Modified Linear Periodisation

So for a week or so, I have been struggling to decide on how to actualise the gains I have acquired over the last couple of months, for a competition at the end of April (28th).

Using something like what Bill Starr used to write about.  Or even Ed Coan's or Barry Merriman  periodisation plan

But anyway..........

Each Methodology : -

Barry Merrimans periodised system (http://www.weightsnet.com/Docs/barry.power.html):

Take a theoretical weight you would want to do for 5 reps in 8 weeks then work backwards reducing the weight  each week doing the top set for a max set of no more than 5 reps, then reducing the weight by 90% and going for 5 with that weight.

Modified :-
I took this 2 sets idea, and but I did not want to just go for 5 reps then stop, so taking from 531, I decided to go for a rep max on both of these sets, as the weeks go by the increased weight will reduce the reps naturally, but by going for a rep max I can at least see roughly how I am improving and where my strength level will be, come the meet.

Ed Coan's method (http://www.powerpage.net/coansquat.html & http://www.angelfire.com/pa4/Poseidon/edcoanbench.html) :

Also took some ideas from the excellent video's.

Basically start at the meet and work backward, like Merrimans, but planning the reduction in reps
ie

Week 8-7: 1-2 sets of 5
Week 6-4: 1-2 sets of 3
Week 3-2: 1-2 sets of 2
Week 1:     1 set of 1              

Also for squat and deadlift add 10kg each week, and bench add 5kg each week.

Modified:
Rather than go for just 1-2 sets of say 5 reps in week 5 I would go for a minimum of 5 and go for a rep max.

Also I would not use the 531 plan for warmups to the top sets, but do this:
1x8, 1x5, 1x3, 1x1, work set, work set
or something similar

Finished Periodised Plan:


So taking the above information I formulated the following plan, starting 7-8 weeks out add weight each week, doing one top set and a drop set that is 90% of top, going for rep maxes when want to. Otherwise just going for the minimum rep amount:

Therefore:
Week 6, 5, 4 = 1 set of 3+, 1xAMAP with 90% of top set
Week 3, 2 = 1 set of 2+, 1xAMAP with 90% of top set
Week 1 = 1x1+ , 1xAMAP with 90% of top set (although not sure if I should just drop the rep max on this week)

Weight progression: (all in kg)
                   Squat        || Bench          || Dead          ||   Press
12/03/12 -  175 x 3     || 125 x 5        ||  222.5 x 8   ||   77.5x6   - this week was done before I planned this
19/03/12 -  180, 160   || 130, 117.5   ||  230, 215   ||   80, 72.5
26/03/12 -  190, 170   || 135, 120      ||  240, 225   ||   82.5, 75
02/04/12 -  200, 180   || 140, 125      ||  250, 235   ||   85, 77.7
09/04/12 -  210, 190   || 145, 130      ||  260, 240   ||   87.5, 77.5
16/04/12 -  220, 200   || 150, 120      ||  270, 230   ||   90, 80
23/04/12 - Meet (at end of week)

On last training week for deadlifts I will just work to the opener of 250-260 for a single then do some speed pulls with 230-240. Or just hit the opener and stop.




I will probably keep record of the following weeks on this blog, with a meet write up after.

Till then ~

The Story So Far.............

About 7 months ago I was at strongest I have ever been: 190kg x5 squat, 152.kg bench (touch and go) and my dead was around 265kg. Then I became very ill for a month, lost over 10kg in a week and was coughing up blood for months after I got better.

Due to this I lost a tremendous amount of strength, and thus tried many ways to try to regain it, in hindsight I think I tried to recover too fast, but I tried to use WSB, Chaos and pains methodology, and old school type training such as that of Ted Arcidi, which would entail:
Week 1-3; 4x6
Week 4-6: 5x5
Week etc; 3x3 and so on

I found that benching more than once a week and my pecs (minor and major) would get very sore, very tight around the shoulder.

And throughout this, my lifts (aside from dead) kept falling.  Although I did notice a direct correlation between JM press strength and all other pressing movements, my elbows couldn't take the stress of the movement.


So.................

For the last month or two I have been using the 531 program as written by Jim Wendler.
And I know this is trite, but I have experienced PRs every week on every lift aside from squat (although that has recently taken off again).

Some Improvements:
Bench press : 13/02/12 = 115kg x5 @10                est. 1 rep max = 134kg
                     12/03/12 = 125kg x5 @10 //one month later ~10kg increase
                     19/03/12 = 130kg x4 @9.5               est. 1 rep max = 147kg
                 followed by = 117.5kg x8 @10             est. 1 rep max = 148kg

Squat:            21/02/12 = 170kg x5 @10               est. 1 rep max = 200kg   
                     20/03/12 = 180kg x6 @9-9.5           est. 1 rep max = 215kg
missed the first week of the cycle
but one month later = 15kg increase

Deadlift:
Before starting 531, I pulled 265kg a few weeks before, with a few kilos left to spare.

                     17/02/12 = 205kg x8 @10           est. 1 rep max = 260kg
                     20/03/12 = 222.5kg x8 @10        est. 1 rep max = 280kg    (this was followed by 240kg 3x1)
so thats 20kg in a month of training

Press:

                     16/02/12 = 70kg x9 @10             est. 1 rep max = 91kg
                     22/03/12 = 80kg x5 @10             est. 1 rep max = 93kg
                  followed by    72.kg x10 @10         est. 1 rep max = 97kg
so not an amazing increase but its around 6-7kg increase.

So my total in over a month has improved by 45kg (not including press), which is very good in my opinion.

In the next post I will outline how I have melded 531 and Ed Coan's methodology, to create a periodised peaking program leading up to a meet on 28th April.