Periodization & Assistance Exercises

[PoweredUp]

I'll be starting my first periodization routine in a few weeks, and was wondering how to handle assistance exercises during this type of training. If I'm doing an 8-week mesocycle, should I drop exercises like barbell curls and calf raises down to 60-65% during the first week (as I would with the core exercises like squats, deadlifts, and the bench press), or should I just keep plugging away on the assistance movements and do as much as possible for 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps?

 

[super_rice]

just don't go crazy on the assistance stuff. they do not cut into your recovery as much as the major exercises.

i'd run your cycle first for a week or two and acclimatize to the volume, then add in a bunch of assistance exercises. use your good judgement

 

[fortunatesun]

Things like curls and calve raises don't directly support the major muscle group you're working. Strictly speaking you needn't call them 'assistance'.

It's not important to nit-pick. I just want to point out that the reason you do them, then, are for hypertrophy- building a balanced physique. Your rep set up can be more moderate. If 6-8 works best for you, great. Going to 10 or 12 is also common.

The important factor is as super_rice said. It depends on your work capacity as to how much you should do. Going with light weights in the 10-15 rep range is done also if you have the energy left but don't want to push it. This can provide useful conditioning for heavier work lator on.