YOU DON'T NEED PERIODIZATION!!!!!
Take the Westside Method for example, you have a max effort (ME) day where you work up to a max once per week. You also have a dynamic effort (DE) day, where you don't go heavy, but instead focus on bar speed. You have to change exercises every week...or was that every 3 weeks...I forget. And when you change exercises, do you change ME and DE exercises or just ME? Also I remember reading about repetitious effort (RE) work, but for the life of me, I can't remember when you're suppose to do that.
Take the Westside Method for example, you have a max effort (ME) day where you work up to a max once per week. You also have a dynamic effort (DE) day, where you don't go heavy, but instead focus on bar speed. You have to change exercises every week...or was that every 3 weeks...I forget. And when you change exercises, do you change ME and DE exercises or just ME? Also I remember reading about repetitious effort (RE) work, but for the life of me, I can't remember when you're suppose to do that.
Don't even get me started on Sheyko.
Now I'm not making fun of either of these systems. Plenty of guys bigger and stronger than me have used both. But here's the deal, the guys that train at Westside, were already big and strong before going to Westside. That's why they were invited to train there. Advanced and elite level lifters might need a program like Westside to take them to the absolute peak of human capabilities, but at least 90% of gym goes don't need a program this complicated, and probably never will.
On the other hand, I've seen some average people make great progress with mind numbingly simple programs. I once went to a gym with a guy who benched every workout...and he worked out 5-6 days per week. He lifted heavy most days which meant hitting 450-485. If he needed a light day, he would stop at 405-420. All of these lifts were raw, no bench shirt. This guy was tall, with long arms; definately not built to bench. Oh yeah and he was in his 60's.
I've seen this a thousand times...ok maybe just dozens of times, but that still a lot considering most people in most gyms never make any progress. But when I have seen poeple make progress, its guys following simple programs that internet gurus say won't work, or will lead to overtraining. Yet these people are getting the best results in the gym. And the guys who are always trying fancy routines struggle year after year.
I know because I've been there. I've tried workouts that were way above my head and tried various "periodized" routines, and it cost me years that could have been spent making progress.
Learn from my mistakes. Know you're limits. If you reading this, chances are that you are a beginner or at best and intermediate. Don't get fancy. Stick to simple methods of progression. Just because a system is used by an elite level lifter, doesn't mean that it will give you the best results. Advanced and elite level guys have exhausted the gains they can get from simple programs and may have to resort to more exotice methods for further results. But these methods are probably less than ideal for beginners and intermediates.
Here is an old school method of progression: take your 5 rep max and do 3-5 sets. When you can do 3-5 sets of 5, add weight. Don't go to max on any set. You don't have to go to failure to get results. In fact going to failure is probably a detriment for steroid free lifters.
Periodization is a waste of time for at least 90% of trainere. I've seen drug free lifters lift huge weights and develop great bodies from simple progressions like I outlined above. Fancy and even simple forms of periodization are for advanced trainees. Those of us in the beginner & intermediate ranks, which is the overwhelming majority of lifter, don't need them. I wish I would have known this 10 years ago.
Until next time, gents.
