Texas Method Logbook Template: Volume, Recovery, and Intensity Days

The Texas Method was popularized by Mark Rippetoe as the go-to intermediate program after lifters exhaust linear progression on Starting Strength. It operates on a simple weekly structure that creates a stress-recovery-adaptation cycle within each seven-day period.

Volume Day (Monday) provides the overload stimulus — typically 5 sets of 5 reps at a challenging weight, usually around 90% of your Friday PR weight. This day should feel hard. You are accumulating fatigue intentionally. Recovery Day (Wednesday) uses lighter loads — usually 2 sets of 5 at about 80% of Monday's weight, plus some light accessory work. This day should feel easy. If it does not, something is wrong. Intensity Day (Friday) is where the magic happens — a single set of 5 reps at a new personal record, heavier than the previous Friday.

Each day requires different tracking emphasis. This is why a generic logbook page does not serve the Texas Method well.

Your volume day page needs: exercise name, weight, 5 sets of 5 reps with individual RPE per set, total volume (weight x 25 reps), and a fatigue rating for the session.

The critical number is total volume. If your Monday squat is 315 x 5 x 5, that is 7,875 lbs of volume. Track this number weekly. When volume day starts feeling manageable (RPE drops from 9 to 7 across the board), it is time to increase the weight.

Also note the RPE drift across sets. If set 1 is RPE 7 and set 5 is RPE 10, you are at your limit for this weight. If set 5 is still RPE 8, you likely have room to add weight next Monday.

Recovery day tracking is minimal but important. Record the weight used (usually 80% of Monday), the 2 sets of 5, and a readiness assessment.

The readiness assessment is the real value here. If your recovery day squats at 250 lbs feel heavy when they should feel like warm-ups, you are carrying too much fatigue from Monday. This is an early warning system — if Wednesday feels hard two weeks in a row, your Monday volume may be too aggressive.

Accessories on recovery day should be light — chin-ups, back extensions, curls. Track them briefly: exercise, sets, reps. No need for RPE here.

This is the most important page in your Texas Method logbook. Friday is where you test whether the weekly cycle worked.

Your intensity day page needs: exercise name, warm-up progression (brief notation), working set weight and reps, RPE of the working set, whether it was a PR (yes or no), and a comparison to last Friday's number.

Create a running PR table at the front or back of your logbook specifically for intensity day records. List the date and Friday PR for each main lift. After 8 weeks, this table becomes incredibly motivating — you can see a clear progression line of 2.5-5 lb jumps each week.

If you miss a PR two Fridays in a row, it is time to adjust. Common fixes: reduce Monday volume by 10%, add a light squat set on Wednesday, or take a deload week. Your logbook data tells you which fix to try.

Here is what four weeks of Texas Method squat tracking looks like.

Week 1: Monday 305x5x5 (RPE 8-8-8-9-9, volume 7,625). Wednesday 245x5x2 (felt easy). Friday 335x5 (RPE 9, PR).

Week 2: Monday 310x5x5 (RPE 8-8-9-9-9, volume 7,750). Wednesday 250x5x2 (felt easy). Friday 340x5 (RPE 9, PR).

Week 3: Monday 315x5x5 (RPE 8-9-9-9-10, volume 7,875). Wednesday 250x5x2 (felt moderate — warning sign). Friday 345x5 (RPE 9.5, PR but barely).

Week 4: Monday 315x5x5 (RPE 9-9-9-10-fail on rep 4). Wednesday 250x5x2 (felt hard). Friday 347.5x5 (RPE 10, got the PR but had nothing left). Decision: reduce Monday to 310 next week or take a deload.

This four-week progression tells a complete story. Weeks 1-2 are smooth. Week 3 shows fatigue accumulating. Week 4 confirms it. Without tracking RPE drift and Wednesday readiness, you would not know why Friday felt so hard.