This month we are hitting a Stage Descending protocol of 8, 8, 6, 6, 4, 4 with a 5/0/X/0 tempo
By Rhett Clark, August 2, 2023
Y3B8 – Stage Descending
Rep Scheme
8, 8, 6, 6, 4, 4
Tempo 5/0/X/0
We are rolling into an intensification block. This rep scheme paired with a 50×0 tempo definitely feels like an accumulation block, and there is a reason behind that.
One of the things behind Intensification blocks is that they have to be based on stress through intensity (weight). This will come in the form of working qualities such as power, relative strength, or functional hypertrophy. This translates in lower reps/shorter time under tension (TUT) combined with heavier intensities >85%.
This month we are hitting a Stage Descending protocol of 8, 8, 6, 6, 4, 4 with a 5/0/X/0 tempo.
In Block 7 we really went after a higher than average rep scheme and delved into the ranges of 10-15 reps per set. This creates a difficult job as a programmer, (that’s me, coach Rhett) for the athlete, that’s you, to transition to an intensification block. We have a rule for month-to-month progressions: never get outside of the range of 8-15% average intensity fluctuations.
The 8-15% change is more gradual and we need that. Violent transitions from one block to the next is too hard for the system to recover from as well as adapt to. So we need some sort of upper/lower limit in which we can change from one block to the next without compromising long-term development. This makes it tough to program coming off a muscular endurance block working up to 15 reps.
This is where something like Stage Descending comes in. This block should feel similar to our last block, which was moderate weights for higher reps. So we added a 5/0/X/0 which lowers the intensity (ie weight on the bar) we can use because we have longer TUT. This means we can transition more seamlessly from one block to the next without compromising recovery or impeding adaptation.
If none of that makes any sense, just think of it this way: we can get more from the previous block’s adaptations if we have smaller changes block to block. The benefit of increasing muscular endurance is based on if we can translate that increase in fitness to the next block. If we were to go to a super high intensity/weight at a very low volume, we would not have the physiological development to optimize that set and rep scheme. Muscular endurance should transition to hypertrophy.
This will be a fun and challenging training block filled with tons of cool new variations of exercises and opportunities to pack on some serious muscle.
