Edited by: Francesco Currò
What follows is an organized (and productive) work plan lasting about 6 months; repeating it twice becomes an annual macrocycle. The first 16 weeks were organized in a "linear" manner, starting from an anatomical adaptation phase and gradually gaining the ability to use ever heavier loads in complete safety. In the configuration of the 8-week cycle (repeating it 2 times you get the 16-week cycle), which contemplates the distribution of the individual training units, there are already “targeted” regeneration periods: so nothing is left to chance!
Cycle of 8 weeks (repeating twice 2 times the cycle of 16 weeks is obtained):
Weeks 1, 2 and 3
| THE | M | M | G | V | S | D | THE | M | M | G | V | S | D | THE | M | M | G | V | S | D |
| TO | B | C | TO | B | C | Extra rest | TO | B | ||||||||||||
Weeks 4, 5 and 6
| THE | M | M | G | V | S | D | THE | M | M | G | V | S | D | THE | M | M | G | V | S | D |
| C | TO | B | C | Extra rest | TO | B | C | |||||||||||||
Weeks 7 and 8
| THE | M | M | G | V | S | D | THE | M | M | G | V | S | D | THE | M | M | G | V | S | D |
| TO | B | C | Regeneration | Repeat the cycle a second time | ||||||||||||||||
| Table A | ||
| dorsal | Low pulley or oarsman with barbell | Follow Scheme 1 |
| dorsal | Lat machine | Follow Scheme 2 |
| Posterior deltoids | Raised at 90 ° o Rower with rocker carried to the chest | Follow Scheme 2 |
| Biceps | Biceps with barbell | Follow Scheme 2 |
| Calves | Calf Machine | Follow Scheme 3 |
| abdominal | Crunch with cables | Follow Scheme 4 |
| Table B | ||
| Quadriceps | Squat or Press | Follow Scheme 1 |
| Quadriceps | Leg extension | Follow Scheme 2 |
| femoral | Leg curl or legs with (almost) stretched legs | Follow Scheme 2 |
| lumbar | Hyperextension | Follow Scheme 4 |
| Rotator Cuff | External rotations | Follow Scheme 3, but without bring repetitions to the limit |
| abdominal | Reverse crunches | Follow Scheme 4 |
| Table C | ||
| pectoral | Bench | Follow Scheme 1 |
| pectoral | Crosses on a 30 ° bench | Follow Scheme 2 |
| Side and front deltoids | Slow forward or Side raises | Follow Scheme 2 |
| Triceps | Narrow bench or French Press | Follow Scheme 2 |
| Calves | Calf Machine | Follow Scheme 3 |
| abdominal | Crunch | Follow Scheme 4 |
The exercises indicated in the tables, during the development of the program, should not be replaced, but all their variants can be used gradually. For example: Lat machine with socket, wide or medium or with trazibar; Crosses on a bench inclined at 30 ° or 20 °; etc. etc.
As for the series to be performed (rest time between sets, etc.), training in training, in the main exercise, it is necessary to look at scheme No. 1; the modalities that can be adopted are three: with Volume of work (series x repetitions) almost constant; with an increase in the Working Volume of (approximately) 5%; ; with an increase in the Working Volume of (approximately) 10%. Obviously they are in order of increasing difficulty and choosing a mode rather than another depends on the athlete's level.
Another way to increase the workload is obtained from scheme n ° 2 (related to the "secondary" exercises) where we can choose 2 working modes: level 1 (which is simpler) and level 2 (which involves a greater number standard).
In conclusion, you therefore have 6 (the 3 deriving from scheme n ° 1 for the 2 deriving from scheme n ° 2) work levels to choose from. To better "visualize" the trend of the work volume according to the combinations between schemes 1 and 2, take a look at the relative graph.
In addition, the schemes can be performed according to a model of " intensification " or " accumulation ".
In the first case, you will have to pull to the limit from the first set (excluding heating) in which - if you have chosen the weight well (more or less than the one indicated in the column relating to the% of the ceiling to be adopted) - you will carry out approximately the repetitions indicated in the penultimate column of the diagrams; in subsequent series, being tired from the previous series, you will have to perform all the repetitions that will come (without help!) even if they are less than those indicated.
In the second case, instead, you will have to perform the repetitions indicated in the penultimate column in all the series indicated; this means that the series are not pushed to the limit since the first and, moreover, that the% of the maximum to be used for loads is significantly lower than that indicated in the relative column. Attention, however: with this second method, lower loads are used, but the accumulated work volume (number of repetitions) will be greater .
Maybe, in the first semester you can use an " accumulation " model and in the second half an " intensification " model. Another (very productive) solution is to adopt the two models alternatively (every 3 or every 6 workouts), but I think you would seriously risk confusion, so I recommend this variation for when you have become more familiar with these procedures.
The following are the diagrams related to the "basic" exercise (scheme 1) of the training session and to the secondary exercises (schemes 2, 3 and 4).
In the diagrams, each row corresponds to one of the 12 training sessions (per table) that make up the 16-week cycle; the heating series are not indicated, but - for each muscular section - you will have to perform 1-3 from 5 repetitions with gradually increasing loads, before moving on to the actual series indicated in the diagrams.
In diagram 1, the repetitions should be chosen in the column of the mode you have selected (constant volume; 5% increase; 10% increase).
Similarly, in diagram 2, the repetitions must be chosen in the column of the level (1 or 2) that you have selected.
