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

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.