T Nation

New block structure

Supplements and Nutrition
#1

Hi Christian,
I am trying to design a routine around your block training concept, but I am having trouble deciding what block structure I should use.I recently read your post in the thread entitled “conjugate method” at Charlie Frances’s forum where you said that you now use the following type of structure for your training blocks:

highest volume,lowest intensity
high volume,high intensity
lower volume,higher intensity
lowest volume,highest intensity

I was wondering why you feel this block structure is superior to the structure you used to use(to me the old structure seemed to make good sense).

Also, what is the “purpose” of each week in the new block(for example in the old blocks week-2 was to shock the body with volume, week-3 to shock the body with intensity, etc.)

Could you use wave loading in this new structure like you did in the old blocks?If so which week(s) would you use it in?

If you have the time would you please post a sample bodybuilding block(possibly including wave loading).

Thanks very much.

#2

bump

#3

The 3 weeks blocks use a regressive structure:

Week 1: maximum volume / lowest intensity

Week 2: median volume / median intensity

Week 3: lowest volume / highest intensity

Test at the end of week 3

#4

Would this allow one to develop certain aspects in one phase while maintaining ones developed in the previous. ie
Week 1 Hypertrophy
Week 2 Hypertrophy
Week3 Strength
Week 4 Then to finish off the 4 weeks, Hypertrophy
Week 5 Strength
Week 6 Strength
Week 7 Power
Week 8 Hypertrophy
Week9 Power
Week 10 Power
Week 11 Hypertrophy
Week 12 Strength
Then start over.
What benefeits does this have over say a 4 week hypertrophy phase, then 4 week strength phase, then 4 week power phase (H phase-build to 5RM, S phase-build to 3RM, P phase-10x)?

#5

Also would building up to a 5 or 3RM be good because it cover light weight(speed strength), medium weight(strength-speed), and a relatively good amount of volume(strength endurance) and the same with the 3RM except because of the use of a much higher weight it develops less strength endurance and develops limit strength.

#6

Christian, do you also use this structure with 4-week blocks for hypertrophy(structural block)? This is what it sounded like from your post on CF’s forum.