Different types of Periodization?

[SDHW]

I was reading in a NSCA Human Kinetics book today, and it talked about some of the types of Periodization in a weight program. I was especially interested in the Liner Progression. It states that it was outdated, and that there are much better ways of setting up a weight program. They went on to talk about weekly or even daily changes. I forget the name for it. For example, Monday working 60% of 1rm, Wednesday working 75% 1rm and Friday working 95% 1rm. Or changing the rep ranges each workout, one workout might be 10-12 and another might 8-6 and 3-4.

This got me thinking, b/c the bigger faster stronger program uses something along these lines, and where you are working in different rep ranged each workout.

What is everyone thought on this? Is liner progression outdated? This is what the intermediate 5x5 program is based on. I know the advanced 5x5 is based on the dual factor. The NSCA and Human Kinetics are highly respected. Do we have any scientific proof that points us in anyone direction? The goal is going from point A to B the fastest.

 

[SDHW]

Wow.. Nobody wants to discuss this?

 

[Guinness5.0]

Is liner progression outdated?

No. What is true in terms of the body's adaptations to stress does not change. Results are the gauge of what is effective.

There is a time and place for periodization. I think of periodization as a necessary evil. If it is possible to go to the gym and put more weight on the bar at each successive workout, then you should do it. Periodization becomes an unfortunate necessity once such progress is no longer obtainable.

With regard to your specific question, I am of the opinion that scattering your focus on different rep ranges within the course of a training cycle (in the context of a periodized program) is not ideal. You would be best served,in my opinion, by having a narrow focus as to what you want to improve upon and attack it. It is much more efficient to push your 5's for a period, then subsequently focus on 8's in a later cycle (I'm just throwing out numbers as an example). It is much more difficult as an intermediate/advanced trainee to get better at several aspects of your training at that same time than to have a specific target and improve upon it.

That's how I see it, anyway.

 

[get456]

I intend on taking my strength gains from the intermediate 5x5 program to HST (hypertrophy specific training)

As with everything, our body needs change and mentally I know I will need a change as well... Hitting different exercises, different rep ranges etc

 

[glennpendlay]

Guiness5.0 said "I think of periodization as a necessary evil. If it is possible to go to the gym and put more weight on the bar at each successive workout, then you should do it. Periodization becomes an unfortunate necessity once such progress is no longer obtainable."

A neccessary evil, I like that. I have come up with a few clever things in my day, but not that. Would you mind if I borrowed that?

Glenn

 

[Guinness5.0]

Guiness5.0 said "I think of periodization as a necessary evil. If it is possible to go to the gym and put more weight on the bar at each successive workout, then you should do it. Periodization becomes an unfortunate necessity once such progress is no longer obtainable."

A neccessary evil, I like that. I have come up with a few clever things in my day, but not that. Would you mind if I borrowed that?

Glenn

As much as I'd like to take credit for this explanation, I'm 99.9% sure that what I typed is just a regurgitation of something that Madcow2 once typed, pun intended (for the less bovine-inclined among us, cows have four stomachs and regurgitate their food several times before fully digesting it).

BTW I'm glad to see that we have a bona fide guru such as yourself contributing to the board.

 

[SDHW]

Thanks for your post guys, I think this is going to be a great thread to learn a few things.

What about all the programs, that have you do this right off the bat. for example. 4 weeks of 10-12 reps Hypertrphy, then 4 weeks of 5-8 reps stregnth, and then 4 weeks of speed and power.. and so on. People rotate though theses blocks throughout the year.

The book says that the Liner will fail quickly, so if we know this, why even bother? I just wonder how all the schools football teams can have success with using a program of BFS, when it throws you around rep ranges each workout. doesnt make sence to me.

im going to ask, what type of periodization is best used when you have to use it. is it big 4 weeks blocks, or is it daily/weekly changes, I would class the dual factor as in the 2-4weeks of load, 5x5 and then 2-3 weeks of 3x3.

 

[anotherbutters]

Periodization is nothing more than a way of managing the fatigue that you build up whilst doing enough work that's going to cause an adaptation (cause you to get stronger).

So for a beginner, the amount of work required to cause an adaptation might be one workout (the overload event). Follow that by a day's rest, and on day 3, the beginner is stronger and can demonstrate that in the weight room. So the beginner's block of training is a mere 2 days.

For an intermediate, the amount of work required to cause an adaptation might be two hard workouts. Those will require more recovery time, so the hard workouts might be at the beginning of the week (Mon/Wed), followed by a light day on Friday to help maintain neural efficiency and aid recovery. The beginning of the week contains the overload event and the end of the week is the recovery time. So the intermediate's block of training is a week long (there's nothing special about 7 days, it just fits well with people's schedules).

For more advanced lifters, the amount of work required to cause an adaptation might be 2-4 weeks worth of hard workouts, which will probably require a similar amount of time to recover from. So an advanced lifter's block of training might be several weeks long.

'Single factor' training refers to the way a beginner or intermediate lifter works out. 'Dual factor' refers to the way an advanced lifter works out, and this is typically what people call periodized training. In reality, the only difference between single and dual factor is the timescale over which the periods of overload and recovery operate. Lifters at all levels work out in the same way - a period of overload followed by a period of recovery. It's just the timescale that's different. Beginners can complete a 'block' of training in just a couple of days and come out stronger. Advanced lifters take weeks.

