is value is being able to sort through all the existing data and methods, pick out what works, and leave the rest.

    I appreciate the thoughtful responses. Good luck with the e-book.

    I’ll go back to mostly lurking, but may jump in on discussions more often now that I actually took the time to register.

  13. Hey Justin. I work at PayPal. I might be able to help you out with the shipping deal. I see you dropped the price to counteract the S/H charges. Just let me know.

    Adam

  16. Perfect timing, i was about to start emailing you to ask about how you’re modifiying TM for AC’s training since he’s still making awesome progress and i will likely need some ideas for people i coach.

    Depending on how things go i might have some gains left in me if i switch back to a TM style routine. Can’t wait to leave work and shell out some bucks from my paypal.

    BTW any thoughts of making this a real papper book? I’m a big fan of having a physical copy.

    I prefer physical copies, yet then you have to get a publisher and worry about all of that. At this point in my “career”, this is infinitely easier. You could always print the 63 pages out at a store.

    –Justin

  21. @ Picture of Shana: DAY-UM

    I’ll buy the book when I can be bothered to get off my lazy ass and go get a pre-paid credit card.

  22. I’m having trouble with the shipping thing as an international customer. If I use my actual address the shipping is 11 dollars. If I try to use a fake address, I keep getting told to enter valid information, and then I’m told my credit card is not valid (considering I used it 10 minutes ago I think this has something to do with the address).

    I just e-mailed you. This is the only problem with how the uploadnsell is set up.

    Edit: Issue fixed. No longer extra fees for international customers — it was a PayPal thing.

    –Justin

  23. As far as physical books go… have you checked out something like Lulu.com? Might be easy enough to create and then give people the option for higher price. Just a thought.

    Never heard of it. Checking it out.

    –Justin

  24. As far as the facial hair goes, it’s a toss up for several of those fools. But, if I had it my way, Adelbert Ames has the most baller civil war name. Ambrose Burnside has some serious chops, but I am going to guess that you (Justin) voted for John McAllister Schofield, because his beard screams “I don’t give a fuck.”

    A good guess with good reasoning, yet incorrect.

    –Justin

  25. J.E.B. Stuart’s. It’s well kept, It’s classy yet it says “I will crush you with my bare hands if need be” and who is Shsna?

    Shana is the girl in the picture.

    –Justin

  26. @Justin I’m goign to guess John Haskell King, just because he looks the most like the 70s Big guys, especially Marv Philips and Doug Young.

    That’s who I voted for. He was a real badass brute with a very distinguished career of 45 years serving the USA.

  30. Excellent book! Like Jacob said, it’s very thought provoking, and like JP’s GSLP I feel this will help many people navigate through their own programming ruts.

    Whether or not you have SS, PP and a whole bunch of other literature you really need to get a copy of this. Looking forward to part deux!

    Thanks for your hard work Justin.

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