Wave loading...

[RobRegish]

SIMPLE WAVE
This should look familiar. It’s how most people use wave loading.

 10 reps of 225 pounds
 8 reps of 275 pounds
 6 reps of 315 pounds
 4 reps of 365 pounds
 3 reps of 385 pounds

DOUBLE WAVE
What most trainees fail to realize, is there’s a GOLDEN opportunity to double up and be a LOT stronger the 2nd time around. Let’s look at an example..

 10 reps of 225 pounds
 8 reps of 275 pounds
 6 reps of 315 pounds
 10 reps of 245 pounds
 8 reps of 295 pounds
 6 reps of 345 pounds

Here you gain the added advantage of doubling your total tonnage, which for my money satisfies the amount of mechanical work necessary for hypertrophy. The simple wave will get you strong, the double wave will get you strong AND big.

ADVANCED WAVE

You may or may not be familiar with Charles Poliquin’s 1-6 training. It’s a form of wave loading I like to employ after double waving:
 6 reps with 275 pounds
 1 rep with 345 pounds
 6 reps with 280 pounds
 1 rep with 350 pounds
 6 reps with 285 pounds
 1 rep with 355lbs

BOTTOM LINE
Wave loading is best applied to your big barbell lifts such as the bench press, squat or deadlift. It’s most effective for the trainee who’s looking for size AND strength, vs. the loading patterns I prescribe in The Blueprint which focus on mostly strength. Right afterwards, I usually have you address hypertrophy with Escalating Density Training. And while that works incredibly well, a carefully crafted wave loading cycle is more “efficient”. Meaning you’ll get both in one shot. Here’s how I’d weave waves together, while strategically integrated a loading pattern. Assume we apply this to the squat…

THE SIMPLE WAVE (6 workouts)
1 week off
THE DOUBLE WAVE (6 workouts)
1 week off
THE ADVANCED/1-6 WAVE (6 workouts)
1 week off
GERMAN LOADING PATTERN #1 (6 workouts)

Once you complete the 1-6 wave, you’ll have a reliable indicator of your 1RM (and likely a hell of lot more muscle). This is the PERFECT time to finish off with German Loading Pattern #1, found in The Blueprint 2.0, The Blueprint Meteoric and appears on the auto-calculator containing all 6 loading patterns.

I’ve seen trainees put on up to 15-20lbs of LBM with this exact protocol, and emerge with a new PR to boot. Yeah they were young, but even HALF of that is outstanding in an advanced man.

24 workouts ain’t a whole lot to sacrifice. I like to think of it this way: You’ve got 24 more workouts coming anyway, why not give this a shot? Because if you’re burned out on loading patterns, desire more hypertrophy or simply don’t have the time for loading pattern + EDT type, this simple/double/1-6/GLP 1 rotation is going to blow your mind.

[UK-Legs]

Hmm, this sounds interesting. I will try this in my next BP run I think. I have a question though. I have only trained using Mike Mentzer HIT for the last few years as I became very disillusioned with volume type training. I now believe that I may not have seen results is due to the issue of failure. I genuinely have issues with not training to failure on every working set. I just don't feel like I've trained hard enough! This probably quickly leads to over training in my case?

Could someone who has had good results with volume please advise how training to failure would fit in with this type of training? And also the reasons for why?

Thanks in advance guys, this is probably a stupid q and has been covered a lot on various boards. I guess I just don't trust opinions from dubious bro-sources!

[burythesystem]

UK-Legs - I can offer you this anecdote. In the past, like you, I was committed to the idea that I needed to train to failure in order to achieve my muscle building goals. In the last 6 months or so, I started training without going to failure, and I can tell you that I am now stronger and bigger for it. By avoiding failure, you save your central nervous system, as well as avoiding peripheral fatigue. If I had to guess, I would suggest that you did not see proper results from volume training because you consistently worked to failure every set of every exercise, every single workout . You can only stimulate muscle growth so much in any given workout, and once you go beyond that point, you are only dipping further and further into your recovery abilities. CNS recovery can take 3-4 times as long as muscle recovery, and most people don't know the difference.

