If you’re wondering what periodisation is, it is basically dividing training into different phases and cycles. You might have heard of it before, terms such as “linear periodisation” or undulating periodisation. There are multiple different versions of periodisation for powerlifting and strength training depending on the person you ask, but they all boil down to the same thing. They are all just different interpretations and definitions of the 3 phases, known as Accumulation, transmutation and realisation. Now, they sound pretty magical, especially transmutation and realisation, it sounds like it’s straight out of a yogic sutra, but it isn’t. To put it in simpler terms for you, the accumulation phase refers volume building, building up work capacity and getting used to the movement and technique of whichever lift or exercise you’re doing. Everyone has different versions of the same three phases. I personally break down the second phase into two distinct phases and leave the other two alone. This makes the most sense to me. So for me there are four distinct phases When it comes to building strength. 1. Phase 1 is accumulation phase it’s the same thing as the OG. 2. Phase 2 is the muscle building phase, Which you would employ classic hypertrophy styled training techniques and volumes. 3. Phase 3 is the strength training phase, which in this phase you would classically employ strength training techniques. 4. And the last phase is the peaking phase, which is the phase where you aim to hit the highest possible number you can for strength or any other peak for any other exercise. Let’s go through each of them one by one. 1. Phase 1: Accumulation The second reason is to build up work capacity. Bast or Australian Strength Coach talks about this. He talks about building tolerance and endurance to properly handle loads and effort levels. The way you would go about it at this stage of accumulation is through high volume, which builds up your tolerance towards it and also aids in improvement pain tolerance, which you would need in the later phases of this type of periodisation.

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1. The Role of Effective Reps The most critical aspect of any set is the number of effective reps performed, defined as the last 5 reps before reaching technical failure. These reps are the most stimulating because they require the recruitment of high-threshold motor units, which are crucial for driving hypertrophy. High-threshold motor units engage larger muscle fibers and produce the most tension, making them the prime targets for growth. 2. The One-Set Rule: Minimum Effective Volume: If we assume 1 set yields 1 arbitrary unit of hypertrophy, then doing another 5 sets after the first set will net you another unit of hypertrophy, meaning, if you do 6 sets, you have 2. This then shows performing a single set might seem like it could lead to growth over time, but it’s unlikely to be optimal. Adding more sets increases the volume, which is necessary for creating sufficient mechanical tension to elicit muscle adaptation. 3. Balancing Volume and Fatigue: More volume equals more growth—up to a point. However, there’s a diminishing return after a certain number of sets. For most lifters, 6 sets per muscle group, per workout, is considered the sweet spot. At this point, you’re getting the best balance between stimulation and fatigue management. Any additional sets beyond 6 might only yield minimal hypertrophic benefits while significantly increasing fatigue and recovery time. 4. Quality Over Quantity: It’s also crucial to focus on the quality of the sets. Simply adding more sets won’t be as effective if they aren’t close to failure or if your form is compromised. Ensuring each set reaches a level of intensity that engages high-threshold motor units is key. This doesn’t mean every set needs to go to absolute failure, but it should be challenging enough to fatigue the targeted muscles effectively. like a good strategy for minimizing gym time. However, this approach has diminishing returns. Each additional set contributes less to growth compared to the previous one, but it still stacks up to produce a greater total hypertrophic stimulus.

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