Hi guys,

I'm returning to Reactive training methods after around 8 months dabbling in other things, looking back through my logs it seems like a good idea...I've detailed my plan here, any advice is most welcome. I'm a class 3 lifter. Brief history of training:

Started in September 07, used Sheiko cycles until Feb 09. I got some good results at times, obviously in the first cycle, being a newb, it was great, as time went on my results started to show inconsistencies. One 3 month cycle I'd put 25k on the total, then 10k, then 25 again, then nothing. I understand that strength gains aren't linear but I decided to seek out a system that I understood and allowed me to adapt my training if I thought progress was starting to stall. That was the other thing about that way of training, I couldn't really keep track of how I was doing other than testing every 3 cycles.   

So in Feb 09 I started training RTS with Mikes help and put 30k on the total in around 3 months. More importantly, it felt like I'd started something progress wise that could gain momentum...Then between May and June I decided to drop a weight class, which was a bad idea doing it that quickly, and just a bad idea full stop when I was in the process of getting stronger. I dropped some off my total. Since then I've been training with a very advanced group with Westside principles, and then recently having to train on a different schedule due to crazy work hours, just a 2 day 5/3/1 thing. Either way, the net result of all of this is since the comp in May, my deadlift has gone up 10k, my bench down 7.5k and my squat down 7.5k. So all in all, not exactly great progress, especially considering I'm a class 3 lifter. 

I've reviewed my goals for this year recently and my main aim is to reach class 1 standards, which for me would mean 565k@82.5k and I want to do it by the Southern regional comp in December. This will mean adding approx 70k to my total in 10 months. Tough no doubt, but I think achievable if I train hard and more importantly smart. I've read Brady's articles (thanks Brady) and am going to base my first cycle Feb-April 09 on this. I don't have a comp to peak for as such but I would like to test my maxes at this time before my annual weeks skiing to see how things are working and whether adjustments need to be made. I'll then start a cycle to compete sometime early summer. So anyway, here's my plan. Specific goals for this cycle are to 1) address weakness in my lats, shoulder and chest strength 2) get my body used to heavier loads on a more regular basis as I think this is one thing I haven't got from other systems and my bench/squat have suffered as the weight feels very heavy.

So the weekly plan goes:

1. Deload

2.Accumulation-Medium Stress-5% Fatigue

3.Accumulation-High Stress-7%

4.Accumulation-High Stress-7%

5.Accumulation-Medium Stress-5%

6.Transmutation-Low Stress-3%

7.Transmumtation-Medium Stress-5%

8.Transmutation-Medium Stress-5%

9.Realization-Low Stress-3% 

Accumulation Protocols: X5@10, X4@9, X4@10, X3@8, X3@9

Accessory: 3-5X12@8, 3-5X10@8, 3-5X8@8

Transmutation Protocols:X3@9, X3@10, X2@9,X1@9,X1@10

Accessory: 3X6@8, 3X5@8

To be selected at random. 

Schedule:

Monday : Rockclimbing for GPP/scapular work

Tuesday: Squat/Military Press/Stiff Legged Deadlifts (accessory)/Chins

Wednesday:Hill Sprints/scapular work

Thursday: Bench/Squat 2(either close stance or front)/Feet Up Bench (accessory)/Abs

Friday: Deadlift/2 Board Press/Good Morning (accessory)/Pullups

Saturday:Hill Sprints or run a mile/scapular work 

Sunday: Off

Every day/exercise has a purpose based on my current goals. Any suggestions/comments etc are most welcome before I get started (or as I go along!). I'll start up a training blog. 

I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I'll give you the reader's digest version....

Your accumulation block looks to be too high stress and your transmutation block looks to be too low stress.  I would also say your realization block is too short. 

Overall, now that I look at it, it looks like you're planning your mesocycle with traditional periodization rather than block periodization.  This may be a good thing depending on what your classification is.

There are others that have quite a lot of experience with RTS, so I hope they chime in.

Traditional/linear periodization: Start with high volume and low intensity, progress to low volume and high intensity.

Block periodization: 3 blocks A,B,C. Accumulation, Transmutation, Realization.  First block is very high volume and do competitive lifts at maintenance. Second block lower volume higher intensity and jack up the competition lifts or variation. Third block very low volume, high intesity only the competition lifts and not much more. Bassicaly you gain strength potential in the first block (volume tolerance, muscle size, whatever), gain strength in the second block and demonstrate the gains on the 3rd.

Keep in mind that fundamentally, the main difference between traditional periodization and block periodization is one of targets (aims) and somewhat the length of each mesocycle.  They are more closely related than many people think.