Schemes 3 and 4, on the other hand, do not change as the chosen methodologies change.
scheme
| Choose one of the three modes | ||||||
| Work out (type A, B or C) no | Series V = cost. | Series (V + 5%) | Series (V + 10%) | % of the ceiling to be adopted | "Theoretical" repetitions to the first series | Rest between the series |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 65% | About 12 | 60 " |
| 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 65% | About 12 | 60 " |
| 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 65% | About 12 | 60 " |
| 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 70% | About 10 | 90 " |
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 70% | About 10 | 90 " |
| 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 70% | About 10 | 90 " |
| 7 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 75% | About 8 | 90-120 " |
| 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 75% | About 8 | 90-120 " |
| 9 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 80% | About 6 | 120-150 " |
| 10 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 80% | About 6 | 120-150 " |
| 11 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 85% | About 4 | 150-180 " |
| 12 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 85% | About 4 | 150-180 " |
Scheme 2
| Choose one of the two levels | |||||
| Work out (type A, B or C) no | Series (Level 1) | Series (Level 2) | % of the ceiling to be adopted | "Theoretical" repetitions to the first series | Rest between the series |
| 1 2 3 4 | 2 | 3 | 75% | About 8-9 | 60 " |
| 5, 6, 7, 8 | 3 | 4 | 75% | 60-90 " | |
| 9, 10, 11, 12 | 4 | 5 | 75% | 60-90 " | |
Scheme 3
Work out (type A, B or C) no | Series | % of the ceiling to be adopted | "Theoretical" repetitions to the first series | Rest between the series |
| 1 2 3 4 | 3 | 70% | About 10-11 | 40-60 " |
| 5, 6, 7, 8 | 4 | 70% | 40-60 " | |
| 9, 10, 11, 12 | 5 | 70% | 40-60 " |
Scheme 4
Work out (type A, B or C) no | Series | Repetitions | Rest between the series |
| 1 2 3 4 | 3 | About 15-20 not to the limit | 40-60 " |
| 5, 6, 7, 8 | 4 | 40-60 " | |
| 9, 10, 11, 12 | 5 | 40-60 " |
Perhaps what has been described is a bit complicated, but I assure you that it is not at all.
To make you understand things better - putting together the data on the diagrams and tables - I give you two examples of how the program should be structured; one related to the ninth training, table A, with mode V + 5%, level 1 and model of "intensification" and another concerning the fourth training, table C, with mode V + 10%, level 2 and model of "accumulation" ):
| Table A | Procedure (training n ° 9 - mode V + 5% - level 1 - "intensification" model | Rest |
| Low pulley | 4 series with 80% of the ceiling (or from 6 repetitions to the first set) | 120-150 " |
| Lat machine | 4 sets with 75% of the ceiling (or from 8 repetitions on the first set) | 60-90 " |
| Raise at 90 ° | 4 sets with 75% of the ceiling (or from 8 repetitions on the first set) | 60-90 " |
| Biceps with barbell | 4 sets with 75% of the ceiling (or from 8 repetitions on the first set) | 60-90 " |
| Calf Machine | 5 sets with 70% of the ceiling (or 10 repetitions on the first set) | 40-60 " |
| Crunch with cables | 5 sets of 15-20 reps not to the limit | 40-60 " |
| Table C | Procedure (training n ° 4 - mode V + 10% - level 2 - "accumulation" model | Rest |
| Bench | 4 sets of 10 repetitions | 90 " |
| Crosses on a 30 ° bench | 3 sets of 8 repetitions | 60 " |
| Slow forward | 3 sets of 8 repetitions | 60 " |
| French Press | 3 sets of 8 repetitions | 60 " |
| Calf Machine | 3 sets of 10 repetitions | 40-60 " |
| Crunch | 3 sets of 15-20 reps not to the limit | 40-60 " |
As you can see from the practical examples just exposed, the volume (serial number) of "average" work of the training programs resulting from the combinations (at least twenty, so there is material to try ...) of the various schemes, it is not particularly high and this ensures that this job proposal is also feasible (indeed, above all!) by athletes with "average" genetics (so the one just explained is not the "usual" program of the "champion" ... ) and that they do not use drugs.
And now, let's take stock of the situation ...
in the first 4 months - assuming to have worked well in the gym, to have followed a healthy and balanced diet, and not to have been excessively "unregulated" in the lifestyle - we have certainly acquired and consolidated the "bases" of the physical form ( pay attention to the following important concept: without the necessary "bases" the physical form is weak and vanishes after a few days of inactivity ...):
- we have strengthened the connective structures (it must be emphasized that the adaptation of these structures occurs later than those of the other tissues - muscles, etc. - and it is for this reason that it is necessary to increase the load in a continuous manner, but diluted over time. Beware therefore of those macrocycles of training, where the phases of anatomical adaptation are neglected: inserting cycles of strength "too quickly"; you risk being more injured than becoming strong and muscular ...);
- we have significantly increased muscle strength ;
- and - rather importantly - the adaptations related to points 1 and 2 have been achieved without neglecting hypertrophy, indeed increasing it significantly!
However, it is not over yet: we lack the last two months of work (... and the beauty comes right now ...), where we will concentrate - by associating them appropriately - on the "best" intensity techniques in order to obtain a definitive breakthrough.
However, since I do not wish to "monopolize" the magazine by exceeding the pages, for the continuation of the macrocycle I refer you to a future article or to the reading of my new " Training " technical dispensation, where I describe this completely (and many others ... ) productive work scheme.
 |  Francesco Currò, teacher of ASI / CONI, teacher of the Accademia del Fitness, athletic trainer and personal trainer, is the author of the new book " Full Body ", of the e-book " The Training " and of the book on "Multiple Frequency Systems" . For more information you can write to the email address, visit the websites //web.infinito.it/utenti/x/x_shadow/ or //digilander.libero.it/francescocurro/ or call the following number: 349 / 23.333.23. |
