Variable Resistance Weight Training

Introduction

• Alternate high and low repetition ranges or workloads
  • Also known as Daily Undulating Periodization or Variable Resistance Training
  • Each workout cycle or every two workout cycles (e.g. alternate every week)
    • or alternative sample programs:

Potential Applications

• See summaries of studies
• Ideal for intermediate, advanced trainee, or athletes
  • Implement after a series of strength plateaus have been encountered
    • due to chronic overtraining.
    • or despite changing exercises periodically.
  • Can be integrated with altering workload regimen.
  • Also see muscle mass tips
• Athletes
  • Sample Athletic Strength Program
  • Powerlifting Programs
  • Olympic-style Weightlifting Programs
• Can also be adapted for older adults
• This sort of log can be adapted for programs of varying percentages of predicted 1 rep max
  • Replace rep ranges (i.e. 8-10, 5-7, etc.) with percentages (80%, 85%, etc.)
• A light / heavy protocol can be implemented on exercises where one resistance is too light and the next resistance is too heavy.
  • Example:
    • Too light: 20 lbs x 12 reps
    • Too heavy: 25 lbs x 4 reps
  • Dilemma with proportionally large resistance increments
    • If a too-heavy resistance is continually used, little muscular endurance can be achieved to progress in repetitions
  • If a too-light resistance is continually used, little muscular strength can be achieved to progress in resistance

Example Workload Variations

• Power option
  • Heavy days: 2-3 reps, light days: 5-6 reps
  • Suitable for Olympic-style weightlifts
• Strength program:
  • Heavy days: 6-8 reps, light days: 10-12 reps
  • Also see advance powerlifting program, Westside Barbell Program
• Endurance / strength program:
  • Heavy days: 8-10 reps, light days: 12-15 reps
  • or Heavy days: 6-9 reps, light days: 10-15 reps
• Endurance option:
  • Heavy days: 20-30 reps, light days: 40-50 reps
  • or Heavy days: 15-25 reps, light days: 30-50 reps
  • Suitable for abdominal training
• See low volume method and Periodization

Sample Log

• Initial Resistances
  • Record initial trial resistances and repetitions achieved in correct form
  • Estimate or calculate initial resistances for first workout with varied workload (ie: Medium Load)
  • Record resistances for other workloads (Light & Heavy Days)
• Progressions
  • Increase weight on respective workout approximately 2.5% - 10% when the upper repetition range has been achieved
    • See Systematic Resistance Increases
  • Examples
    • Pink "4" on exercise (5) below signifies minimum repetition range has not been achieved
    • RED repetitions mark reaching upper repetition range
    • BLUE numbers mark new resistances recorded for the next time that particular repetition range is performed

Low Volume Undulationg Periodization

As with traditional programming, new workouts are introduced monthly (see Restimulating Progress by Changing Exercises). At the beginning of a new program when new exercises are introduced, a warm-up set with a single workout set can still be performed for the first few micro-cycles. The amount of effort exerted each microcycle can be increased as the exercises are reintroduced. This can permit more complete acclimatization to the new exercises, familiarizing oneself to the motor-skill, and serving as a period of active recovery. After this introductory period, undulating workloads should be introduced, alternating workloads and sets every micro-cycle.

Sample Log

• Initial Resistances
  • Record initial trial resistances and repetitions achieved in correct form
  • Estimate or calculate initial resistances for first workout with varied workload (ie: Medium Load)
  • Record resistances for other workloads (Light & Heavy Days)
• Progressions
  • Increase weight on respective workout approximately 2.5% - 10% when the upper repetition range has been achieved
    • See Systematic Resistance Increases
  • Examples
    • Pink "4" on exercise (5) below signifies minimum repetition range has not been achieved
    • RED repetitions mark reaching upper repetition range
    • BLUE numbers mark new resistances recorded for the next time that particular repetition range is performed

Short Hand Log Options

• Consider using one of three variations of a shorthand log
  • Multiple columns to right of exercise
    • Designated Light columns and heavy columns
    • Only record new workout weight if upper rep range has been achieved for each varying load
  • Multiple lines under exercise name
    • Exercise name on first line
    • Record weights for light day on second line under exercise name
    • Record weights for heavy day on third line
    • Subsequent exercises follow
      • Each exercise occupies multiple lines
  • Record a single number representing base weight for each exercise
    • Base moderate, light, and heavy workloads on base weight
    • See Shorthand Log: Implementing Varying Workloads

• Exercises are not necessarily performed in order listed
• L (light): <80% 1RM
• H (heavy): >80% 1RM

Also see:

• Basic Weightlifting Program
• Sample Powerlifting Program
• Sample Block Periodization Program for Athletes

Suggested Readings

Rhea MR, Ball SD, Phillips WT, Burkett LN., A comparison of linear and daily undulating periodized programs with equated volume and intensity for strength. J Strength Cond Res. 2002 May;16(2):250-5.

Rhea MR, Phillips WT, Burkett LN, Stone WJ, Ball SD, Alvar BA, Thomas AB., A comparison of linear and daily undulating periodized programs with equated volume and intensity for local muscular endurance., J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Feb;17(1):82-7.

Hunter GR, Wetzstein CJ, McLafferty CL Jr, Zuckerman PA, Landers KA, Bamman MM. High-resistance versus variable-resistance training in older adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001 Oct;33(10):1759-64.