pt undulating periodization

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Undulating Periodization - Part 1by Allen Hedrick | Date Released : 02 Feb 2009

The purpose of this article series is twofold. First, the

article will discuss periodization, specically focusinon the concept of undulatin periodization. !econd,

the article will loo" at the need for strict trainin

super#ision and will $a"e the aru$ent that hih

%uality super#ision is especially i$portant when usin

undulatin periodization. This need for strinent

super#ision durin undulatin periodization is due to

the need for adherin to precise trainin uidelines to

di&erentiate between the #arious trainin protocolswithin the undulatin trainin prora$ desin.

Defnition o Periodization

'eriodization can be dened as a loical phase

$ethod of $anipulatin trainin #ariables in an e&ort

to increase the potential for achie#in specic

perfor$ance oals ()9, 20*. +ore specically,

periodization has been described as the planned

$anipulation of trainin #ariables to $ai$ize

trainin adaptations and to pre#ent o#ertrainin (-*.

The concept of periodization can be traced bac" to

!elyes eneral adaptation syndro$e ()/*. This

syndro$e theorizes that syste$s adapt to stresses

they are eposed to in an atte$pt to $eet thede$ands of the stressor ()/*. The obecti#e of the

periodization concept is to opti$ize the principle of

1o#erload, the process by which the neuro$uscular

syste$ adapts to unaccusto$ed loads or stressors.

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This opti$ization of the o#erload process is

acco$plished with fre%uent $anipulation of the

trainin #ariables so that the neuro$uscular syste$

does not ha#e a chance to beco$e accusto$ed to theapplied stresses. This fre%uent #ariation is also

thouht to be benecial by addin #ariation to

wor"outs so as to a#oid staleness and plateaus in

strenth ains ()/*.

3t needs to be ac"nowleded that despite the fact that

periodization has beco$e co$$on a$on strenth

and conditionin coaches and athletes scientic

research concernin periodized strenth trainin is

sparse (4, 9, 22*. This is supported by !tone et al (20*

who pointed out that despite the wide acceptance and

use of periodization actual research concernin

periodized strenth trainin is $ini$al. 5s suested

by !tone et al (20*, $ost of the infor$ation

concernin periodization is the result of obser#ational

e#idence, anecdotal data, inference fro$ relatedstudies and a few $esocycle lenth periodized

studies.

The basic principle of periodization in#ol#es a radual

shift in e$phasis fro$ a hih #olu$e of trainin

(eercises sets repetitions* and low intensity

(percentae of $ai$u$ e&ort* to a low #olu$e and

hih intensity of trainin ())*. The trainin year isdi#ided into $esocycles, each $esocycle sinals a

chane in the #olu$e and intensity of trainin.

6or$ally each $esocycle re7ects a specic trainin

oal for the respecti#e period of trainin.


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The two pri$ary oals of periodization are (a*

decreasin the opportunity for o#ertrainin and (b*

achie#in a pea" le#el of physical preparedness at the

correct ti$e and, for sports that ha#e a specicseason, $aintainin that pea" for the duration of the

season (20*. These oals are acco$plished by

correctly $anipulatin the trainin #ariables.

The decreased opportunity for o#ertrainin is the

result of the #ariation that occurs as a part of a

periodized trainin prora$, not only fro$ trainin

cycle to trainin cycle but day to day #ariation as well

(2)*. This #ariation see$s to be especially i$portant

for hihly trained strenth and power athletes. 3n

ter$s of pea"in for perfor$ance research has

de$onstrated that e#en durin a short period of ti$e

(8 to )2 wee"s* a periodized prora$ produces

superior results as co$pared to a nonperiodized

prora$, especially in pre#iously trained subects (9,

2), 22*. The typical proression throuh the $esocycles of a

linear periodization $odel starts with a preparatory or

hypertrophy cycle, characterized by a hih #olu$e

and low intensity of trainin (), )), )/*. The oal

durin this period is to increase $uscle $ass andor

increase $uscle endurance. Followin this initial

trainin cycle are typically two strenth andstrenthpower cycles where #olu$e radually

decreases and intensity radually increases. ;&

season trainin typically concludes with a pea"in

phase where the athlete prepares for a sinle


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co$petition (e.., conference cha$pionship trac"

$eet* or $o#es into inseason trainin cycles (e..

bas"etball* $eant to $aintain the increases in

strenth and power that ha#e occurred durin thepre#ious trainin cycles (), )), )/*. This proression is

de$onstrated in Table ) below, adapted fro$ !tone et

al.