When you mentioned linear training, I'm not sure whether you were referring to the single factor model, or training in blocks. I think you meant the latter, where you focus on different aspects of fitness in a sequence of training blocks, e.g. a few weeks of hypertrophy, a few weeks of strength and a few weeks of power. There's nothing wrong with that, but the size of the blocks in the sequence should match the size of your own training block so that you can get a complete overload and recovery cycle in each block. (If the sequence of blocks culminates in a competition, the order that you do the blocks in is important, because different things last different lengths of time, e.g. hypertrophy lasts longer than power).

All of the above is described in far more detail in the Practial Programming book (shameless plug ).

In answer to your question of "which type of periodization is best", you should choose a workout plan that matches your current ability to make progress. If you're an intermediate level lifter, choosing an advanced workout program is only going to slow you down, because you can make faster progress than the lifters that it was designed for. And choosing the beginner plan won't do anything for you because it isn't stressful enough.

 

[SDHW]

Periodization is nothing more than a way of managing the fatigue that you build up whilst doing enough work that's going to cause an adaptation (cause you to get stronger).

So for a beginner, the amount of work required to cause an adaptation might be one workout (the overload event). Follow that by a day's rest, and on day 3, the beginner is stronger and can demonstrate that in the weight room. So the beginner's block of training is a mere 2 days.

For an intermediate, the amount of work required to cause an adaptation might be two hard workouts. Those will require more recovery time, so the hard workouts might be at the beginning of the week (Mon/Wed), followed by a light day on Friday to help maintain neural efficiency and aid recovery. The beginning of the week contains the overload event and the end of the week is the recovery time. So the intermediate's block of training is a week long (there's nothing special about 7 days, it just fits well with people's schedules).

For more advanced lifters, the amount of work required to cause an adaptation might be 2-4 weeks worth of hard workouts, which will probably require a similar amount of time to recover from. So an advanced lifter's block of training might be several weeks long.

'Single factor' training refers to the way a beginner or intermediate lifter works out. 'Dual factor' refers to the way an advanced lifter works out, and this is typically what people call periodized training. In reality, the only difference between single and dual factor is the timescale over which the periods of overload and recovery operate. Lifters at all levels work out in the same way - a period of overload followed by a period of recovery. It's just the timescale that's different. Beginners can complete a 'block' of training in just a couple of days and come out stronger. Advanced lifters take weeks.

When you mentioned linear training, I'm not sure whether you were referring to the single factor model, or training in blocks. I think you meant the latter, where you focus on different aspects of fitness in a sequence of training blocks, e.g. a few weeks of hypertrophy, a few weeks of strength and a few weeks of power. There's nothing wrong with that, but the size of the blocks in the sequence should match the size of your own training block so that you can get a complete overload and recovery cycle in each block. (If the sequence of blocks culminates in a competition, the order that you do the blocks in is important, because different things last different lengths of time, e.g. hypertrophy lasts longer than power).

All of the above is described in far more detail in the Practial Programming book (shameless plug ).

In answer to your question of "which type of periodization is best", you should choose a workout plan that matches your current ability to make progress. If you're an intermediate level lifter, choosing an advanced workout program is only going to slow you down, because you can make faster progress than the lifters that it was designed for. And choosing the beginner plan won't do anything for you because it isn't stressful enough.

nice info thanks.

Why is there so many different opinions on this subject. Its almost like every time I pick up a book there is a new school of thought. They are all very well known publishers? why such a segregation in the community of bodybuilding and strength athletes.


I do agree with what you are saying when it comes to types of modalities of training for the different demands a lifter has. A lot of the books/articles talk about liner periodization in any form is outdated and a waste of time. The new programs set beginner to advanced lifters on some type of perodized plan right out of the gate. Weather it be small blocks or larger one. Or training plan for a week or training plan for a whole year. To me its like, if new research came out and said warming up and stretching before your workout was a waste of time, and you dont need it. Why would we do it?? we wouldn’t right? (not that im saying this, im just using it as an example..lol)

The main reason I am looking into this, is because like myself and other athletes, we want to get from point A to B the fastest. I think I speak for everyone. No one wants to waste there time. I know a lot of people are using the 5x5 liner periodization program as I currently am. I dont feel its a waste of time. My lifts are going up each week. but hey maybe im wrong, and not looking at this right.

When I read something, and it says something is "OUTDATED" to me that means there must be something better out there. Is there? am i wasting my time with liner periodization, will I gain faster on another type of modality?

 

[Cynical Simian]

Please stop conflating linear progression with linear periodization.

 

[SDHW]

Please stop conflating linear progression with linear periodization.

sorry about that bro, sometimes you just throw words around.lol

just to set the record straight.

Periodization is an organized approach to training that involves progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program during a specific period of time

Classic Liner Periodization. This model is characterized by the initaial training volume and low intecsity. As training progresses, volume decreases and intensity increases in order to maximize strenght, poer or both. Thypically, each training phase is designed to emphasixe a particular physiological adactation.

Undulating Non Liner Periodization. The Nonlinerar program enables variations in intesnsity and volume within each 7-10day cycle by roatatin different protocols over the course of the training program. Nonliner methos attemp to train the various components of the neuromuscular system with the same 7-10day cycle.

This was taken from the ACSM.