Autoregulatory Training vs. Linear Periodization [Research Review]

[lkt004]

seriously, 2 people?

 

[jj80]

Linear periodisation programs have a basis that look something like:

Week 1 - 4x12-15 reps
Week 2 - 4x10-12 reps
Week 3 - 4x8-10 reps
Week 4 - 4x6-8 reps
Week 5 - 5x5-6 reps
Week 6 - 5x4-5 reps
Week 7 - 5x3-4 reps
Week 8 - 5x2-3 reps

They often prescribe %'s of your 1rm for each week

But they leave out all the assistance work (but state somewhere to do it).

I guess the key is the assistance work. The PTC forums have a section with a periodisation template.

I'd be very interested to see the volume, percents and frequency of some advanced lifters, and the details of the assistance they do.

It's not like Oni doesn't have a point... many people are now moving towards programs more like Sheiko to get strong.... but periodisation has worked for others in the past. But I'm guessing its often as much to do with the assistance as the main lifts, reps and "%s" you use.

 

[Brick]

The variable not measured by any of these studies is the drive of the lifter.

The mind is the strongest muscle in the body.

 

[RyanF]

Linear progression has worked fairly poorly for me. The only thing that's worked worse is not linear progression.

 

[Bench Polkov]

Linear works no doubt and is great for beginner to intermediate lifters as it helps to avoid training retardation/ADD, but I think it becomes limited at more advanced stages. That's not to say that nobody had build great strength on linear periodisation, there's a lot of evidence to the contrary, but I do think there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to support non-linear periodisation over linear, and furthermore, that advanced/elite lifters regularly use auto-regulation in their training.

I think an important rule of thumb would be that beginner/intermediate should stick to their program as they're not experienced enough to auto-regulate properly and safely, however more advanced lifters can make far greater gains through auto-regulation.

 

[0ni]

I don't know how you define strong but....

I have a friend who got me into lifting... he benches 180 and strict OHP 115... hes tall, not turtle build too (long arms)... he just runs linear periodisation. He looks like he's on roids (hes not, just a freak)

Also Ed Coan? but he ran it with 'assistance' by all accounts.

And don't a lot of the PTC guys run it?

And Adam Coe?

3 people? xD