how do you guys cycle throughout the year?

I'm fairly new to more serious bodybuilding. I've always done 3x10 programs right before summer n such throughout highschool but I've started to take it alot more seriously. I'm looking to progress as much as possible, and properly i might add, through the year. How do you guys cycle your training or periodize, however you wanna call it. Do you do strength, then volume, then strength n then add power in there somewhere? I'm just curious to know what you've found to give thee best results

Until something stops working or you get tired of it.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Depends on my body a lot, usually will put extra effort in accomplishing a particular goal like mass or strength or something, can make a lot of progress in 6 weeks.  If I experience injuries or body is struggling I up the reps and reduce the weight.  Have done weeks of 15 reps on most exercises and still made progress while recovering.

This year, jan-april was eating above maintenance and a body split routine.  April till present has been strength, with my routine that changes exercises atleast every 2 weeks I have continued to progress, although I think I need to change it up and give the body a break.

So from august ish till mid september or so doing a higher volume mass program full body 3 times a week with some cardio.  Get atleast over 215 lbs.  after that strength until I can't hand it anymore and maybe change things up one more time before around feb doing a cut. But that depends on if i reach my strength goals.  After cut back to strength training and maintain the lower weight for a time.

It depends on your goals though cause there are tons of variables you can go through, including diet.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

i workout depending on what i feel for that day, i dont really follow training programs anymore

my goal is to be super ripped but super strong as well

some days ill do strength oriented workouts other days ill go for reps

sorta like a surprise every time i walk in the gym

update! 8/3/09

maxes and goals
bench - need to remax
goal bench - 405

squat - need to remax
goal squat - 500

deadlift - need to remax
goal deadlift - 500
weight -174.8 8%bf 

jonb112303


i workout depending on what i feel for that day, i dont really follow training programs anymore

my goal is to be super ripped but super strong as well

some days ill do strength oriented workouts other days ill go for reps

sorta like a surprise every time i walk in the gym

I like this way of thinking.  I've always been following some sort of routine in one way or another.  I want to try and just break that cycle one day and just do what you do.   So you don't follow any routines whatsoever?  Do you even have certain days designated to "Legs" or "Back" or whatever???

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358

brihead301

jonb112303


i workout depending on what i feel for that day, i dont really follow training programs anymore

my goal is to be super ripped but super strong as well

some days ill do strength oriented workouts other days ill go for reps

sorta like a surprise every time i walk in the gym

I like this way of thinking.  I've always been following some sort of routine in one way or another.  I want to try and just break that cycle one day and just do what you do.   So you don't follow any routines whatsoever?  Do you even have certain days designated to "Legs" or "Back" or whatever???

i haven't done an actual routine in about a year, the last one i was on i think was max-ot and it worked extremely well, honestly i just get bored with routines, as i have been gradually cutting this year i've been focusing more on diet and just lifting heavy on whatever i decide to do for that day.

i have 2 basketball games a week, so ill do legs whenever im not sore from basketball

lately i have just been picking 3 random bodyparts and blasting the mess out of them with either drop sets, 21's, rest-pause, 5x5, etc, so its pretty random, i like it though

update! 8/3/09

maxes and goals
bench - need to remax
goal bench - 405

squat - need to remax
goal squat - 500

deadlift - need to remax
goal deadlift - 500
weight -174.8 8%bf 

Ah gotcha!

That definately sounds interesting, because routines do get boring as hell after a while. 

I don't really do bodyparts, but if I were to ever train like you, I may just go into the gym thinking "okay squats, pullups, and OH presses today", and I may just beat the crap out of myself with those 3 lifts....

Then next day, "Deadlifts, rows, bench" and beat the crap out of myself....whether high reps, failure, low reps heavy as hell, pyramiding, whatever I feel like doing that day.....

I may give that a shot!

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358

brihead301


Ah gotcha!

That definately sounds interesting, because routines do get boring as hell after a while. 

I don't really do bodyparts, but if I were to ever train like you, I may just go into the gym thinking "okay squats, pullups, and OH presses today", and I may just beat the crap out of myself with those 3 lifts....

Then next day, "Deadlifts, rows, bench" and beat the crap out of myself....whether high reps, failure, low reps heavy as hell, pyramiding, whatever I feel like doing that day.....

I may give that a shot!

I think youll quickly realize that nothing much gets done when you lift like this.

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

RollingStone

brihead301


Ah gotcha!

That definately sounds interesting, because routines do get boring as hell after a while. 

I don't really do bodyparts, but if I were to ever train like you, I may just go into the gym thinking "okay squats, pullups, and OH presses today", and I may just beat the crap out of myself with those 3 lifts....

Then next day, "Deadlifts, rows, bench" and beat the crap out of myself....whether high reps, failure, low reps heavy as hell, pyramiding, whatever I feel like doing that day.....

I may give that a shot!

I think youll quickly realize that nothing much gets done when you lift like this.

i think that depends on the individual, it has been working for me the past 7 months

update! 8/3/09

maxes and goals
bench - need to remax
goal bench - 405

squat - need to remax
goal squat - 500

deadlift - need to remax
goal deadlift - 500
weight -174.8 8%bf 

Well the reason why I like this idea is because the way I've been training in my MMA class is basically the same way.  They may have us do circuit training one day, then the next day strongman stuff (atlas stones, tire flips, etc...), then we'll spar one day, etc... we're always switching it up. 

I figure if I do the same type of thing in the weight room (circuits, low reps heavy, singles, failure, moderate reps high volume, etc...), then it would have the best carryover for MMA. 

I could be wrong, but I'll never know until I've tried it.  If I was training specifically for strength like I was before, then I agree, switching things up constantly would not be an intelligent way to go about it.  But for my whole "well rounded" thing that I'm going for, I think it might be pretty beneficial.

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358

Brihead I like your new way of thinking towards training much better than your old one

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

What was my old one?  You mean the one-sided, "my way and only my way" version?  Ya, I'm kind of a d*** sometimes, lol.

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358

brihead301


What was my old one?  You mean the one-sided, "my way and only my way" version?  Ya, I'm kind of a d*** sometimes, lol.

I wasn't going to put it like that but you sorta summed it up LMAO.

The new one "strength, stamina, endurance, speed, general health" just seems more functional

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Well all except "general health".  I don't really care about that honestly, lol.

But for the record, as far as building muscle goes I do believe it's pretty cut and dry - lift heavy and eat a lot.  I'll stick by that! 

I just happen to have other motives now aside from just building muscle.

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358