periodization plans

[abobo]

I'm currently doing three workouts per week. The first consists of squats, weighted pull-ups and dips, which I do with a 5x5 or "bear" theme. Twice a week I do rotator cuff and grip work.

I chose the bear approach hoping to get gains in both strength and hypertrophy. However, I've been going for five weeks and I've made no gains so far.

Now, having spent five weeks in a low rep range, I plan to change intensity and probably go for 3x10-12 for a few weeks.

This is the periodization scheme I usually follow mainly because it is easy to keep track of and I think it makes sense. (Though I've never worked in a bear approach this way.)

But is there a better way? What about wave patterns, or conjugated periodization? Or the idea of separating strength and hypertrophy plans entirely, as in alternating a PTP approach with some sort of volume training? And are strict PTP and Westside methods the only way to get stronger after all? Talk to me...

[Mr. Bao]

Try to do this kind of periodization

Day one Chest/ham
Day two Back/Shoulders
Day Three rest
Day Four Quad/Calves/core
Day Five Biceps/Tris/forearms
Day six rest
Day seven Rest

week/ sets/ reps/ rest
1. 5 x 5 x 6
2 6 x 5 x 5
3.7 x 5 x 4
4. 8 x 5 x 3
5. 9 x 5 x 2
6. 10 x 5 x 1.5
8. 2 x 3r x 5
9. 3 x 4r x 5
10. 4 x 5 x 5
11. 5 x 5 x 5

Remember to pick "one" compound exercise. For example, Chest: bench, Hams: dead lifts, Back: weighted chins, Shoulders: delt press, Quad: Front Squats, Calves: Seated Calves raise or farmer walks, Core: Dr.JandaSitups, Dragon Flag, and cable pulls. Bi: Bar Curl , Tris: Californian Press and Forearms: Bar wrist Extension/Flexion

My advice is to keep thing simple bro forget the confusion principle for now. No rep to failure and the six week cycle is hell. This micro-cycle will build strength and hypertropy for sure. It is based on a hyrid of mine which I gathered from Poliquin, Ian King, and Pavel's body of work.

Well, I hope this helps.

[prana]

I did,

2-6 weeks : A. high repetition low intensity exercises
2-4 weeks : B. hypertrophy/power endurance
2-4 weeks : C. power/negatives
2-4 weeks : D. peaking
2 weeks : E. rest

How I determined how many times I should train a day

A. Monitoring ability to sleep, hunger etc.
B. When the muscles stop hurting to touch, + 1 more rest day, then thrash again
C. Wait for DOMS (ouch!), when DOMS over, wait for at least 12 hours then thrash again.
D. Completing projects etc.
E. Vegetate and watch the grass grow

I often get injured in phase A and C. Phase A because I want to get stronger quicker and the bosy is not used to "moving". Phase C because sometimes when your bouldering, you push a little too hard, without proper warm ups and rests to take advantage of the weather, conditions etc..

Of course, mine was a movements centered sport, so its different for you - 2cents

[Cheese Dog]

My current periodization plan:

4 weeks PTP style weightlifting. Goal-limit strength
4 weeks Olympic style weightlifting. Goals-speed and power
4 weeks bodyweight exercises (scrapper's). Goals-cardio and muscular endurance.

During PTP phase, I lift 4 or 5 times per week, during the olympic phase I lift 3 or 4 times per week, and the bodyweight phase 3 times per week.
I have found that the PTP program causes very little muscular soreness, and the olympic lifts also cause very little after the first couple of workouts. Scrapper's workouts make me pretty sore at first though.

During both of the weight cycles I use a wave pattern. I have found it to promote better gains for me. (Of course, your mileage may vary):)

I also tried the bear program for about 6 weeks and it didn't really seem to work that well for me either. I did gain in strength but not much mass, so I switched over to a straight PTP format. But I know some people swear by the Bear program.

[Mr. Bao]

Chinese dog:

Good plan. After maxium training cycle, I am sure your bw exercises seem easy and you can do more advance single arm or leg work. Good luck with ya training. I would also mention for my friends who are body builders that they try max strength and then go back to ya HIT method. The development of max strength will help your muscle building goals and break your peaks and make that set of failure seem easy and that means you can increase more load to failure.

[Cheese Dog]

Thanks Mr. Bao for the kind words. Yes, single limb bw exercises seem easy after the other two programs, but my muscle endurance always drops down. 4 weeks of bw brings them right back though!

[Mr. Bao]

CDog;

No problem. No intentional kinds words here, just being honest on what I saw. Best of luck in your training.

[abobo]

Thanks for the replies. And I've answered most of my original questions.

Dumb ol' me figured out that 5x5 isn't really the Bear program at all, at least not the way I was doing it. You have to hold back a lot to do the same weight for five sets with short rest periods.

So, having familiarized myself with PtP, it is just the thing I was looking for, and I'm going to start next week. My eating and sleeping habits have gotten worse lately, so I need to get a good routine going there before I think about bulking up. Wiry strength is in order, then.

I had a few modifications in mind, which bring up some new questions too. Instead of deadlift and side press, I was thinking squat and dip, (unless my shoulder feels good for side pressing.) And then I want to add weighted chinups.

So the questions:

Would I need to do any slow negatives for the chins?

Ironfist mentioned going crazy with the deadlift and feeling shaky. But other than that, five times per week is tried and true, right, even for squatting?