Has anybody tried Dr. Joe's Non-Linear Periodization?

[SleepLifter]

I was thinking about trying it, and i'm curious if anybody has tried it. Joe's the greatest. If you have't heard of it, here's a link to his articles. The Program is the bottom four articles. It sounds awesome.

http://thedietdoc.com/articles/show_article/7

[Cytrainer913]

I have modified it a bit and Joe said he really liked the way I did just that and alternated between heavy/Core workouts and lighter(still heavier but just more reps) higher volume workouts. I use a 4 day split and do 2 days on and one day off and then switch over to the same 4 days but with higher volume style workouts!

Here's the way I set it:

Power/Core Lift/Strength Workout
Rotation 2 days on/ 1 day off
Day 1-Chest/Tris/Abs
Bench Press/ Incline Press/ Incline DB/ DB Press-5-7 sets with 3 working sets
Of reps of 5-10 reps but to be in the lower end range to get full effect. Pick 2 of the 4 exercises from the above listed!! No warm ups on second exercise!!!!
Triceps- Lying extensions/ Close grip bench press
3-4 sets 5-10 reps one exercise only
Abs- 3 exercises weighted if possible 8-12 reps
Hanging legs Raises, Cable crunches, Bicycles
Day 2-Legs/Calves
Squats- 7-9 sets with 3-5 working sets
Reps can be as follows= 20,20,20,15,10,5,5,5,2
Reps range can be from 5-10 reps, if reps stay high then increase the weight,
Remember it is a Power Workout
Stiff-legged Deadlifts- 6 sets of 6-10 reps
Reps will be as follows= 10,10,8,5,5,5
Calves- Standing calf Raises/ Seated calf Raises 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps
Day 3 – OFF
Day 4- Shoulders/Traps/ Abs
Shoulders Press Bar/ DB Press/ Standing Power Press- 5-7 sets 3 working sets of
5-10 reps choose one exercise
Laterals/ Power Pulls(Wide Grip)- 5 sets of 5-10 reps No warm ups on second exercise!!!! choose one exercise
Hammer Shrugs/ DB Shrugs/ Power Cleans/ Barbell Shrugs- 5 sets of 5-10 reps
choose one exercise
Abs- Leg Raises off Bench or BOSU w/ weight 3 sets 12-15 reps,
Cable Twists from the top and bottom 3 sets each 6-10 reps
Cable crunches 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Day 5- Back/ Bis/ Calves
Pull ups- 2 warm ups followed by 4 sets of reps around 4-6 range; add weight if needed
Deadlifts- 5-7 sets couple of sets to acclimate then 5-10 rep range
Barbell/ DB/ Hammer Strength Curls- 3-4 sets of 5-10 reps choose one exercise
Calves- Standing calf Raises/ Seated calf Raises 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps
Day 6- OFF
Day 7- Volume workout (Next Page)

then I go over to the Volume Workouts:
Volume/ High Intensity Workout
Rotation 2 days on/ 1 day off
Day 1-Chest/Tris/Abs
Bench Press/ Incline Press/ Incline DB/ DB Press- 5 sets 2 warm ups with 3 working sets 10-15 reps high intensity choose one exercise
Hammer Strength Bench/ DB Flye/ Pec Dec- 3 sets of 12-15 reps No warm ups!!! Choose one exercise after last set back to exercise one and to failure 20-25 reps range
Pushdowns/ Rope Extensions/ Reverse Pushdowns- 4 sets of 12-15 reps last set to be supersetted with lying extensions to failure 20-25 reps and then use that same weight and fail out on close grip bench choose one exercise
Abs- All exercises to be supersetted- Hanging leg raises, cable crunches, and bicycles
Weighted if possible 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Day 2-Legs/Calves
Leg presses- high reps range reps 25,25,25,20,15,10,10 some sets to 25-50 reps
Leg Extensions- 15 reps, 10 reps with holds on top
Back to Leg Press for 50 rep set
Leg Curls- 5 sets 20,15,12,8f,5f
Then one all out set Walking Lunges 15 steps each leg
Seated Calf Raises- 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps supersetted with Standing Calf Raises
Day 3- OFF
Day 4- Shoulders/ Traps/ Abs
Arnold Presses/ DB Presses/ Barbell Presses- 5 sets of 12-15 reps 1-2 sets of warm ups
Rear Laterals- 3 sets of 12-15 reps followed by laterals to failure 20-25 reps
Barbell/ Hammer Shrugs- 4 sets of 12-15 reps supersetted with DB Shrugs to failure
Abs- leg raises off bench w/ weight 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Cable Twists from the top and bottom 3 sets each 6-10 reps
Cable crunches 3 sets of 10-12 reps, all sets dropped 3X
Day 5- Back/ Bis/ Calves
DB Rows/ Cable Rows/ Pulldowns- 5 sets 12-15 reps a couple of warm up sets high intensity choose two exercises
Pullovers- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
As soon as 3rd set is of pullovers is done, back to exercise one to failure 15-25 reps
Incline curls/ DB curls/ Barbell curls- 4 sets 10-15 range choose one exercise
As soon as last set is over go to Spyder Curls to failure 15-25 rep range
Seated Calf Raises- 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps supersetted with Standing Calf Raises
Day 6- OFF
Day 7- Power Workout


