Periodisation basics

Linear periodisation

This is the classic approach. You start with higher reps and lighter weights, then gradually move towards lower reps and heavier weights over several weeks. A simple version for the squat:

• Weeks 1 to 4: 3 sets of 10 at a moderate weight.
• Weeks 5 to 8: 4 sets of 6 at a heavier weight.
• Weeks 9 to 11: 5 sets of 3 at a heavy weight.
• Week 12: a lighter week, then test or start the cycle again.

It is easy to understand and works well for beginners and intermediates. The downside is that qualities trained early, like the muscle-building effect of higher volume, can fade during the heavy phase if the block runs too long.

A popular approach for beginners is simply to add weight each week with the same sets and reps until progress stalls, then switch to a different rep range. That is linear progression rather than periodisation in the full sense, but it follows the same logic of planned, gradual change.

Block and undulating periodisation

Block periodisation strings together focused blocks, each concentrating on one or two qualities while maintaining others. A common sequence is accumulation (higher volume, building muscle and work capacity), then transmutation (moderate volume, heavier and more specific work), then realisation (low volume, very heavy or race-specific, peaking).

It suits people with a clear goal and date, such as a powerlifting meet or a HYROX race. It also suits hybrid athletes, who can shift emphasis between strength and endurance from block to block rather than trying to push both flat out at once.

Undulating periodisation changes the focus more often, usually within the week. For example: Monday heavy (5 sets of 3), Wednesday moderate (4 sets of 8), Friday light and fast (jumps or speed work). It keeps training varied, lets you train several qualities at once and fits naturally into a week of classes with different themes. Our guide to strength vs hypertrophy explains why mixing rep ranges within a week works.

A simple 12-week plan for a regular gym-goer

You do not need a complex model. This structure suits most people training three or four times a week:

1. Weeks 1 to 5 (build): moderate weights, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 on most lifts. Add reps, then load, each week.
2. Week 6 (lighter): cut sets roughly in half. See deload weeks.
3. Weeks 7 to 11 (strength): main lifts move to 4 to 5 sets of 3 to 6, while accessories stay at 8 to 12.
4. Week 12 (lighter or test): either another easy week or a chance to set a new 3 or 5 rep best.

Then repeat, starting the next build block a little heavier than the last. Across a year, that is four cycles of steady, measurable progress, with lighter weeks built in before you need them.

Periodising for HYROX and hybrid training

Hybrid athletes have to plan two sets of qualities at once. A common approach is to put more emphasis on strength and muscle in the off-season, when there is no race on the horizon, then gradually shift towards race-specific conditioning, compromised running and station work in the eight to twelve weeks before an event.

Strength is not dropped in the race phase; it is maintained with lower volume, often two short, heavy sessions a week. Our 12-week HYROX training plan shows how this looks in practice, and progressive overload explains how to keep moving forward within each block.

Plan backwards from the race. Mark the event, then the taper, then the most race-specific block, and fill the months before it with building work. That simple exercise stops the common mistake of doing race simulations every week from January onwards.

Do you need it?

If you are in your first few months of training, a simple plan that adds a little each week is already enough. Periodisation becomes more valuable once progress slows, when you have a specific event, or when you are juggling several goals at once. Even then, keep it simple enough that you could explain your plan in a couple of sentences.

It also helps with motivation. Knowing that this block is about building and the next one is about getting heavier gives each session a purpose, and it makes a slow week feel like part of the plan rather than a failure.

Coached programmes can handle the planning for you. Lycan Strength is an official HYROX affiliated gym whose members race in doubles and relays, and you can read more on the HYROX page.