Periodization = Changing Your Workout's Sets and Reps with the Same Eventual Goal

I was flipping through my workouts that I completed during my masters program (last 2 years) and since I got my current job in May 2009... I noticed something peculiar. Out of the rough 148 weeks that I have been training since I arrived at UK, I only completed 15 weeks of sets of 12 reps (mainly focusing on hypertrophy, which is increase in muscle size).

source: elitetrack.com

Periodization can be linear (seen above) in which volume graduallt decreases and intensity of your workouts gradually increases to peak at your season, spring break, competition, or some other random end point) or undulating, seen below, in which intensity increases, but the ride looks more like a roller coaster, with dips and small peaks before the highest peak at the end.

source: elitesoccerconditioning.com

Aside from those 15 weeks (only 10% of my training since august 2007) I have been focused on strength. All my core, structural lifts (bench, squat and all its variations, deadlift, and all back movements) had been 4-6 sets of 6 or less repetitions... needless to say my periodization graph would look more like a horizontal line at a high intensity with a couple of twitches in it.

I am not a fan of lifting for high reps, but I should be... at least for a couple months a year. I love the shock undulating periodization gives to your body. If some skinhead looking guy approached me with this past programming, I would smack him in his fat head and tell him that you (and more importantly your joints) need some type of break from going heavy on every lift ALL THE TIME.

Now I'm sure there are some nay-sayers out there that never, EVER go for higher reps. I can only assume that they have their fair share of injuries as well. I am not talking about one set of 25 reps per exercise... that would be moving you into an endurance program for some one that could care less about any real type of results. I do not mean 5 sets of 20 reps--- you might as well shoot yourself. I am talking about 3-5 sets of 10-12 repetitions, with a drop set once a week per muscle group.

I am on week three of my high rep month and hitting every exercise as hard as I can, knowing that my master plan is playing itself out. I want to be strong... like, what is he taking strong, you know? I don't want to be a powerlifter whose stomach combos as a table/shelf when he sits down. I also don't have any attention of getting super lean (sub 6% body fat). Don't get me wrong, being a giant powerlifter means you work hard, being a body builder that gets to 4% body fat menas you work hard. I want to be around 11% body fat and still be pushing 315 on flat bench for reps.

I am going to do one more week of this high rep scheme and then go to sets of 8's, then 6's, then 5's, at 4-6 weeks at each interval. I will let you kow how it goes. What does your current program look like? Let me know in the comments.

Project Hyperplasia: Day 6

For those of you who don't know anything about my current guinea pig experiment, you can catch up here. Basically, I am wearing a 37.6-ish lb weighted vest all day, every day for 14 straight days. I took some basic measurements and I really just want to see what happens. I have guesses, but nothing is better than actually doing it and documenting the results.

Here are some things I have noticed almost half-way through my experiment:

1. I get a ton of weird looks... more than I did before at least. I need to get a black shirt with RESEARCH SUBJECT on the front.
2. I have never been more tired before I go to bed at night...carrying around an extra 40 lbs is whoop'n me.
3. Simple tasks- getting out of a car, picking weights up in the gym, showing clients exercises- are a lot more difficult to do since I have increased my torso's girth.
4. I have gained some respect from my staff by doing what I say I am going to do. I don't think any of them believed I would actually wear this vest for two weeks. Sometimes talk is cheap, you gotta do something.
5. I am thirsty ALL THE TIME while I have been doing this experiment. I am downing close to 225 oz a day of mostly water.
6. Since I am using a weighted vest, my deadlift form has actually improved... now you may ask,"Wait, you are deadlifting wearing a 40lb vest so how has your form has improved?" The vest keeps me aware of when my hips rise before/faster than my shoulders because I feel the sandbags on my back lay against me. I hit 425 for my last set of 6 last Friday... no belt, no straps... just a weighted vest.

Let me know what you think or any questions or comments you have below.

