The underlying theme of periodization is to add variety that promotes adaptation. The theme is simple, but actually doing it is hard.
In this podcast (Quicktime, 17.7 MB, Google Video, no download), Nancy Arnold and I discuss our progress in our current periodization program. As Nancy has mentioned in her blog, we both like the periodization program, and as I note, periodization seems to facilitate progress by priming the body for adaptation.
Periodization is not unknown in bodybuilding. Keats Sniderman has written an introductory article on bodybuilding.com which provides much of the history and an introductory workout. However, periodization departs from the repetitive effort method used by most bodybuilders and thus might appear dubious. Nancy and I agree that the key seems to be measurement.
Dave Tate makes the case for periodization well in his Periodization Bible when he notes that if all someone needed to do was the same motion all the time, then powerlifters would only do the three basic exercises: the squat, the bench, and the deadlift. However, everyone recognizes the need to do additional exercises to improve on the basic ones. The body needs more than just monotonous repetition.
The question then becomes how to vary. Proposals abound, particularly in the powerlifting camp. Tate recommends conjugated periodization. Cosgrove recommends undulating periodization (very close to the method Nancy and I are following from Serious Strength Training). And in a rare focus on diet in the powerlifting camp, Cressey actually recommends periodizing the diet in sync with training (also close to what is recommended in Serious Strength Training). The underlying theme seems to be to vary it up in all aspects of your training so that your body does not fall into a rut.
What we don't discuss in this podcast, but is discussed in the linked articles, are the types of variety to put in the workout over time. We'll touch on that in future posts.
