Unlock Your Best Body: The Science-Backed Guide to Periodisation for Max Muscle and Strength Gains

Periodisation for Strength and Muscle

When it comes to building muscle or increasing strength, there are countless training methods to help you achieve your goals. While sticking to straightforward sets of 8-12 reps might produce decent results, it’s unlikely to be the most effective approach for maximising muscle growth, strength, and fat loss over the long term.

Enter periodisation—a key strategy that allows you to focus on different fitness aspects at different times, preventing you from spreading yourself too thin and compromising progress. By organising your training into structured phases, you can optimise performance, achieve long-term goals, and keep yourself motivated.

What Is Periodisation?

Periodisation is the process of planning and structuring your training to meet long-term objectives. By adjusting variables like training frequency, intensity, and volume, you can peak at the right time and sustain performance, aesthetic improvements over time. Think of it as a roadmap for your fitness or athletic journey, whether you’re training for a specific event like hyrox or simply aiming to build strength, muscle and improve fat loss.

For example, Olympic athletes often follow four-year training cycles to prepare for the Olympic Games, ensuring they’re in peak condition when it matters most. These long-term plans, known as macro-cycles, are broken down into three key phases: macro-cycles, meso-cycles, and micro-cycles. Let’s dive deeper into each of these phases.

The Macro-Cycle

A macro-cycle is the longest phase, typically spanning a year or more. It focuses on all aspects of training to achieve optimal results over the course of the year. No single rep scheme is universally ideal—different rep ranges serve different purposes. During a macro-cycle, you’ll dedicate specific periods to different training focuses, rep schemes such as strength, power, or muscular endurance, with each phase building on the last.

Think of this as the “zoomed out” view of your training year, like switching your calendar from a monthly to a yearly view.

The Meso-Cycle

A meso-cycle is a shorter phase, lasting a few weeks to a few months, and focuses on a specific training aspect, such as muscle conditioning, hypertrophy, or strength. Each meso-cycle consists of multiple micro-cycles and builds on the progress made in the previous phase. For example, a muscle conditioning phase might involve lighter weights and higher reps (those of you on the Peach Lab program are likely experiencing this phase right now). While this phase isn’t the most optimal for muscle growth, it improves oxygen and nutrient delivery to the muscles, enhancing recovery and setting the stage for the more intense muscle-building phases to come.

Additionally, this phase strengthens the cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of muscle failure due to cardio fatigue rather than muscular fatigue. In essence, the muscular endurance or high-volume phase lays the groundwork for the months ahead, helping you smash plateaus and optimize both muscle growth and strength phases later in the year.

The Micro-Cycle

The micro-cycle is the shortest phase, typically lasting a week or even just a single training session. It’s designed to deliver a specific stimulus to the muscles. Within a meso-cycle, you’ll have multiple micro-cycles, each with slight adjustments to keep progress on track.

For example, during a strength phase, the exercises might remain the same, but the reps and sets could change weekly. Week 1 might involve 3 sets of 8 reps of a hip thrust, while Week 2 could progress to 4 sets of 8 reps—ensuring you lift more total volume week after week. (Exercise volume is calculated as sets x reps x weight lifted.)

Alternatively, a common adjustment in a micro-cycle—one many of you reading this would have done—is simply adding a small amount of weight to the bar each week. This is why we always encourage you to track all your gym sessions, so you can ensure you’re progressing consistently on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Below is a diagram that will hopefully help you picture this all.

Peach Lab Macro-Cycle

Next is the macro-cycle we’ll be using at Gym Geek this year for our Peach Lab program. If you’re on our Group training program, we’ll be sharing the macro-cycle soon.

Phase 1: High Volume (Muscular Endurance)

• Duration: 8 weeks

• Focus: Build muscular endurance and work capacity

• Training Style: High-volume, lower-intensity workouts

  
  

Phase 2: Muscle Hypertrophy

• Duration: 8 weeks

• Focus: Maximize muscle growth

• Training Style: Moderate reps with moderate to heavy weights

  
  

Phase 3: Hybrid (Hypertrophy + Strength)

• Duration: 8 weeks

• Focus: Transition to strength while maintaining muscle mass

• Training Style: Combines hypertrophy and strength training

  
  

Phase 4: Strength

• Duration: 8 weeks

• Focus: Maximize strength and power

• Training Style: Low reps with heavy weights

  
  

Phase 5: Undulating (Mixed Focus)

• Duration: 8 weeks

• Focus: Prevent adaptation and maintain gains

• Training Style: Mixes high-volume, hypertrophy, and strength workouts
  

Why Periodise Your Training?

Periodisation helps you become a well-rounded athlete, capable of excelling in various ways. It ensures you’re prepared for different challenges while still looking and feeling your best. By following a structured plan, you can avoid plateaus, reduce the risk of overtraining, and make consistent progress.

My biggest piece of advice? Stick to a well-designed, periodised program, stay consistent, put in the effort, and be patient. Building muscle and gaining strength is a long-term process—especially as you become more advanced those newbie gains you experienced in your first few months soon dry up and that’s where clever programming becomes more important. If you need help getting your head around this, don’t hesitate to ask one of us!

What’s Next?