Mesocycle Sets Reps %1RM

084?

!trenth =4 >/ /0/4?

!trenth'ower =4 -> /490?

'ea"in =4 2- @90?

This classical approach to periodization has been

dubbed linear because it is characterized by

proressi#e increases in intensity while

si$ultaneously reducin trainin intensity. 3n actuality

the ter$ 1linear periodization is a $isno$er because

by denition any periodization $odel is nonlinear$ade up of nonlinear #ariation in prora$ desin (8*.

3ndeed, a basic tenet of periodization is nonlinearity

(2022*.


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This classical approach, as described abo#e, is

representati#e of two co$$on $ista"es seen in

periodized prora$s ()0*. First, there is a continuous

increase in intensity, allowin little ti$e forreeneration or reco#ery. !econd, the increase in

hypertrophy that occur early in the trainin prora$ is

poorly $aintained in periods of trainin where sets of

#e and fewer repetitions are perfor$ed, because

#olu$e is a prere%uisite for best increases (and

$aintenance* in $uscle $ass ()0*.

Undulatin Periodization To address these possible li$itations of linear

periodization a new periodization $odel, "nown as

undulatin periodization, was de#eloped. The

undulatin periodized $ethod is characterized by

reater #ariations in #olu$e and intensity throuh the

duration of a trainin cycle ()/*. 3t was rationalizedthat short durations of trainin ai$ed at the

hypertrophic response, alternated with short durations

of trainin ai$ed at the neural response, would

pro#ide a better $ethod than linear periodization ()/*.

The reason for this belief is that proloned linear

intensication leads to neural fatiue which could

co$pro$ise increases in strenth. Ay alternatin

between hih #olu$elow intensity trainin(hypertrophy$uscle endurance* and low #olu$ehih

intensity trainin (strenthpower* neural fatiue is

a#oided and better increases in strenth and power

will occur ()/*.


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3n a linear periodized $odel these alternations in

trainin e$phasis occur after a period of se#eral

wee"s or $onths of trainin. 3n contrast, with

undulatin periodization these alternations occurwithin the sa$e wee" or e#en a daily basis ()/*. For

ea$ple, trainin #ariables can be adusted so that

athletes perfor$ sets of )2)4 repetitions on +onday,

sets of /)0 on Bednesday and sets of =4 on Friday.

This prora$ desin would place considerable stress

on the neuro$uscular syste$ because of the

continuous lare scale chanes in prora$ desin.

Theoretically it is this hih le#el of stress that $a"es

the prora$ e&ecti#e, resultin in enhanced increases

in strenth while a#oidin plateaus in their trainin

prora$ ()/*.

Csin this type of prora$ desin that alternates the

stressors with daily $anipulations of #olu$e and

intensity is co$$on a$on strenth and conditionin

coaches in astern urope, Best Eer$any andanada ()8*. !ince linear o#erloadin is hardly

ad#isable to the athlete, the undulatin approach

should o&er a $ore successful approach ()>*.

5nother li$itin aspect of linear periodization is that it

$ay not be appropriate for all sports. $phasizin a

specic physioloical trainin oal for an etended

period of ti$e to the eclusion of other physioloicaltrainin oals for certain types of athletes $ay not be

appropriate (8*. For ea$ple, an ice hoc"ey athlete

needs a ood le#el of basic strenth but also needs

hih le#els of power and $uscular endurance because


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of the de$ands of the sport. Focusin on ust one of

these physioloical co$ponents for an etended

period of ti$e (i.e., strenth* while inorin the other

two co$ponents (i.e., power and $uscular endurance*would not be ad#antaeous for perfor$ance. This is in

aree$ent with Ea$ble (8*, who suests that

e$phasizin a particular trainin oal for an etended

period of ti$e (as what occurs in linear periodization*

to the eclusion of other aspects of perfor$ance will

tend to be i$practical when trainin certain types of

athletes.

