Looking for help with periodization

**CaptainNapalm** · 05-06-2010, 07:31 AM

Guys, thanks for checking out the thread and I apologize in advance for the length but I could really use some help.

Currently following this workout plan which I developed to increase muscle mass:

Day 1: Upper Body

Bench press (flat bench) - 2 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Bench press (incline) - 2 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Wide grip pull-ups (sometimes close grip I alternate)-3 sets, 6-10 reps/set
Barbell rows - 4 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Dips - 4 sets, 6-12 reps/set
*If I have energy at the end of the workout sometimes I do a quick two heavy sets of barbell curls. For chest I alternate where one day I will use barbell and next day dumbbells.

Day 2: REST

Day 3: Lower Body/ Shoulders

Squats - 4 sets, 8-15 reps/set
Deadlifts - 2 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Shoulder press - 3 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Power cleans - 1 set, 6-8 reps/set
*Every second "lower body / shoulder" workout day I will alternate where one day I will do 4 sets heavy squats and 2 lighters sets of dead lifts and the next lower body day I will do 4 heavy sets of deads and 2 lighter sets of squats.

Day 4: REST

Day 5: Repeat Cycle starting with Day 1

Having executed this for the past two months with good results I'm starting to notice plateaus kicking in and therefore I'm starting to plan for changing my routine in the next few weeks. Having an on and and off relationship with training in the past few years I never really implemented proper periodization into my workout programs and would really like to start. Here are my current stats:

Age: 30, Height: 6'1", Weight: 204 lbs, Bodyfat: not sure
Diet: Approx. 3500 cal/day w/200g of protein/day
Supplements: Whey protein, creatine mono, fish oils, multivitamin
Goals: Short term to overcome current plateaus, Long term (1 year) to increase muscle mass as much as possible (I may look into cutting in a year from now but over the next year or so I want to concentrate on putting on mass in general).

I read good articles posted on this forum regarding periodization and am familiar with it but still have difficulty understanding certain aspects of it. I know periodization involves changing up workouts with respect to weight used, number of repetitions, exercises and rests between sets in order to prevent bodily adaptation and promote new strength and size gains. With that said, I'm having a bit of a hard time understanding how I can implement periodization into a mass building program without changing the integrity of the main goal (to put on mass) since from what I know I'm governed by relatiely strict criteria for what is recommended for mass gain. From what I know, in order to put on mass one needs to train compound movements, heavy weights, increasing weights each week, and follow 6-12 rep ranges. Provided I'm doing this now and I start changing my exercises, rep ranges, rests between sets and weight used, I can imagine I'd be successful in changing my workout enough to shock the body, but would I really be doing what is prudent for mass gain? Also, having so many variables that I can change, I really don't know what to tweak next. Given the above mentioned workout I'm currently on, can someone recommend what I can do for the next 4-6 weeks in order to break my current plateaus? Can someone recommend what I should be focusing on changing keeping in mind that I'm looking to put on muscle? I could really use some help. Thanks in advance.

**Phineas** · 05-06-2010, 09:48 AM

You can build mass with any rep range. It all depends on how you diet.

**Gazhole** · 05-06-2010, 10:11 AM

The rep range doesn't matter, and it's not specifically the weight on the bar that you need to increase - progressive overload can be on any training variable.

Volume - add sets, add reps, add exercises.
Intensity - increase weight, change to a heavier rep range.
Density - reduce the time it takes to do a workout, do more work in the same amount of time.
Tension Time - increase the length of each rep by exagerrating aspects of tempo/cadence.

So periodization is your plan of which variable you'll overload, and how you will overload it. So for example:

Volume - Week 1 (2x10) Week 2 (3x10) Week 3 (4x10) Week 4 (5x10)
Intensity - Week 1 (3x10) Week 3 (3x8) week 4 (3x5) Week 4 (3x3)
Tempo - Week 1 (No Tempo) Week 2 (3/x/3/x) Week 3 (4/x/4/x) Week 4 (5/x/5/x)

Simple, but thats pretty much a basic example, lol.

**rockhardly** · 05-06-2010, 10:26 AM

Gaz, are you wearing make-up?

**PushAndPull** · 05-06-2010, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Gazhole

The rep range doesn't matter, and it's not specifically the weight on the bar that you need to increase - progressive overload can be on any training variable.

Volume - add sets, add reps, add exercises.
Intensity - increase weight, change to a heavier rep range.
Density - reduce the time it takes to do a workout, do more work in the same amount of time.
Tension Time - increase the length of each rep by exagerrating aspects of tempo/cadence.

So periodization is your plan of which variable you'll overload, and how you will overload it. So for example:

Volume - Week 1 (2x10) Week 2 (3x10) Week 3 (4x10) Week 4 (5x10)
Intensity - Week 1 (3x10) Week 3 (3x8) week 4 (3x5) Week 4 (3x3)
Tempo - Week 1 (No Tempo) Week 2 (3/x/3/x) Week 3 (4/x/4/x) Week 4 (5/x/5/x)

Simple, but thats pretty much a basic example, lol.