The thing is, whether it's HIT, or any other training modality, it will eventually stop being effective. People nearly always make the classic blunder. After finding something that achieves good results, they believe they have found the secret and shun all other training techniques. The secret is this, EVERYTHING works. Yes, everything. But only for a limited amount of time. When employing any new program, intensity technique, periodization or loading pattern, it has a shelf life, and you MUST move on. You have to frequently change the stimulus you place on your muscles, but intelligently, not randomly. Typically, one can make excellent gains for 3-6 weeks, and then gains slow or stop.

[RobRegish]

UK-Legs - I can offer you this anecdote. In the past, like you, I was committed to the idea that I needed to train to failure in order to achieve my muscle building goals. In the last 6 months or so, I started training without going to failure, and I can tell you that I am now stronger and bigger for it. By avoiding failure, you save your central nervous system, as well as avoiding peripheral fatigue. If I had to guess, I would suggest that you did not see proper results from volume training because you consistently worked to failure every set of every exercise, every single workout . You can only stimulate muscle growth so much in any given workout, and once you go beyond that point, you are only dipping further and further into your recovery abilities. CNS recovery can take 3-4 times as long as muscle recovery, and most people don't know the difference.

The thing is, whether it's HIT, or any other training modality, it will eventually stop being effective. People nearly always make the classic blunder. After finding something that achieves good results, they believe they have found the secret and shun all other training techniques. The secret is this, EVERYTHING works. Yes, everything. But only for a limited amount of time. When employing any new program, intensity technique, periodization or loading pattern, it has a shelf life, and you MUST move on. You have to frequently change the stimulus you place on your muscles, but intelligently, not randomly. Typically, one can make excellent gains for 3-6 weeks, and then gains slow or stop.

This ^^^^

One of the most well articulated posts I've seen in awhile. You need a training "library" of progressive overload methods to make this work. That library btw, is in The Blueprint 2.0, 3.0, Meteoric and The BP Bulletin...

[burythesystem]

I am highly intrigued by these wave loading patterns. I am definitely going to be utilizing them in the future.

[RobRegish]

I am highly intrigued by these wave loading patterns. I am definitely going to be utilizing them in the future.

Are you a BP Bulletin subscriber? If so, there are suggested wave patterns in a past issue. And it's on the table for a future issue too, pending some discussions with Wade Johnson.

Lifetime drug free 1000+lb squatter..

[UK-Legs]

Burythesystem thanks for the detailed response. I'm truly grateful. You are right, I initially had such fantastic results with HIT I became wedded. And yes I previously trained to failure on every set!

Interestingly, recently I have been in cruise (volume training not to failure) and have seen similar gains to that of my recent feast (HIT to failure). Which certainly corroborates what your saying!

The obvious follow on question now is how do you know you've trained hard enough if not going to failure?

[burythesystem]

It's easier than it sounds, and there are a couple different approaches that make sense to me. If following a more conventional routine, simply stop doing reps when you know you have 2-3 left in the tank. That's PLENTY enough to stimulate muscle growth. Secondly, if you are using a loading pattern, do the prescribed reps, which will usually be some calculation based on your 1RM. For MOST of the sets and reps, you will not be hitting failure, or you shouldn't be anyway. If you are, you probably need to drop some weight. At times, following a loading pattern, your brain will tell you that, hey this is too light, this is too easy, or whatever. Hit the ignore button. Everything is programmed the way it is for a reason.

As for HIT, I would suggest stepping away from it for awhile. There is nothing wrong with HIT, just as there is nothing wrong with any number of other programs, loading patterns, or intensity techniques. Failure can and probably should be used at times to increase intensity, but think of intensity techniques like a delicious seasoning. The right amount is good, but in excess, it will ruin your steak.

As Rob said, it's all about progressive overload. Get acquainted with these ideas, and you will find yourself on the road to again, making all kinds of gains.

[burythesystem]

Rob -

I am a platinum member of your site, or maybe gold. I will comb back through the old BP Bulletins and find that article.

Speaking of programming, any movement on Shawn Phillips re-releasing his calculator? I recall hearing you rave about this, and I believe you were in contact with him about it?

[RobRegish]

Rob -

I am a platinum member of your site, or maybe gold. I will comb back through the old BP Bulletins and find that article.

Speaking of programming, any movement on Shawn Phillips re-releasing his calculator? I recall hearing you rave about this, and I believe you were in contact with him about it?

My apologies man, have a LOT of guys/gals now.

Yep, PB has re-launched. No word on how it's going though. You can read more about the resurrection here - https://powerbuilding.com/stupidstrong