Cndulatin periodization has the benet of pro$otin

concurrent de#elop$ent of dissi$ilar tness or

perfor$ance capabilities, for ea$ple $uscular

endurance and power. Cndulatin periodization

characterized by fre%uent adust$ents in prora$

#ariables theoretically could be used to elicit a specic

array of physioloical oals ()>*.

!uch a oal would be inco$patible with traditionallinear periodization $odels which are desined to

focus on a sinular physioloical adaptation in each

trainin cycle ()>*.


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#olu$e trainin to ade%uately $aintain $uscular

hypertrophy (8, )>*.

3f the undulatin periodization prora$ is carefully

planned to result in di#erse physioloical adaptations,and the trainin #ariables are carefully $anipulated to

achie#e the desired oals, si$ultaneous i$pro#e$ent

in dissi$ilar adaptations is a realistic oal. 5 trainin

prora$ that utilizes this approach is potentially

superior for athletes who re%uire a $ultidi$ensional

approach for opti$al perfor$ance as co$pared to a

nonundulatin trainin prora$ ()>*.

Fro$ a theoretical point of #iew, undulatin

periodization $a"es sense because of a superior

sti$ulus for adaptation as a result of the fre%uent

adust$ents in neuro$uscular sti$ulation ()>*.

*.

Grae$er et al. ()=* did co$pare a daily $ultiple set

#ersion of undulatin periodization to a nonperiodized

prora$ in colleiate tennis players o#er a period

of nine $onths. 5fter testin subects were di#idedinto two roups. The linear periodized roup

perfor$ed three sets of / R+ for wee"s one throuh

four, three sets of > R+ for wee"s #e throuh eiht

and three sets of - R+ for wee"s nine throuh )2. The


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undulatin periodized roup followed the sa$e

pattern but perfor$ed each of the three repetition

$ai$u$ sche$es within the sa$e trainin wee",

perfor$in / R+ durin the rst session, > R+ durinthe second session and - R+ durin the third session.

This cycle was repeated for )2 wee"s with one wee"

of acti#e rest between wee"s #e and si.

The linear periodization roup increased le press and

bench press o#er the course of the trainin prora$

by )-.=8 and 24.>) percent, respecti#ely. The

undulatin periodization roup i$pro#ed in the sa$e

two lifts by 2/.8/ and 44.8/ percent, respecti#ely. The

reason for the superior perfor$ance of the undulatin

periodization roup was not e#aluated in this study. 3t

was speculated that, because all the subects had

been in#ol#ed in a periodized prora$ for two years

prior to the study, this chane in prora$ desin for

the undulatin roup allowed the neuro$uscular

syste$ to further adapt, resultin in e#en reaterstrenth ains ()=*. 3t was also suested ()=* that it

is possible that the reater increases in strenth

de$onstrated by the undulatin roup were the result

of introducin a di&erent periodized prora$ rather

than the undulatin periodization prora$ bein $ore

e&ecti#e.

Aased on the results of this study it was concludedthat undulatin periodization results in $ai$al

strenth ains because of the added stress and

#ariation this type of prora$ desin pro#ides ()=*. 5s

a result those interested in $a"in strenth ains


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$iht benet fro$ this type of trainin, especially

those who ha#e been trainin for a lon period of ti$e

()=*. Cndulatin periodization $iht be especially

benecial in helpin elite athletes a#oid the plateaue&ect in strenth ains that often occurs in lon ter$

strenth athletes.


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for athletes who ha#e been in#ol#ed with resistance

trainin for an etended period of ti$e. 3n e#aluatin

the undulatin periodization studies presented in 'art

) of this series, it appears as if the pri$ary #ariablethat is $anipulated to achie#e an undulatin e&ect is

the percentae of )R+ used in trainin and the

correspondin adust$ent seen with sets and

repetitions.


