Microcycles For More Muscle

If you've tried my Micro Muscle program you know that periodization works and it works very well to promote muscle strength and muscle growth.

Micro Muscle is a modified version of the oldest form of periodization there is – Linear Periodization. Periodization is the systematic chaning of weight and rep ranges. With linear periodization you gradually increase the weight used and decrease the reps per set with each phase. Most linear periodized plans hold the rep ranges for at least 4 weeks to as many as 8 weeks before changing up the weight and rep ranged. My Micro Muscle program uses the microcycle system where you change up the weight and rep ranges every single week as opposed to every 4 weeks or longer.

There are other forms of periodization.

The two most commonly used are reverse-linear periodization, which involves decreasing the weight and increasing rep ranges as you progress through each phase; and undulating periodization (also referred to as non-linear periodization) which randomly changes the rep range up every time you train a muscle group. Although a few studies have compared linear periodization models to see which one works best for muscle strength, very few have closely compared different periodization schemes for muscle growth.

A recent study from the Federal University of Rio De Jeneiro compared the effects of using a linear periodized program versus an undulating periodized program on muscle growth, as well as muscle strength.

They had untrained men follow a linear periodized weight-training program for 12 weeks or an undulating periodized program. The linear periodized group did two set of 12-15 reps per exercise for the first four weeks, then 3 sets of 8-10 reps per exercises for the next four weeks, and 4 sets of 3-5 reps per exercise in the final four weeks of the

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