Tip 350: Set Goals Goals and and Plan Pla n Your Your Training to Overload the Muscles: Best Strength and Body Cop Gains
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Set training goals and plan your program to progressively overload the muscles for the best strength and body composition gains. Use short training phases (generally, two weeks in length) that allow for better strength and muscle building results than if you used linear periodized phases. Ive had great results with a !wavy" or !undulating" periodization method, and new research shows that if you plan your training phases this way, you will have better strength, and body composition results than a traditional periodization model. #he new study in the $ournal of Strength and %onditioning &esearch compared the effect of a nonlinear periodization protocol and a traditional periodization protocol over ' weeks on upper body strength and muscle gains in two groups of razilian military men. #he nonlinear program varied the volume and intensity every weeks for the first * weeks, and then for the last * weeks, it varied the volume and intensity each day of the week. #he linear model included three traditional +week phases that progressed from muscular endurance to hypertrophy to strength. efore we look at results, be aware that varying the volume and intensity each day of the week as was done for the second half of the nonlinear program is a suboptimal strategy because the body does not know what to adapt to. #he body will be confused if you train ' to '- reps on onday, onday, * to / on 0ednesday and ' to 1 on 2riday with increasing loads as the number of reps drop. 3ne or two week phases will produce superior results since this will allow the body to progressively adapt in an organized fashion. 4espite the haphazard nature of the second half of the nonlinear program, it did produce superior results. #he nonlinear group gained more more strength in the upper body and increased muscle cross sectional area of the biceps and triceps significantly more than the linear group. #he nonlinear training group increased '& bench press by an average of - percent, gaining nearly 5 kg, whereas the linear group gained '5 kg and increased ma6imal strength by an average of '1 percent. Similar '& results were evident in the lat pull down and triceps e6tension.
&esearchers note that in previous studies comparing the two periodization protocols, nonlinear programming is even more effective in eliciting lower body strength and hypertrophy gains. Its also been found to boost power and 7umping capacity in the upper and lower body in trained firemen. 2or best results with a nonlinear protocol, try an undulating method with phases that last weeks in which you alternate between accumulation and intensification. 0ith accumulation you will emphasize volume for weeks and then train intensification by emphasizing intensity with heavier lifts, fewer reps, and more sets. #hen youd return to accumulation for weeks but may ad7ust the reps, set, and load depending on goals (preparing to compete, lose weight, gain muscle, etc.). 8lternating between two phases every weeks will prevent nervous system fatigue and you will not lose muscle mass or energy system conditioning. #o read more on undulating periodization, check out the article, 8 rief 9istory of :eriodization. &eferences Simao, &., Spineti, $., et al. %omparison etween ;onlinear and ffects. $ournal of Strength and %onditioning &esearch. 5'. *(-), '1/?'1?-.
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