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Type of Resistance )/

Rest )/

Trainin Fre%uency )/

Type of ontraction )/

The trainin #ariables listed abo#e can beappropriately $anipulated to achie#e the specic

trainin oal as the athletes proress in the periodized

prora$ fro$ cycle to cycle (9, )/, 2)*. For ea$ple,

the i$portance of increased rest ti$es when

transitionin fro$ a hypertrophy cycle to a strenth

cycle because of the increased )R+ intensities used

durin trainin was noted by Arown and Ereenwood

(2004*. To a lare deree, the e&ecti#eness of the

periodized prora$ will be dependent upon how well

the strenth and conditionin coach $anipulates the

trainin #ariables to achie#e the desired oals.


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#$portance o ualitySuper&ision

ertainly, ta"in the ti$e to put toether a well

desined undulatin periodized trainin prora$,

co$binin distinctly di&erent trainin protocols into

the o#erall trainin prora$, can be a tedious process

()>*. Done correctly, such a prora$ has the potentialto ha#e a positi#e e&ect on perfor$ance.


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ettin all of the benets, they are supposed to be

strictly super#ised as they proress throuh each

wor"out session. This need for super#ision is

supported by nu$erous authors (>, /, )0, )4* whosuest that each athlete needs to be super#ised and

pushed throuh their wor"outs to achie#e opti$al

benets. 'roper super#ision of strenth trainin will

facilitate eIcient and producti#e wor"outs, with the

ideal situation bein a low coachtoathlete ratio.

!i$ply put, best results will always occur when

trainin is super#ised.

3n support of this, a recent study loo"ed at the e&ects

of super#ision on $ai$u$ s%uat and bench press

strenth in trained hihly $oti#ated $en fro$ )/ to

=4 years of ae ()-*. 3t was found that the super#ised

roup eperienced reater o#erall strenth increases

than did the unsuper#ised roup. 3n this study, the

super#ised roup increased s%uat and bench press by

== and 22 percent, respecti#ely. The unsuper#isedroup increased in those two eercises by 24 and )4

percent, respecti#ely. Aoth roups perfor$ed an e%ual

nu$ber of sets, repetitions and trainin sessions

durin the study. The study roup did perfor$ hea#ier

trainin loads durin trainin because of the closer

super#ision. For the strenth coach, this $eans that

e#en hihly $oti#ated athletes benet fro$ closesuper#ision ()-*.

5 si$ilar study also found that direct super#ision

played a sinicant role in the deree of trainin

adaptations (>*. 3n this study, the roup that was


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directly super#ised increased absolute three R+

strenth le#els in both s%uat and bench press $ore

e&ecti#ely than did the unsuper#ised roup. The

super#ised roup increased s%uat perfor$ance by-0.) percent as co$pared to a 24.4 percent increase

in the unsuper#ised roup. !i$ilarly, the super#ised

roup i$pro#ed bench press perfor$ance by 29./

percent while the unsuper#ised roup i$pro#ed bench

perfor$ance by )4.= percent (>*. Aased on these

results, it was suested that the study de$onstrates

that both trainin adherence and increases in

$uscular strenth are enhanced with direct

super#ision of a strenth and conditionin coach (>*.

3t is reasonable to etrapolate these ndins and

suest that athletes who are super#ised while

participatin in a strenth trainin prora$ utilizin

undulatin periodization will adhere to the trainin

prora$ para$eters $ore closely than athletes in an

unsuper#ised settin. 3t is also reasonable to suestthat this lac" of adherence to prora$ para$eters will

reduce the e&ecti#eness of the undulatin prora$

desin.