With that in mind, the reason I said that is that if I get rid of the terms "Accumulation," "Transmutation," and "Realization," then name each training stage according to its characteristics, I would call them Preparatory, Pre-Competition, and Taper (i.e. terms common for traditional periodization).  In a block model, the accumulation period is used to build morphological changes in the body, which will require you to never stray far from complete recovery.  Your accumulation period is relatively high in stress, which when it is combined with a low intensity leaves us with high volumes.  This is fine in principle, but the definition of high stress necessitates incomplete recovery.  You can have high stress weeks in an accumulation block, but I don't think its advisable to have a lot of them. 

On the other hand, Transmutation blocks necessitate incomplete recovery.  Here, lots of High Stress weeks are important.  Just be careful to keep from over-stressing your body into an overreaching/overtraining state.

If you look at a realization block vs a taper, a taper is focused on achieving complete recovery and letting sport form "happen".  Also, it is much shorter in length.  On the other hand a realization block focuses on the development of sport form with complete recovery and is generally a little longer in length.

That's why I say that the construct you have is more indicative of Traditional periodization.  But don't think this is a bad thing.  Traditional periodization has gotten a bad rap over the years.  The fact of the matter is that its a good way to train for many lifters.  But when you start looking for one style as an answer to all athletes, that's when you run in to problems.  The style of periodization you select should be based on the strengths and weaknesses of that style versus your individual needs.  Additionally, the style that influences you should just be a guide -- not hard-fast rules that you MUST adhere to.  No athlete ever got great without innovation at some level.

Thank you all for your input. In all honesty, I never really made the connection between stress and the block before, not that I didn't think about it, I just didn't know the relationship, I was thinking about it more in terms of volume and intensity. The description you've given of each block is very helpful and will help me better plan my training here, I'll give it a couple of days thought and post up modifications. 

I assume the difference between taper and realization becomes more important the higher your classification. At the moment I'm class 3. Having said that though, if I were to plan say a 2 week realization block instead of 1, would it be a good idea to structure it thus:

Week 1 

Intensity high: X1@9 Volume Low (Keep stress low) Exercises selction: Competition lifts+minor accessory

Week 2

Intensity high: X1@10 Volume low (deload stress) Exercise selection: Competition lifts

Or are there better ways? I'm interested in experimenting with the idea of working on sport form close to competition because I've never quite felt completely ready....  

Without knowing any further details about you as a lifter, I typically suggest the following to Class III guys...

4 Weeks out:  85%
3 weeks out:  95% (run it like a mock-meet -- aka skills eval)
2 weeks out:  85%, but emphasize singles
1 week out:  deload

Obviously, this is just for your main work, not assist or supplemental.  But it should get you started.

Mike, how would you change this suggested realization phase for a class II lifter?

  Thanks. 

Keep it the same or with minimal adjustment.

The thing to keep in mind with these estimations is that they do not account for the other variables in training.  Classification is one and it can be important, but it isn't the only one.  As long as everyone remembers that, we'll be fine.

Thank you for your advice. I've tweaked it now a little, basically its become apparent to me that I don't really understand block periodization despite having read a fair bit on it. I could recite the basic outlines but REALLY understanding whats going on behind it and how to achieve the specific goals of each block through specific programming is something I'm not there with yet and I probably should be before I go there. 

So I'm thinking of it as more volume/intensity and trying out a cycle for both which I believe will work, I can at least test it and find out from there. Overall, it looks like the traditional option: 

Volume Block:

X5@10 5%

X4@9 7%

X4@10 5%

X3@9 3%

Intensity:

X3@10 7%

X2@10 5%

X1@9 5%

X1@10 3%

Its probably not perfect but a good point to start learning from.  

Congrats to you on putting together a solid plan.  And for the record -- the block model may not be ideal for you at this time.  Perhaps traditional periodization is the way for you to go for the time being.

That said, you did a very nice job putting that cycle together.  I would only change a couple of things in your volume stage:

x5 @10 5%
x3 @9 7%
x4 @9 5%
x3 @9 3%

Mike -

"

Without knowing any further details about you as a lifter, I typically suggest the following to Class III guys...

4 Weeks out:  85%
3 weeks out:  95% (run it like a mock-meet -- aka skills eval)
2 weeks out:  85%, but emphasize singles
1 week out:  deload

Obviously, this is just for your main work, not assist or supplemental.  But it should get you started."

 With this I assume you mean only the competition lifts are done.  But how many workouts a week?

Ie for the mock meet week do you do 3 workouts at 95% ?

 Thanks for your time,

Chris