As a general rule, linear training programs work best for people with a low training maturity (i.e. have not been training for very long) and non-linear programs work best for those with a high training maturity (i.e. those training for several years).
I say this as a GENERAL rule because it does not hold under all circumstances. It is certainly possible for an advanced lifter to still make considerable progress off of linear periodization. On the other hand, less experienced lifters could get decent results from a non-linear program.
With linear periodization the volume starts high and the intensity starts low. As the program progresses from week to week the volume gradually decreases (in a straight – or linear – progression) and the intensity gradually increases (in a straight – or linear – progression). Basic examples of each could look like the following:
Week 1 - 3x8@65%,
Week 2 - 3x8@70%
Week 3 - 3x5@75%
Week 4 - 3x5@80%
Week 5 - 3x3@85%
Week 6 - 3x3@90%
Week 7 - 3x1@95%
Week 8 - 3x1@100%
Week 1 - 3x8@65%
Week 2 - 3x8@70%
Week 3 - 3x3@85%
Week 4 - 3x3@90%
Week 5 - 3x5@75%
Week 6 - 3x5@80%
Week 7 - 3x1@95%
Week 8 - 3x1@100%
Linear periodization is very predictable for the human body and as a result, the human body adapts to it very quickly in more advanced lifters. On the other hand, non-linear periodization is not as easily and quickly adapted to by the human body. This is why more advanced lifters would want to use non-linear periodization.
Advanced lifters have built up a high ability to adapt to a given training stimulus. Accordingly, if they did a linear program that was easy to adapt to, they would only see gains for a short time. The non-linear program, which is more difficult to adapt to, would elicit gains over a longer period of time.
The optimal way to program your training is to program in a way that will elicit the greatest training adaptation. A good friend of mine Chris Doyle (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at The University of Iowa) once said, “The best program is the one you’re not on.” His point is that we need to be constantly changing our training stimulus in order to continue to elicit strength gains. There are four basic ways to do this:
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