Oct 16, 2025Finding the right form of periodization to suit your athletes
Periodization was started by the Eastern Bloc countries in the 1950s. It was created to train their athletes for better muscular endurance, focusing on volume and intensity.
In the 70s and 80s, when strength coaches were hired at universities, colleges, and pro teams, a lot of them incorporated the periodization method into their athletes’ training programs. As time went on, researchers and studies were able to form several different training periodizations. Linear periodization, undulating periodization, block periodization, and conjugate periodization.
Regardless of which periodization method you decide to use, the backbone of this periodization is these three cycles: macro, meso, and micro. The macro-cycle is long-term training and can last anywhere from six months to a year. This cycle is based on what you are training for. Meso-cycle is a smaller cycle within the macro cycle. This cycle can last anywhere between several weeks and a few months (1-12 weeks). Micro-cycle is divided into each part of the meso-cycle, one work week, multiple days, but mostly weekly training cycles for a specific meso-cycle.
Types of periodization
Linear periodization is by far one of the oldest forms of periodization. It is basically increasing the intensity and decreasing the volume over a period of time. This means you go from a higher repetition with a lighter load on a lower percentage to a lower repetition with a heavier weight on a higher percentage. This progression occurs on a weekly or monthly cycle to increase strength and power.
Example of linear utilization for the squat (top weight only):
- Week 1 3×10 @ 60%
- Week 2 3×8 @ 65%
- Week 3 3×6 @ 70%
- Week 4 3×5 @ 75%
- Week 5 3×4 @ 80%
- Week 6 3×3 @ 85%
- Week 7 3×2 @ 90%
- Week 8 3×1 @ 95%
Undulating periodization involves a more gradual muscle cycle and can be performed in two different training cycles. Daily undulating periodization or weekly undulating periodization. Unlike linear, undulating utilization likes to change its volume, intensity and exercises on a daily or weekly program. Because this type of program is so advanced, it is recommended to be used by upper-class athletes or more advanced athletes. For example, in a strength training program, it may look like this: if you are training three days per week, each day you do your core lifts (squat, bench, power, clean); however, each workout has a different number of sets, repetitions, and percentages used.
- Monday: Power – 3×1 (90-100% (1 RM))
- Wednesday: Hypertrophy – 3×10 (60-75% (1 RM))
- Friday: Strength – 3×5 (80-90% (1 RM))
Example of a weekly undulating periodization (wave) cycle:
- Week 1: 5×5 @ 75%
- Week 2: 5×3 @ 85%
- Week 3: 4×4 @ 80%
- Week 4: 3×2 @ 90%
Conjugate periodization resembles the undulating periodization, but is different as it changes in volume, intensity, and exercise is weekly. Periodization allows you to train and achieve different goals, such as hypertrophy, strength, power, or specific movement skills. In the conjugate periodization training cycle, you can train maximal strength and hypertrophy in the same week. Conjugate is broken down into max effort days and dynamic effort days. Conjugate periodization max effort days means training at a higher percentage or heavier load for a low number of repetitions (no maxing out). On dynamic effort days, you train at a lighter percentage or lighter load for a certain number of repetitions, and sometimes time is used for rest between sets (30 seconds to one minute) in the dynamic effort cycle.
Here’s what a max day and dynamic effort workout looks like for four days/week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday):
- Day 1 maximal effort-lower body: Squat 3×5 @ 80%
- Day 2 maximal effort-upper body: Bench Press 3×5 @ 80%
- Day 3 maximal effort-lower body: Squat 8×3 or 12×2 @ 60%
- Day 4 maximal effort-upper body: Bench Press 8×3 or 12×2 @ 60%
* Note: during max effort, I have my athletes increase 5% per week and dynamic 2.5% per week with 30 seconds rest between sets, and the percentages range from 45% to 60%.
Block periodization is a training approach that spans several weeks and is divided into specific training blocks within the mesocycle. These three blocks are the accumulation block, the transmutation block, and the realization block. The accumulation training cycle involves training with high volume and low intensity. The transmutation training cycle places emphasis on the strength gained in your program. The realization training cycle focuses on peak or maximal performance. New athletes would benefit the most from the accumulation cycle, as it allows them to focus on form/technique while training in the hypertrophy phase in the range of 50-75% of their 1 RM. Second- and third-year athletes train in the transmutation cycle, building strength and training in the 75-95% of their 1 RM. Your fourth- and fifth-year athletes would train in the realization cycle, which is developing peak performance working up to maximal strength or power in the 90% or higher.
Example of block training cycle:
- Block 1 | month 1: hypertrophy training (8-15 reps @ 50-75% intensity (3-6 sets))
- Block 2 | month 2: strength (1-5 reps @ 75-90% intensity (3-6 sets))
- Block 3 | month 3: power (1-3 reps @ 90%+ intensity (2-4 sets))
Overall, researchers and studies have shown that periodization training has a positive effect on strength and hypertrophy, regardless of which periodization you choose.
