The Cycling Principle, By: Hugo Rivera

This is the key to consistent and rapid increases in muscle mass and strength for the bodybuilder. This principle states that in order for the body to respond optimally, it cannot be trained in the same manner all the time. Now, I know that I have talked about the importance of variety in training but this principle goes beyond that. This principle states that the best way to make the body respond is through the correct variation of exercises, volume (number of sets times number of reps), intensity (how heavy the weight is), and rest periods between sets.

Dave Draper, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane and Franco Columbo all have included cycling in their workouts. In Dave's own words, "It's not uncommon for a powerlifter and a bodybuilder to blend in training methods to enhance personal productivity. A healthier athlete may very well emerge, as the demands on the system of muscle fibers and hormonal activity are more complete. Periodized overload might reduce joint, ligament and muscle injury. I have always enjoyed bodybuilding with a hint of powerlifting for flavor, like adding just enough garlic to give a meaty dish robust body." (Excerpt from Dave's book Brother Iron Sister Steel; p.60) Now that we know what the principle is about lets go into how to implement it.

As anything in life, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Therefore, there are many ways of cycling your workout parameters (reps, number of sets, rest in between sets). Below are good implementations of how to cycle your routines:

1) Dr. Fred Hatfield (better known as Dr. Squat) in his book Hardcore Bodybuilding recommends the cycling of A, B, and C workouts. A type workouts are similar to the 10x10 method with the exception that he recommends 12 reps. They are called A workouts not because they are easy, but because they require a light weight throughout the workout. B workouts usually consist of 3 exercises. The first one is performed for 5-6 reps (3-4 sets), the 2nd one is performed for 12 reps (3-4 sets) and the last one is performed for 40 reps (3-4 sets; Ouch!). C workouts are the same as B workouts but performed in superset fashion and for 5 sets if you wish. Dr. Hatfield says that you should have twice as many B workouts as A and C workouts in order to facilitate recovery, as without recovery there is no growth.

2) Francesco Castano, author of MuscleNow (www.fastmass.com), recommends alternating weeks of 8-11 reps with weeks of 4-7 reps. He also increases the number of sets to a maximum over a period of five weeks and then he drops back down to allow for recuperation and growth.

3) Strength Coach Tudor Bompa in his book Serious Strength Training divides the year in several different phases that when blended together produce the ultimate athlete: Mass, Strength, Definition. His phases consist of Anatomical Adaptation which is basically an active recovery phase, hypertrophy workouts (8-12 rep work), Mixed workouts (Both hypertrophy and lower rep work (4-8) on the same week, maximal strength (just low rep work), and definition workouts (40-50 reps).

4) Stuart McRobert in his book Brawn talks about starting a cycle with light weights and not reaching failure and then as the weeks go by you increase the weights and you get closer to failure. You continue this patter up until you are lifting heavier weights than you have ever lifted. You start the cycle over when you are unable to increase the weights any further.

5) Finally, in my book Body Re-Engineering, I present the way that I implement my cycles. Basically, my workout parameters are going to be determined by the phase I'm in. There are going to be three phases that I repeat over and over again. The first three weeks are going to be a high volume phase with short rest between sets (Lets call this phase the Loading Phase). The second three weeks are going to be a higher intensity phase (heavier weights) with longer periods of rest between sets (Lets call this phase the Growth Phase). After these six weeks comes the third phase that will only last 1 week and weÂ’ll call it the Active Recovery Phase. In this phase we will only train with weights twice a week on a full body routine. After the third phase you go back to the first one and start over again with different exercises. The logic is the following:

During the loading phase the body is stressed with a high volume of work that if kept for too long will eventually result in overtraining and injury. During this phase two things will happen:
1) The growth hormone output goes through the roof due to the short rest interval between sets and the high volume.
2) Hypertrophy (muscle growth) occurs by the body increasing the levels of creatine, water and carbohydrates inside the muscle cell. This phenomenon is called muscle voluminization.
3) The bodyÂ’s recuperation capabilities are upgraded in response to the stress imposed by the volume of work coupled with short rest intervals.

During the Growth Phase the body is not stressed by volume. This time the stimuli are heavy weights. If this phase would be kept for too long eventually the body would cease to stop making strength gains and you would plateau (This is the reason why we always need to go back to a Loading Phase). During this phase the following two things will happen:
1) The testosterone levels go through the roof in response to the longer rest in between sets and the heavier weights.
2) Hypertrophy (muscle growth) occurs by the body increasing the actual diameter of the myofiber (the muscle fiber size) through increased protein synthesis.
3) Since your bodyÂ’s recuperation abilities were built up to the maximum by the previous phase and the volume has gone down dramatically, these extra recuperation abilities are used to increase strength and build more muscle mass. The reason the body does this is in order to be prepared for another stressful period like the one it just went through. This adaptation mechanism is the one that ensures the survival of the species.

The Active Recovery Phase has three main functions:
1) First, according to leading strength expert Tudor Bompa, Ph.D., “you are trying to adapt the anatomy of the body to the upcoming training so that you can create, or produce an injury free environment”. Essentially, your tendons and ligaments should be strong enough to support the stressful periods that will follow.
2) Second, this phase is a great time to address any strength imbalance that your body might have. This is the reason why only dumbbell work will be used during this phase.
3) Finally, this phase will act as a great time in which the body will re-charge its energy stores and allow for complete physical and mental recuperation.

So there you have it. If you are not making gains, chances are that you are not cycling your workouts. The same goes for those that are getting injured from lifting heavy all of the time. Choose a cycling implementation and apply it to your workouts. Trust me; you won't regret doing it and your muscles and joints will love you for it.

Next week (Sunday, if God permits) I will present how my current workouts look like and how I apply the principles above for continuous gains.