Size and Strength Part 4

This section will be on periodzation. The variables that need to be tinkered with to see maximum results. Periodzation is defined as the methodical alteration of training variables over the course of a training cycle. Training cycles are classified as microcycles, mesocycles, and macrocycles. Microcycles are most often the training week, but does not have to be limited to that exact amount of time. It is usually the smallest repeatable cycle of a training program. Mesocycles last anywhere from 4-12 weeks the majority of the time, but may extend for longer in certain cases. (I write most of my programs using Mesocycles) It is a collection of several microcycles. The macrocycle is the largest of periodization divisions; it consists of multiple mesocycles. Some macrocycles may last as long as a few years, as is often the case with Olympic athletes. I will be working with mostly the first 2 cycles in this entry.



The variables that need to be tinkered with are the following:



Frequency

The amount of workouts given in a period of time. Normally this is during a week. The frequency at which muscles are used as prime movers in resistance training is an important variable that most gym goers don't use. Bodybuilding magazines will tell you to lift a muscle group a day, what they fail to mention is most of these guys aren't your natural trainee.



Intensity

This isn't for strength purposes how hard we workout. This is based around your 1-5 rep max. You will see me say you want to do 10 reps with a 12-13 rep max. This means you pick a weight that you could do for 13 reps and not another rep, but you stop at 10 reps. I see it everyday, novice lifters maxing out their 8 rep max and completely destroying their chances of progressing.



Volume

No this is not the sound on your stereo. Its normally defined by the number of reps during a training session. Seems like every bodybuilding magazine I have ever read asks you to do 3 sets of 8-12 reps on every single exercise there is. That's just silly.



Rest Intervals

Yes it is as simple as it sounds. This is the time you rest in between each set. I rarely see guys who are lifting for strength and size actually time their rest times between sets.



Exercise Selection

Easy, the exercises you choose to do. It's funny because we all know the guy who comes into the gym every single day and lays on the bench and gets right down to his 1 rep max. The most common occurance is people enjoy doing exercises they are good at. Make sure in your programs you are doing exercises you are bad at as well.



Tempo

This is the speed the weight is moved during each phase of the lift (concentric, eccentric, and the isolation). You will see something like this 2/0/x/0. Meaning on the eccentric you are taking 2 seconds on the negative part of the lift. The first 0 means no pause on the isolation. The x refers to explode on the lifting potion of the exercise. And the final 0 means to immediatly go back into the next rep. Alot of programs you see online or in books will be called TUT programs, meaning time under tension.



I want to touch on different forms of periodzation now:



Linear

This is the systematic increase or decrease in the value of a variable over the course of a mesocycle. Intensity is the variable most often manipulated in this, but it is certainly applicable to other training variables. A simple example would be the following, using intensity as an example: week 1: 60%, week 2: 70%, week 3: 75%, week 4: 80%, week 5: 85%, week 6: 90%, repeat. A linear periodzation outline would look like this for a powerlifter:



Monday-Squat Day

Squat – RE to ME

Week 1: 4x12 @ 65%

Week 2: 4x10 @ 70%

Week 3: 3x8 @ 75%

Week 4: 3x5 @ 83%

Week 5: 3x3 @ 88%

Week 6: 3x2 @ 90%

Week 7: 2x2 @ 95%

Week 8: 1x1 @ 100%

Week 9: 1x1 @ 105% - Attempt record



Undulating

This form of periodization involves alternating variables within each microcycle or even within each individual training session. An example of this type of program would be the following: week 1 - session 1: 4 sets of 12 repetitions @ 15RM using 45sec rest intervals, week 1 – session 2: 8 sets of 3 repetitions @ 5RM using 75sec rest intervals, week 1 – session 3: 4 sets of 8 repetitions @ 10RM using 60sec rest intervals.



More for bodybuilding and not powerlifting:

Monday-Upper



Overhead Press

Week A: 8x3 @ 5-6RM - 75sec RI

Week B: 3x12 @ 15RM – 30sec RI

Week C: 4x6 @ 8RM – 60sec RI



Chinups

Week A: 8x3 @ 5-6RM - 75sec RI

Week B: 3x12 @ 15RM – 30sec RI

Week C: 4x6 @ 8RM – 60sec RI



Decline Press

Week A: 4x10 @ 12RM – 45sec RI

Week B: 5x5 @ 7RM – 75sec RI

Week C: 5x8 @ 10RM – 60sec RI



Cable Rows

Week A: 4x10 @ 12RM – 45sec RI

Week B: 5x5 @ 7RM – 75sec RI

Week C: 5x8 @ 10RM – 60sec RI



Wednesday-Lower



Squats

Week A: 8x3 @ 5-6RM - 75sec RI

Week B: 3x12 @ 15RM – 30sec RI

Week C: 4x6 @ 8RM – 60sec RI



Stiff Legged Deadlifts

Week A: 4x10 @ 12RM – 45sec RI

Week B: 5x5 @ 7RM – 75sec RI

Week C: 5x8 @ 10RM – 60sec RI



Lunges

Week A: 4x10 @ 12RM – 45sec RI

Week B: 5x5 @ 7RM – 75sec RI

Week C: 5x8 @ 10RM – 60sec RI



Friday-Upper



Flat bench

Week A: 8x3 @ 5-6RM - 75sec RI

Week B: 3x12 @ 15RM – 30sec RI

Week C: 4x6 @ 8RM – 60sec RI



Bent Over Row

Week A: 8x3 @ 5-6RM - 75sec RI

Week B: 3x12 @ 15RM – 30sec RI

Week C: 4x6 @ 8RM – 60sec RI




The biggest thing to keep in mind whenever you are setting up your plan to success is don't overthink it. Just use the basic guidelines and go from there. Continue to confuse your body and it will grow. Pretty simple right? Then why do so many people continue to use the same programs day in and day out? That's simple, they just don't know any better. Lucky for you, you've spent the past 5 minutes reading this and have a head up on others in the gym!