So
@Necessary Evil is a really knowledgeable guy and is using mutiple progression models at once, he is much more advanced than most on here.
Fourone, you have come a long way in your knowledge. So gonna ask you this...where are you personally at in the progression model?
I.e. can you make substantial progress running a linear progression model with an amrap set thrown in? I.e. linear periodization. Can you do this running small amounts of volume i.e. minimum effective dose. Essentially can you make progress on a 5/5/5+ set model for the main lifts? I.e add 2.5lbs per session?
If not can you do while rotating lifts and only progressing 2.5 lbs as the lifts come up? I.e. concurrent training like DC training. Can you do so without using intensity techniques like rest pause.
If you can't then you will need to decide do I want to add volume slowly and surely until I reach maximum recoverable volume or do I want to use another progression scheme first that allows mutiple linear progression or do I want to skip straight to a intesity techniques.
My advice is usually the following
Linear progression model like greyskull lp with the amrap sets. Drop to one set all out amrap if need be to continue to progress. Use sub maximal bodyweight movements to really ramp volume without causing cns fatugue.
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Every other session progression in the same program after mutiple deloads setting rep records along the way. I.e. weekly progression
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Deloading and roatating the lift out and resorting back to the LP model. Do this twice the. Eventually go back to the main lift again. Run the main lift in the schedule starting from the beginning. Usually you can fly past your original numbers before you stall again.
Once you stall again I suggest going to a rotating lift schedule similar to DC training without the intesity techniques. So over a two week period you have 1A,1B,1C and a 2a,2B,2C days. Progress linearly for as long as you can in the big lifts using intensity to drive progress as much as possible. I try and have people keep the volume at minimum effective dose as long as possible because once you reach the maximum recoverable volume point you are going to have to move into more and more complex progression models to continue to progress.
The above will usually take the person thru the first 3 years at least of training and by the. The trainee should be damn strong and should have out on substantial muscle if that was the goal. If that wasn't the goal and fatloss was, well they should have receached that goal by now and plenty more gains can be had using the above model and eating shit tons of protein and being in a surplus.
After this is compete I like to try and have guys milk the lp model for everything it is worth if size and strength is the goal using the madcow method of weekly progression and an under reaching to over reaching approach. I usually have people run atleast 2 mesocycles of this. We continue each meso cycle until we over reach to the point we can not progress weekly anymore even 2.5lbs and progress is going backwards. This is usually in the 9-12 week range. I have them rotate the lifts out and go to varients and repeat. My advice is to do another round with the main lifts again but by this point most people want to move on from this model is it's hard or they have reached their size goal.
For the person who has maxed out the above I like to move them to a dependent model of reverse pyramid training as described by Martin berkham if they are looking for bodybuilding style goals. Set rep records along the way. This is the point I considerost an intermediate in the progression model. If the person's goal is strength I have them run two-three rounds of the Texas method or until they hate life because the Texas method sucks.
The RPT model can continue for years rotating lifts in and out but routinely people bog down for some reason or another in less than a year.
This is where I start encouraging volume for the sake of volume. I treat each lift independently except for when running mad cow. So as rpt starts stalling I have people do the following using the following set structure
Set 1-4-6 reps
Set 2- 8-10 reps
Set 3- 10-12 reps
We start week one doing the low end of the rep range even if we can do more. We add in 10*5 @60% for that lift right after.
So for press it might look like this with a 200lbs max
Set1- 175-4reps
Set 2- 155-8 reps
Set 3-140-10 reps
Then 10 sets of 5@60% which would be 140.
Progression model is we move up one rep each set on the rpt set weekly until we reach the top of the rep range after week 3. We the. Add 10lbs for upper body lifts and 20 lbs for lower body lifts to each set and repeat.
On the volume sets we add 2.5lbs per session.
The above usually drives progress for a long time especially switching for variants after stalls. But this will not always work for each lift. Use the volume scheme for each lift that you need to drive progress, might be 5*10 instead or 6*6 with short rest periods. Do the above for two main lifts at a time picking the areas you want to focus on whether it be strength or hypertrophy. Keep the volume on the other mainlifts to an acceptable level to allow full recovery.
This is what I do for most that are not planning on seeing on stage and want to just look great, look jacked and are more recreational lifters in the fact they have families and no desire to be Mr Olympia. I do this same model for everyone, natural or not. The accessory and supplemental lifts are designed based on progress and goals.
But by all means those that have aspirations of making a living so this, get strong but also ramp the volume to MRV levels. This will get you bigger faster, but has its own set of risk when injuries plus you plateau much earlier rushing it.
Tomorrow I'll try to break down the above model further and explain how to use varients to focus on certain body parts while still staying within the above framework. This is if I don't get too busy at work.
Later this week so will try to post some stuff where people should go from here especially using the power building side if things using westside varations if the concurrent model with supplemental and accessory lifts.