TRAIN HARD

Project Hyperplasia: Pre-study measurements

Measured at 9:30am pre-lift
Bodyweight: 227.4
Omron Body fat percentage: 18.4%
Circumference measurements
-Shoulders=53 in
-Chest= 47 in
-Umbillicus= 39.5 in
-Hips= 46.5 in
-Thigh 4 inches up from proximal patella= 22 in
-Thigh 7 inches up from proximal patella= 26 in
- Calf= 16 in

Throwing the weighted vest on. Thanks to Chance Cianciola for the measurements.

Project Hyperplasia

Hyperplasia of the skeletal muscle is the body's muscle fiber's satellite cells proliferating and splitting the muscle fibers to make new ones, thus adding to cross-sectional area and possible force production. Several studies were pulled together here. For the next two weeks I am going to wear a 37.6lb weighted vest (homemade with denim!) every waking second aside from the shower. I posted a picture of the vest below... it is a must see for sure. Thanks fo Alex Mitchell for the donation of the vest to the Underground Fitness Center. I will also post bodyweight, body fat %, and an assortment of circumference measurements. The measurements will have to wait until the morning!



I, of course, will not actually be able to measure or gauge whether hyperplasia actually occurs, because I would have to take a muscle biopsy (don't have the equipment) or kill myself and have all muscle fibers counted (not for that). On the muscle biopsy option, I would have to weight only one side of myself and since I err on the side of balanced strength, I am not going to do that either.

You know, something to do since I am bored. I'll let you know how it goes. Any comments or questions, throw them in the comment section.

GET HUGE

Box squats with chains

This exercise is necessary in your program, regardless if you are going for strength, hypertrohpy, or *cough* endurance *cough*. Box Squats ensure that you are getting adeque depth and when done right can give you gains in strength, size, and stamina. I added two 20lb chains for kicks, but I believe they are just as effective as bands.

High School off-season workout

I got the chance to write a off-season strength and conditioning program for the high school football team I worked with this past season.
The first two weeks will consist of 4 sets of ten reps for the structural core lifts followed by two weeks of four sets of 8 reps... these four weeks will focus mainly on hypertrophy (muscle growth).
The last two weeks before the team starts their spring football practices and seven on seven games the team will complete 4 sets of 6 reps on all the structural lifts.

the team will lift monday tuesday thursday friday... completing all push movements (chest, triceps, quads) on monday and thursday and all pull movements (back, biceps, and hamstrings) on tuesday and friday.

I will split the team into three stations:
1) Core Structural lifts
2) Agility and core endurance
3) Auxillarly lifts

they will rotate which station they start with every day so no group is always starting with the same station.
The first and second microcycle the team will complete 3 sets of 8 reps for the auxillarly lifts and the last microcycle they will complete 3 sets of 6 reps for their auxillarly lifts.

The head coach informed me that spring practice usually lasts two weeks and then the school goes on spring break... those weeks could be devastating to the gains they make with my program. three complete weeks away from the weight room could almost negate all of the progress... UNLESS I give the team specific high intensity lifts to do throughout the week. Explosive unilateral lifts should definitely maintain a lot of the teams strength and hypertrophy gains.

I spoke with Coach Tracey for about an hour and a half about the program and the direction of the program... especially the intensity needing to be increased, as well as discipline, and improving the team's mindset.

I will start putting the program in excel and typing out the specific lifts, per day, per week for the entire six weeks.
he also asked me to construct a program for the six weeks after the school's spring break... these are going to be some huge yellowjackets....

and i'm out

TRAINING FOR SIZE

I am currently training for muscular size (hypertrophy) while splitting my workout routine into all push one day, and all pull the next day. Alternating the two four days a week, take Friday off or I will do light cardio and then hitting my weaker spots again on Saturday morning. I had a lot of help with this program from Chance Cianciola, CSCS, and the Power Training book by Coach Dos Remedios.
I also have added lifts that I prefer to my workout, while still incorporating exercises that fully challenege my muscular and central nervous systems.

I plan on starting a new 12-week hypertrophy/strength macrocycle at the end of this month. I will lift with my workout partner, Chance, and we will measure and record circumferences, body fat percentage, weight, and max lifts for at least bench and squat.