Bodybuilders plan or organize their exercises with the aim of achieving specific goals ranging from shedding excess fat to building up a specific body part. Therefore, allocating a period of time for a certain task or goal is generally, periodization. This is described as organizing and planning the bodybuilding exercise.
Modern periodization entails the following segments:
+ The Training segment - Refers to the day to day exercises.
+ The Microcycle segment - Refers to the weekly exercises.
+ The Mesocycle segment - Refers to a regimen which lasts 2-4 months.
+ The Macrocycle segment - Refers to the longest regimen which lasts from 1 to 4 years. It is also commonly known as the Olympic cycle.
Periodization For The Modern Bodybuilder
The modern periodization approach demands that all bits and pieces involved in the techniques of weightlifting for a specific bodybuilder are kept as they are throughout the year, changing only the volumes of each bit basing one on his/her short or longterm goals.
The best known methods for periodization include:
A. The Repetitive Effort
This is popularly known as the Bodybuilding Method since it is used by many bodybuilders for training.
Its characteristics are: 8-15 Reps, 3-5 sets, loads confined to 60-80% and the rest intervals should be between 2-3 minutes.
From the repetitive effort method a bodybuilder experiences growth which is known as Sarcoplasmic growth. This entails the muscle's non-contractile elements experiencing an increment of the fluid volume in areas such as capillary density, mitochondria, and glycogen. This is normally observed after one does high reps of say, the biceps curls. The muscles expand immensely, but later, they shrink to their usual size. Since this is not a permanent transformation, one should opt for better methods.
B. The Maximal Strength Method
This method is commonly employed in the Olympic style weightlifting and powerlifting arena. Its characteristics are: 1-5 Reps, 5-10 sets, loads confined to 85-100% and the rest intervals should be between 3-7 minutes.
This method is a typical contrast of the previous mode of training. While it ensures increased growth, it improves the neuromuscular exercising of the muscle fibers concerned and as a result, strength increases.
Maximal strength training provides bodybuilders with a muscular growth which is referred to as Myofibrillar Growth.
The myofibrils experience increased growth. Myofibrils are the protein sectors of the muscle fibers which are needed for creating the force that enables one to move a body part. The results are more permanent hence Bodybuilders refer this growth to as "real muscle growth."
C. The Dynamic Effort Method
This method of training is relatively new to most bodybuilders since it is mostly used by power/weight lifters, and speed athletes.
This method compels one to use moderate poundage ranging between 50-70% of their usual ARM. This is supposed to assist one to achieve higher speeds of training. These higher speeds will in turn result in higher tension levels in the muscle area and all the while, train the nervous system on how to recruit muscle fibers faster.
Experts recommend this method as it tends to make bodybuilders stronger when they return to heavier poundages. This is because this exercise is meant to increase the rate at which a muscle can produce force hence the other bodybuilder's jargon, "the explosive strength method".
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