Practical '(a$ples

To $a"e the infor$ation easier to understand, 3 ha#e

included a couple of practice ea$ples (clic" here to#iew*. The rst ea$ple (a$ple )* co$es fro$ the

strenth and power trainin prora$ 3 desined for

the football athletes at olorado !tate Cni#ersity J

'ueblo. The particular trainin cycle used as an

http://www.ptonthenet.com/images/articles/3190.pdfhttp://www.ptonthenet.com/images/articles/3190.pdf


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ea$ple is a power cycle for the s"ill position

athletes. Bor"outs are di#ided into s"ill position

(%uarterbac"s, runnin bac"s, wide recei#ers,

defensi#e bac"s* and bi s"ill position (o&ensi#e anddefensi#e line, tihtends, linebac"s* roups. ;&

season trainin beins in Kanuary so that, by the ti$e

they et to this power cycle, they ha#e been trainin

for se#eral $onths.

Aoth roups lift three ti$es per wee". The s"ill

position athletes train with du$bbells +onday and

Friday and barbells on Bednesday. The bi s"ill

position roup trains with barbells +onday and Friday

and du$bbells on Bednesday. This is done for two

reasons. First, to $a"e best use of the space in the

strenth and conditionin facility, this approach

spreads the athletes out throuhout the facility rather

than ha#in all of the athletes atte$ptin to train in

the sa$e area on the sa$e days. Csin this approach,

we are able to li$it the nu$ber of athletes on any onestation so that the athletes are able to adhere to

prescribed rest ti$es. !econdly, we feel li"e the s"ill

position athletes ha#e a reater re%uire$ent for

enhanced $otor s"ills as co$pared to the bi s"ill

position athletes and that e$phasizin du$bbell

trainin lends itself to this %uality. 3n contrast, the bi

s"ill position athletes ha#e a reater de$and for$ai$al strenth le#els, and e$phasizin barbell

trainin is e&ecti#e at achie#in this oal.

Football is a a$e of speed, power and %uic"ness.


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$uscular endurance re%uire$ent. 5s a result, the

resistance trainin prora$ is set up so that du$bbell

days are always endurance oriented days and barbell

days are strenthpower days. This $eans, of course,that the s"ill position athletes perfor$ two $uscular

endurance oriented days and one strenthpower day

each wee", while the bi s"ill position athletes

perfor$ two strenthpower days and one $uscular

endurance day each wee". This $a"es sense because

the s"ill position athletes co#er $ore distance durin

a a$e as co$pared to a bi s"ill position athlete

(e.., a defensi#e bac" co#ers $ore round durin a

a$e than a defensi#e line$an*.

5s you can see, the trainin #ariables are $anipulated

to help e$phasize the stated oal of that particular

trainin day. !o in the ea$ple pro#ided, the trainin

#ariables (intensity uidelines, rest ti$es, pace,

repetitions* are $anipulated so that $uscular

endurance is e$phasized +onday and Fridays andpower de#elop$ent is e$phasized on Bednesdays.

a$ple 2 is a theoretical wor"out for a client

interested in increasin strenth and losin body fat.

Fat loss throuh resistance trainin best occurs as a

result of increasin $uscle $ass and thus increasin

the $etabolic rate. Trainin for sinicant increases in

strenth re%uires lower repetitions and etended restti$es, trainin to increase $uscle $ass calls for

hiher repetitions and shorter rest ti$es. Rather than

trainin for these oals independently (e.., si wee"s

of strenth trainin followed by si wee"s of


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hypertrophy trainin*, these oals can be trained for

si$ultaneously by usin undulatin periodization. The

rst and third wor"out e$phasize hypertrophy, the

second wor"out e$phasizes increases in strenth. 5sin ea$ple ), the trainin #ariables are $anipulated

to help achie#e the stated oal of trainin.

3t is also possible to interate di&erent trainin oals

within the sa$e trainin day. For ea$ple, trainin for

hypertrophy in the upper body and strenth in the

lower body in the sa$e day. The possible #ariations

are li$ited only by your creati#ity.

)onclusion

Despite a lac" of abundant research to support the

clai$, it is co$$only areed that periodized strenth

trainin prora$s are $ore e&ecti#e than non

periodized prora$s. 3t is also reconized that

traditional periodization sche$es $ay not be the $oste&ecti#e approach for all athletes, dependin on the

physioloical de$ands of the sport and how the

co$petiti#e season is structured. 3n these cases,

undulatin periodization $ay be the preferred

$ethod.


