PRIME TIME COACHES ROUNDTABLE: PERIODIZATION AND CYCLING

[quote]Paul0 wrote:
If you had to choose between Volume and Intensity which would you choose for max/total hypertrophy and why?

How Cycling(=to change Volume and X-RM/absolute-Intensity)in 3 or 4 weeks,with Unload in final week?? [/quote]

Again? I’d take a look at this thread before answering his questions…
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=614948

By the way, great idea to revive the round table discussions. Keep it up!

I think what first has to be understood is the THEORY behond the periodization.

All types of periodization falls into one of two categories: single factor or dual factor.

Single factor theory is also known as Supercompensation, which is basically where each workout is looked at as tearing the muscles down, then you allow yourself enough time to recover and replenish lost nutrients before training again. This works for almost any beginner, but eventually the body adapts and you stagnete and need better planning to continue to make gains.

Hence, Dual Factor Theory, which looks at entire weeks or even months as “fatigueing” or “recovery” periods. Dual Factor Theory. The term “dual factor” is coined because it looks at both fitness and fatigue of an athlete to plan training around.

In the past, almost every bodybuilding program subscribed to Single factor theory, though that is changing somewhat these days. Bodybuilders are starting to educate themselves and leanr how to use periods of heavy loading followed by periods of recovery to give themselves better results.

Now, as far as periodization is concerned, all the main ideas have been used for one main purpose; to make people stronger. This is why many don’t transfer well to hypertrophy oriented training.

I would break periodization up into three categories:

  1. Linear, (and usually non-conjugate periodization).

  2. Non-Linear, Non-Conjugate

  3. Non-Linear, Conjugate

With Linear (or “Western”) periodization, the athlete uses specific movmeents (such as squat, bench, and deadlift) and starts by using low intensity and high volume and throughout the cycle moves to high intensity and low volumes. This works well at times, but it’s major downfall is that it is actually a single factor style of training, and even the though the volume and intensity are varied, the overall stress of the program rarely is, hence no major loading period.

Non-Linear, Non-Conjugate is similar to what the Bulgarians or the Metal Melitia do. Basically you train the competitive lifts all the time, keeping intensity high most of the time, and vary volume in order to load and unload.

Non-Linear, Conjugate is similar to what the Russians used, and what Westside does now. They build strength using non-competitive lifts or variations of those competitive lifts. Usually they also keep intensity relatively high and can load and unload by manipulating volume.

Now, with these 3 main categories for periodization, you can see that hypertorphy training doesn’t really fit into any of them very well. (Sure, you can do things like DeFranco’s Westisde for Skinny Bastards, but then the goal isn’t to get storng at the competitive lifts, but rather to get generally bigger and stronger.)

However, hypertrophy programs can EASILY be looked at through the lense of Single or Dual Factor theory.

Hope that made some sense.

Matt Reynolds