I also have taken this style of workouts to another level where I have laid out a 72 day program using this style and some other ideas of rep tempo training, using some of Sully's ideas(Sean Sullivan), and Heavy, light, medium weeks using different splits each week, if you would like to see it, PM me and I will send it to you email, its very long and lots of good info.
I call this program S**** training and its a 72 day program and have had great results with it as well as many of my clients.

[davidleenall.com]

I have done his workout a couple of times. I really like it and have been happy with the results. I will be starting it again in 4 or five weeks. let me know if you have any questions about it. I have been working with Dr. Joe for about 2 years.

[SleepLifter]

thanks for your responses guys. The program sounds awesome. The only thing that bugs me a little is the volume. For instance, I know on the "core" days we are going for pure strength, but the tricep volume is really low. That's one of my lagging areas. My main question is: is this program more conducive of hypertrophy than a program where you do have higher volume every week instead of every other week?

[davidleenall.com]

I feel you get a lot from those days but you have to make sure you go to complete failure. And really push yourself. I would give it a try for 8 weeks and see how your body responds. I think you will be really happy with the results. If nothing else a workout change always makes for some good gains.

[Cytrainer913]

Sometimes the less you do directly with that smaller muscle group, the larger muscles will get in there and do what is needed. Sometimes the 25-30 sets of bis/tris, just kills the arms, where I have not really been hitting the arms too much lately and the arma have actually got bigger.

That's my S**** training:

One rotation-no arms, all big muscle groups
second rotation-bis and tris after their larger groups
third rotation-bis and tris are done on arm day by themselves

[SleepLifter]

this is crazy...i just did heavy chest/tris and I don't even feel like I lifted. It only took about 50 min. Is that normal?

[davidleenall.com]

50 mins is a good amount of time for a workout. Did you do Dr. Joe's work out? Remember in order to really see how your body is going to respond to something you have to give it a fair chance. 8 weeks or more. Take pictures and measurements now and again in 8 weeks and make your decision then. Not after one workout.

[SleepLifter]

very true... and I will give it a fair chance. I think the program is a good way to utilize the rest of my offseason. And I'll probably train this way all the way until my next show in august.

The main reason I jumped on it was because I was feeling burt out from lifting heavy all the time and was not progressing as much. In addition...lets face it...Dr. Joe knows what he's talking about when it comes to strength and size.

[str8flexed]

i do something similar.. with a ton more volume lol

[SleepLifter]

So you alternate heavy weeks with intensity weeks layne? I thought you did a 2x/week split with heavy one day/ high intensity the next?

I dont really want to change the volume right now because I want to try the program without altering it so that I can determine if it actually works.

Do you think that the program needs more volume period, or is it just a personal preference?

[str8flexed]

i think it works fine as is... think it works better with more volume

[SleepLifter]

thx layne
yeah...i'll try it as is for about 8-10 and ad volume when/if needed.

slightly O/T- would you consider 4-5 lb of LBM a decent gain from one show to the next?

[str8flexed]

go to the supermarket and look at 5 lbs of beef


that's a lot of tissue :)

[SleepLifter]

hell yeah man, more than I can eat in a sitting...just made a poll too!

[davidleenall.com]

thx layne
yeah...i'll try it as is for about 8-10 and ad volume when/if needed.

slightly O/T- would you consider 4-5 lb of LBM a decent gain from one show to the next?


I am a good freinds with some WNBF Pros like Dave Goodin. and they would be very happy with 5lbs LBM gain from last year. Just think where you will be in five years.

[SleepLifter]

DAVE GOODIN IS THE MAN!

but I think Rob Hope would probably kick his ass.....

[str8flexed]

rob beat dave once i believe, Rob is a freak possibly the best natural bodybuilder in history, wheras Dave has had the most overall success & the most consistant

[SleepLifter]

well do you think hope is on pace to be the most successful? I can't see him being beat for a lonnng time. I'm not sure how many world titles he's held so far....2?

and layne...have you met rob?

[str8flexed]

never in person, but we correspond pretty regularly.

I think if he stays healthy he will be the most successful in history when it's all said & done

[davidleenall.com]

rob beat dave once i believe, Rob is a freak possibly the best natural bodybuilder in history, wheras Dave has had the most overall success & the most consistant

You are right at the worlds Rob beat Dave.