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20/23

rst for power and then $uscular endurance. !econd,

the soccer athlete does not need $ai$al strenth,

power or endurance to play at a hih le#el. 3nstead,

the soccer athlete needs a $iture of strenth, powerand endurance, and the undulatin approach pro#ides

the opportunity to achie#e the $iture of

physioloical adaptations necessary for opti$al

perfor$ance.

Undulating Periodization Questionby Allen Hedrick | Date Released : 28 Feb 2009

uestion*

3 a$ currently researchin and applyin the principles

of periodization and a$ fascinated at how the body

responds to the di&erent styles of trainin. 3n 5llen

090 $inutes in duration

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2.= way split plan with !unday as a rest day=.Days ) M - hest and bac"-.Days 2 M 4 !houlders and ar$s4.Days = M > Hes

The trainin plan consists of four eercises for lare

$uscle roups, three eercises for isolation eercises.

Be use a pyra$id sche$e with weiht selection,

increasin weiht for four sets and then perfor$in a

fth set as a drop set usin three to #e drops durin

that last set. BeL#e followed the abo#e prora$ for

about )2 wee"s, and 3L#e noticed reat ains in

strenth, size and denition. ;ne thin that didintriue $e is how the body copes with trainin the

sa$e body parts on three consecuti#e days, as this is

contrary to what we are tauht here in the CG.

Euidelines suest a reco#ery period of anywhere

between 2-, -/ or 82 hours to allow full reco#ery.

Does trainin on consecuti#e days lead to $ore

$uscular and neuroloical da$ae and hence anincrease in adaptations and repairN 3L#e found that

durin our )2 wee"s of trainin, 3L#e beco$e

accusto$ed to the intensity and #olu$e aspect of the

sessions, althouh 3 $ust say that the second rotation

of the wee" is certainly harderO BhatLs your opinion

on the re%uired rest periodN 3s one day enouh in a

wee", or is it si$ply a case of listenin to your bodyand not forcin sessions if ecessi#ely tiredN

Ans+er*


22/23

Than"s for your %uestion. Het $e et riht to the

point. First, let $e point out that undulatin

periodization can be used in a #ariety of ways and

with prora$s desined in a #ariety of ways. Theea$ple in $y article was ust one ea$ple. 5lso, be

aware that undulatin periodization is enerally used

when trainin athletes who are loo"in to de#elop

#arious co$ponents of tness (such as power and

$uscular endurance*. 5t this point, it sounds li"e you

are trainin $ore as a bodybuilder, pri$arily

interested in trainin for hypertrophy, and if that is

correct, undulatin trainin $ay ha#e less of a role in

your trainin prora$. 3f you are trainin for strenth

and size, then you could utilize undulatin

periodization to help you with those oals. For

ea$ple, usin your current prora$, you could $a"e

the rst trainin day of the wee" for each body part a

strenth day and the second trainin day of the wee"

for that sa$e body part a hypertrophy day.5s far as trainin the sa$e $uscle roups on

consecuti#e days, the co$$on reco$$endation is to

not train the sa$e $uscle roup on consecuti#e days.


23/23

$uscle roups on consecuti#e days. 3t is i$portant to

$a"e a couple of points, howe#er. First, $ost of their

trainin consists of low repetition wor", often in the

one to three rep rane and rarely abo#e #e or si in$ost $o#e$ents. This rep rane is li"ely $uch lower

than what you are currently perfor$in. !econdly, this

#olu$e of trainin is so$ethin that they ha#e to

radually wor" up to o#er a period of ti$e. Pou would

not u$p into $ultiple trainin sessions per day, si

days per wee" as a beinner and epect to be able to

tolerate that trainin load. 3t is also i$portant to note

that athletes trainin at this le#el would also be

spendin a sinicant a$ount of ti$e helpin the

body reco#er between trainin sessions.

pt undulating periodization

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