Study supports 'mini-cycles'

S

scientific muscle

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I found this study which shows that similar results can be has using traditional periodization which lasts for weeks (like vanilla HST) using daily undulating periodizing. In other words, instead of doing 2 weeks of 15s, 2 weeks of 10s and 2 weeks of 5s, this study supports the idea that doing one day of 15s and one day of 10s, and one day of 5s every week. Slowly increasing the loads every week as necessary.
The study shows that both ways are equally effective so it is one variation that can be done if boredom arises....basically doing one or two week cycles back to back instead of long-term cycles which last for weeks or months.

DUP vs. traditional periodization.
 
Idea extrapolated from this study...

Monday- Volume day- do each exercise for 5 sets of 5 reps.  Stop just short of failure (when form starts to deteriorate).  Once you can do all 5x5 in good form, increase the load.

Friday- Intensity Day- do each exercise for 3 sets of 3 reps. Again stop just short of failure.  Once you can do all 3x3 in good form, increase the load.

This is basically a 'mini' dual-factor model and sounds weird but this study supports it.  The dual-factor effect of changing the volume and intensity each workout is the same as changing it every 2-4 weeks as in traditional dual-factor periodization.
 
I didn't check out the link you posted yet but I have worked out kind of like that in the past before I had ever heard of HST.

I would do a six day A/B split with high reps on Monday and Tuesday, medium reps on Wednesday and Thursday and low reps on Friday and Saturday. I would increase my volume over a 3 week period starting with 3 sets per muscle group then 4 and then 5 sets (using the same weight). Then I would drop volume back to 3 sets and increase rest times a bit for three weeks (increasing the weight whenever possible). Then start all over again. After two of these “cycles” I would take a week off.

The split was like this:

A - Monday, Wednesday & Friday
Chest
Back
Biceps
Calf

B - Tuesday, Thrusday & Saturday
Thighs
Delts
Triceps
Abs

This worked pretty well in the past and I will probably give it another shot after a couple more HST cycles.
 
that's similar to what I'm doing now. got it from Rippetoe & Kilgore's Practical Programming. Monday is "volume" at 5 x 5. Wed. is "recovery" at 3 x 3. Friday is "intensity" at 1 x 5. I'm enjoying it.
 
I did 15s mon, 10s wed, 5 fri, for a few weeks after one of my cycles last year. I liked it very much, and my strength kept increasing. I think I added 15 lbs to my 5rm for dead lift. Other went up too.
 
The study shows that in terms of strength the two approaches are indeed equal effective, but "Both groups significantly decreased percent body fat. However, only the LP group both significantly decreased fat mass and percent body fat." (page 44, and also page 35, LP=linear Periodization). If that is true, I'd prefer LP since all cut-reducing approaches are worth gold to me
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(cons @ May 10 2007,17:38)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The study shows that in terms of strength the two approaches are indeed equal effective, but &quot;Both groups significantly decreased percent body fat. However, only the LP group both significantly decreased fat mass and percent body fat.&quot; (page 44, and also page 35, LP=linear Periodization). If that is true, I'd prefer LP since all cut-reducing approaches are worth gold to me
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Yes, but the DUP group gained more lean mass!!! Though in both cases the differences were very small. And too small to mean much, the subjects probably just didn't adjust calories perfectly for the different routines.
 
Obviously it looks like starting with low volume and then ramping up and maybe even trying to temporarily overtrain .....or rather overreach followed by a deload/sd/low volume cycle would or could be effective?
 
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(Joe.Muscle @ May 10 2007,21:47)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Obviously it looks like starting with low volume and then ramping up and maybe even trying to temporarily overtrain .....or rather overreach followed by a deload/sd/low volume cycle would or could be effective?</div>
That is exactly what I was doing.  And in my experience it can be very effective.
 
Sci, I had hoped you'd stay with your regular program for a month or two, since you have the other (ahem) 'experiment' going, and I was watching for your results. You're gonna skew the study man! Things should just be taking off for you right about now I think.
 
It’s kind of funny to hear you say that Sci. Most people who I have mentioned that to say it’s not a good training model and will never try it. But it is a good model and it is worth trying.

But as Quad said, it would be cool if you stuck with what you are doing to see what kind of results you have.
 
I agree guys...I was thinking about it last night and the high-volume max-stim routine I am doing is perfect for me right now. Normally I would give up since the high-volume is making it extremely difficult to keep progressing to the heavier loads. But since I am currently 'enhanced' I think I can handle the crazy volume!
Plus, I know alot fo you are following my cycle, so I won't sabotage it.
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6 days a week... I always had people telling me how that was overdoing it and after reading on here for awhile it seems that would fry your CNS? When I did it I got decent strength gains but never seemed to get much hypertrophy out of it... I imagine I might have been doing too much though.
 
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(Joe.Muscle @ May 11 2007,15:26)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Sci are you doing 20 ro 30 reps?

3 times a week correct!</div>
see my log...all the juicy details.
 
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