RIDING THE WAVE: ARE YOU UTILIZING THIS POWERFUL STRATEGY?

RIDING THE WAVE: ARE YOU UTILIZING THIS POWERFUL STRATEGY?

By Shane Robert

 

There are so many different ways to set up a strength program that it would be impossible to cover them all. And, sometimes frustratingly, they all seem to work. One method that seems to work quite well, perhaps better than others, is wave loading.

 

Wave loading is a technique that involves lifting progressively heavier weights in successive sets, before dropping back to lighter weights and repeating. This building up and dropping back resembles a wave-like pattern, hence the name. By gradually increasing the load, wave loading effectively “primes" the central nervous system (CNS), improving neural efficiency, which helps you lift lighter weights more explosively, and prepares you for the heavier weight that comes in later sets. It is time efficient and stimulates hypertrophy, as well as strength gains, with lower volume by doing much work in the 85% plus range. This range stimulates all the fibers of a muscle, even without a close proximity to failure. When doing work with 85%+ weights, you are also getting a lot of specific practice that carries over to higher one rep maxes, which is why this program is intended to end with a single, using 105% of your starting max. For this reason, you must use a very achievable starting max.  

 

The program below is intended to increase strength as well as muscle and makes use of wave loading for the main movements. As such, it’s important to pick big exercises that require a lot of muscles and coordination. I suppose you could use it for something like biceps curls or whatever, but that sure seems like a waste to me.

 

In addition to using the power of wave loading for the main movements, this program also implements a few variations of wave periodization, where each week sees a change in the weight, sets, and/or reps, before waving back and starting the build up process over again, for secondary and supplemental movements. Accessory work uses a volumizing wave on each block.

 

MAIN MOVEMENT

Block 1

WEEK 1	(60x6, 70x4, 80x2), (65x6, 75x4, 85x2), (70x6, 80x4, 90x2)
WEEK 2	(65x6, 75x4, 85x2), (70x6, 80x4, 90x2), (75x6, 85x4, 92x2)
WEEK 3	(70x6, 80x4, 90x2) (75x6, 85x4, 95x2), (80x6, 90x4, 95x2)

Block 2

 

WEEK 1	(65x5, 75x3, 85x2), (70x5, 80x3, 90x2), (75x5, 85x3, 92x2)
WEEK 2	(65x5, 75x3, 85x2), (70x5, 80x3, 90x2), (75x5, 85x3, 95x2)
WEEK 3	(70x5, 80x3, 90x2), (75x5, 85x3, 95x2), (80x5, 90x3, 97x2)

 

Block 3

 

WEEK 1	(70x3, 80x2, 90x1), (75x3, 85x2, 95x1), (80x3, 90x2, 100x1)
WEEK 2	(75x3, 85x2, 95x1), (80x3, 90x2, 100x1), (85x3, 95x2, 102x1)
WEEK 3	(80x3, 90x2, 100x1), (85x3, 95x2, 102x1), (90x3, 100x2, 105x1)

SECONDARY MOVEMENT

(Alternate to the main movement, i.e. if you squat as your main movement, this would be a deadlift variation)

 

Block 1

WEEK 1	65 - 5x5
WEEK 2	70 - 5x5
WEEK 3	75 - 5x5

Block 2

WEEK 1	70 - 5x5
WEEK 2	75 - 5x5
WEEK 3	80 - 5x5

 

Block 3

WEEK 1	75 - 5x5
WEEK 2	80 - 5x5
WEEK 3	85 - 5x5

 

SUPPLEMENTAL MOVEMENT(S)

(Variation of the main movement that helps build the main movement)

 

Block 1

WEEK 1	60% 2-3x10
WEEK 2	65% 2-3x8
WEEK 3	70% 2-3x6

 

Block 2

WEEK 1	65% 2-3x10
WEEK 2	70% 2-3x8
WEEK 3	75% 2-3x6

 

Block 3

WEEK 1	70% 2-3x10
WEEK 2	75% 2-3x8
WEEK 3	80% 2-3x6

 

ACCESSORY MOVEMENTS

(Pressing on pulling on lower body days; lower body on upper body days. All accessory movements are supersetted with sets of the main movements.)

 

Block 1

WEEK 1	2x15 @7
WEEK 2	3x15 @7
WEEK 3	4x15 @7

 

Block 2

WEEK 1	2x12 @7
WEEK 2	3x12 @7
WEEK 3	4x12 @7

 

Block 3

WEEK 1	2x10 @7
WEEK 2	3x10 @7
WEEK 3	4x10 @7

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Here is an example of what a week might look for lifter who has the following conservative maxes:

Squat - 300

Bench - 210

Deadlift - 345

Overhead Press - 135

 

DAY 1

Squat	(180x6, 210x4, 240x2), (195x6, 225x4, 255x2), (210x6, 240x4, 270x2)
Opposite Stance Deadlift	225 5x5
High Bar ATG Squat	180 2x10
Dips	2x15
Wide Grip Bench Pull Ups	2x15
DB Shoulder Press	2x15
Chest Supported Row	2x15

 

DAY 2

Bench Press	(125x6, 147x4, 167x2), (135x6, 157x4, 177x2), (147x6, 167x4, 190x2)
Overhead Press	87 5x5
Close Grip Bench	180 2x10
Leg Curl	2x15
Leg Extension	2x15
45 Degree Back Extension	2x15
Leg Press	2x15

 

DAY 3

Deadlift	(207x6, 240x4, 275x2), (225x6, 257x4, 292x2), (240x6, 275x4, 310x2)
Pause Squat	195 5x5
Deficit Deadlift	207 2x10
DB Bench	2x15
Pulldowns	2x15
Lying Triceps Extensions	2x15
DB Row	2x15

 

Day 4

Overhead Press	(80x6, 95x4, 110x2), (87x6, 100x4, 115x2), (95x6, 110x4, 122x2)
Spoto Bench	135 5x5
Behind the Neck Press	80 2x10
Goblet Squat	2x15
Good Mornings	2x15
Bulgarian Split Squat	2x15
Glute Ham Raises	2x15

 

This program is great for natural lifters because switching the accessory movements to the alternate days from the main movement turns each day into full body workouts. The more often we train a muscle, within reason, the more frequent the trigger gets pulled for muscle protein  synthesis, aka growth.

 

The exercises listed in the example are just that—examples. Swap in whatever suits your goals or desires, but just remember to be conservative with your starting maxes.