To create a time segment, work in a cycle that gets harder and harder. If you want to build muscle and strength, this is the best way to avoid overdoing it yourself with volume, effort, or load.
Basically, during the training cycle (typically 10-12 weeks), the volume load gradually increases. This can result from increased sets, loads, or the use of more powerful training methods. However, it should move from a low level at the beginning of the cycle (still enough to generate gain) and increase throughout the cycle.
At the end of the cycle, unload for 1-2 weeks and start a new cycle. The new cycle resumes with a lower level of training stress, but is slightly higher than the start of the previous cycle and accumulates again.
You do 3-4 such cycles a year. By doing so, you can continue to make progress in the long run without burning out.
Let’s take a look at some general concepts.
- Concept 1 – Hypertrophy is more volume dependent.
- Concept 2 – Strength is highly load dependent.
- Concept 3– To continue to make progress, we need to increase key improvement factors.
To repeat strength training, gradually increase the load over 10-12 weeks. You don’t have to worry about turning up the volume. In fact, it should decrease in 10-12 weeks. This is mainly due to the reduction of personnel per set in order to be able to use higher loads.
To circulate training for muscle growth, you need to gradually increase the amount of training over 10-12 weeks (most often from more sets). Unlike what you do for strength, you don’t even have to feel stressed about using heavier weights. You can add weights if the previous weights are too easy, but it’s a good idea to focus on adding sets and assignees.
This is a very common example of both, for illustration purposes only.
Strength development example
This is a suggestion for strenuous exercise and only one suggestion per session.
- Week 1 – 4 sets of 8
- Week 2 – 4 sets of 8 (heavier than week 1)
- Week 3 – 4 sets of 8 (heavier than Week 2)
- Week 4 – 5 sets 4 sets
- Week 5 – 5 sets 4 sets (heavier than week 4)
- Week 6 – 5 sets 4 sets (heavier than week 5)
- Week 7 – 3 of 4 sets
- Week 8 – 3 sets 4 sets (heavier than week 7)
- Week 9 – 3 sets 4 sets (heavier than week 8)
- Week 10 – 1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
Example of muscle growth
For hypertrophic work, volume is the total amount of hypertrophic work per week that includes all muscles, not each muscle.
- Week 1: Total 60 sets / week, no strength method
- Week 2: Total 60 sets / week, 8-10 of which can use the intensity method
- Week 3: Total 60 sets / week, 12 to 15 of which can use the intensity method
- Week 4: Total 70 sets / week, no strength method
- Week 5: Total 70 sets / week, 8-10 of which can use the intensity method
- Week 6: Total 70 sets / week, 12 to 15 of which can use the intensity method
- 7th week: 100 sets / week in total, no strength method
- Week 8: Total 100 sets / week, 8-10 of which can use the intensity method
- Week 9: Total 100 sets / week, 12 to 15 of which can use the intensity method
- Week 10: A total of 100 sets / week, up to 20 sets can use the intensity method
Note that this is a volume of bloated work. Strength set is not included. And it’s up to you to expand that volume in a way that better suits your goals.
After the cycle, unload for 1-2 weeks, during which the workload is significantly reduced. The ideal volume for unloading is to run one-third of the maximum volume reached during the cycle.
No, this does not lead to muscle loss. You can maintain all sizes and strengths for more than 12 weeks by running only one-third of the growing volume. More importantly, it resensitizes your body to training stimuli (larger mTOR responses), but for that purpose two weeks of load reduction is better than one week.
You will feel better, feel less tired, start the next cycle with a slightly heavier load (for strength training) and increase the volume a little (for hypertrophic work).
Doing it four times a year allows you to grow and grow continuously without feeling like junk.