Good post. Hard to break it down any simpler than this.

**Gazhole** · 05-06-2010, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by rockhardly

Gaz, are you wearing make-up?

You wish!

**Gazhole** · 05-06-2010, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by PushAndPull

Good post. Hard to break it down any simpler than this.

Thanks dude! This is only really linear style periodization. Undulating and stuff takes a little more explaining, haha.

**Phineas** · 05-06-2010, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Gazhole

Thanks dude! This is only really linear style periodization. Undulating and stuff takes a little more explaining, haha.

Gaz is like the pimp of periodization. If periodization was a hot chick with huge tits he'd be banging her like every night.

**rockhardly** · 05-06-2010, 01:31 PM

When I rep someone it does not give me an option for points. Can someone breif me?

**BC Lifter** · 05-06-2010, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Phineas

Gaz is like the pimp of periodization. If periodization was a hot chick with huge tits he'd be banging her like every night.

Anyone have any good links to periodization articles?

**Gazhole** · 05-06-2010, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by Phineas

Gaz is like the pimp of periodization. If periodization was a hot chick with huge tits he'd be banging her like every night.

and then write about it the next day.

**Gazhole** · 05-06-2010, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by BC Lifter

Anyone have any good links to periodization articles?

I have quite a few on my site, theres also a great one by Cowpimp in the Training forum stickied threads that gives examples and descriptions of a few different kinds. Your best bet would be to start there.

**CaptainNapalm** · 05-06-2010, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by Gazhole

I have quite a few on my site, theres also a great one by Cowpimp in the Training forum stickied threads that gives examples and descriptions of a few different kinds. Your best bet would be to start there.

Gaz, this is my first time checking out your getlifting site and it's awsome. I'm excited to try some of your mentioned workouts. Thanks.

**MyK** · 05-06-2010, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by CaptainNapalm

Guys, thanks for checking out the thread and I apologize in advance for the length but I could really use some help.

step 1 - stop apologizing...

work on that for one month and then come back for step 2

**Phineas** · 05-07-2010, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Gazhole

and then write about it the next day.

"Dear diary,

Today I lost my virginity!"

**CaptainNapalm** · 05-07-2010, 06:08 PM

The 20 rep squat program is sick

**Gazhole** · 05-08-2010, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by Phineas

"Dear diary,

Today I lost my virginity!"

"Dear GetLifting subscribers, this article contains too much information..."

**Gazhole** · 05-08-2010, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by CaptainNapalm

The 20 rep squat program is sick

It really is horrific.

A bunch of guys in my gym are trying it now, and dear god its either killing them or turning them into beasts. Usually both.

One guy ended the program on 308 x 20, another has a week or two left and is on 264 x 20, and a few more are half way through hovering around 220 x 20. Its great to watch, especially since they're all seeing good size gains as well as strength.

**CaptainNapalm** · 05-08-2010, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Gazhole

It really is horrific.

A bunch of guys in my gym are trying it now, and dear god its either killing them or turning them into beasts. Usually both.

One guy ended the program on 308 x 20, another has a week or two left and is on 264 x 20, and a few more are half way through hovering around 220 x 20. Its great to watch, especially since they're all seeing good size gains as well as strength.

I decided to give that program a go in two weeks but because I was intrigued by it I wanted to get a bit of a flavour on what it would feel like before hand so yesterday being my regular leg/shoulder day I thought instead of my normal sets for squats I would do this super set. It was a trial thing and I almost failed at 15 but made it to 17 and really looking forward to pulling through with it when I properly incorporate it.

Gaz just a quick question for you. I know on your site you metion to use a weight you can do for 10 reps and do 20 with it but I've been told to use this more precise formula.

You take the duration of the program: 6 weeks
Multiply that by the amount of workouts in a week: 3/week
So 3 x 6 = 18
Then take that number and multiply by the amount of weight you anticipate on stacking extra every workout, so lets say = 5
Which gives you a total of 90lbs

Then you take the weight you can do 5 times (all the way down/correct form) at most, in my case = 225 and subtract 90 which equals 135lbs. I was told this should be your starting weight for the program. What are your thoughts on this as this somewhat varies with the starting weight I was intending on using, not by much but a bit.

Anyways, I'm excited about this workout and will keep posted my ongoing and final gains with it, if I make it lol.

**Gazhole** · 05-08-2010, 11:43 AM

Damn thats a lot of maths, hahaha.

Just go on feel. Take your 10RM, drop it by 10-20% and use that i would. I made the mistake of starting way too high, but if you take off 40lbs or something you should be at your 10RM halfway through, which is about right.

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