In the next blog post, we’ll dive into rest times between sets and what exercise intensity actually means. Spoiler alert: sweating buckets and feeling completely knackered isn’t necessarily a sign of effective training. We’ll break down how to gauge intensity properly and why rest periods can be important for maximising your results. Stay tuned!

the POWER OF CREATINE: transforming YOUR TRAINING ONE SCOOP AT A TIME

Introduction

Few supplements have been given as much attention and acclaim as creatine largely because most do not actually do a great deal other than empty your wallet. However creatine renowned for its ability to enhance athletic performance, muscle growth, and overall fitness, creatine has become a staple for many. However, understanding the science behind it, its various forms, and how to incorporate it effectively into your training can get lost amongst all the Instagram posts Tik Toks preaching its benefits. So we've put this together to try bring all of that information into one place for you all.

The Basics of Creatine

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound, composed of three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine. It is produced by the body and can be found in high-protein foods like fish and red meat. Creatine, enhances energy production by regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from adenosine diphosphate (ADP), particularly aiding high-intensity activities like weightlifting and sprinting. Below I've done my best to come up with a metaphor to help you understand this.

How does it work

Hopefully this makes sense. Think of your body as a flashlight. The ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the battery that powers the light. When you turn on the flashlight, the battery drains, turning ATP into ADP (adenosine diphosphate), which is like a dead battery. To keep the light shining, you need to recharge the battery by turning ADP back into ATP. Now, creatine is like a portable power bank. It stores extra energy (in the form of phosphate) that your muscles can tap into during short bursts of intense activity, like sprinting or lifting weights. When your "battery" (ATP) runs low, creatine quickly donates its stored phosphate to recharge ADP back into ATP, keeping your flashlight (your body) shining bright. So, creatine isn’t a steroid or a stimulant—it’s just a handy energy reserve that helps you power through those quick, intense moments when you need it most!

Different Types of Creatine

The supplement market boasts various forms of creatine, each claiming unique benefits. However, not all forms are created equal. Here’s a closer look:

1. Creatine Monohydrate: The most popular and cost-effective form. Extensively studied, it consistently demonstrates increased muscle strength, performance, and size. Creatine monohydrate is almost 100% bioavailable, meaning it's readily absorbed and utilized by the body. Stick with creatine monohydrate, as it is the tried and tested form with proven effectiveness.

2. Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE): A modified form of creatine monohydrate with an ester attached. Despite claims of superior absorption, studies indicate that CEE is less effective than creatine monohydrate at increasing muscle creatine levels and intra-cellular hydration.

3. Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL): Known for its high solubility in water, this form of creatine is bound to hydrochloric acid. However, there's no evidence suggesting this translates into better absorption or increased muscle creatine levels compared to creatine monohydrate.

4. Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn): Advertised as a more stable form of creatine with a higher pH, studies reveal no significant difference in performance or muscle creatine levels between buffered creatine and creatine monohydrate, despite its higher price. Takeaway - Stick to monohydrate the rest are generally more expensive and there is no evidence they are any more effective and in some cases actually worse.
   

The Benefits of Creatine

Creatine supplementation offers a myriad of benefits that extend beyond muscle performance:

1. Enhanced Athletic Performance: Creatine increases phosphocreatine stores in muscles, leading to improved ATP production and enhanced performance in high-intensity exercises. Research has shown a 5-15% increase in work capacity and maximum effort in power and strength activities.

2. Muscle Growth: By promoting muscle cell hydration, creatine activates pathways that increase protein synthesis and muscle growth. Supplementation can result in a 3-45% increase in bench press 1RM and a 7.2% increase in muscle mass, particularly in the upper body.

3. Improved Recovery: Creatine supports recovery from exercise by reducing muscle damage and inflammation. It can also enhance the effectiveness of protein supplements when consumed post-workout.

4. Cognitive Benefits: Around 5% of the body's creatine is stored in the brain. Supplementation has been shown to improve cognitive function, reduce mental fatigue, and enhance decision-making, particularly in vegetarians and individuals with low dietary creatine intake.
   

Creatine and Performance

Creatine is the researched supplement to date. A research review by Kreider examined 300 studies involving creatine, 70% of which demonstrated benefits in high-intensity exercises such as sprinting and weightlifting, with none reporting negative effects from creatine supplementation. The benefits included a 10-40% increase in phosphocreatine stores, a 5-15% increase in work capacity and maximum effort in power and strength activities, and a 1-5% increase in sprint performance.

How to Take Creatine

The average adult needs around 1-3 grams of creatine per day to support normal bodily functions. For those who exercise regularly, a daily intake of 5-10 grams may be necessary to maintain optimal creatine stores. A loading phase of 20 grams per day for one week can quickly saturate muscle creatine levels, followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5 grams per day but loading is not necessary especially if youre taking it year round.

Safety and Side Effects

Creatine is one of the most tested nutritional supplements and is generally considered safe and well-tolerated. Even long-term use of up to 30 grams per day for five years has shown no harmful effects. However, some individuals may experience minor side effects such as nausea, cramping, and bloating, particularly during the initial phases of supplementation, just be sure to stay well hydrated. It is always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen.

The Catch (hint there’s not really one)

While creatine offers many benefits, it may not work for everyone—especially people who already have high levels of stored creatine in their muscles, such as trained athletes or those who regularly consume a high-protein diet. However, individuals new to exercise or those with a low-protein or plant-based diet may benefit more from creatine supplementation.

When to Take Creatine

The best time to take creatine is post-workout. Insulin helps drive more creatine into muscle cells, and the body absorbs many nutrients better after a workout. Taking creatine with your post-workout meal will help its uptake into muscle cells and refuel your body's low creatine phosphate stores but I wouldn't worry to much about timing just concentrate on it daily that will be ok.

Conclusion

Creatine is a powerful and well-researched supplement that offers numerous benefits for athletes and regualar people who just want to get an extra 5% out of their training. From enhancing performance and muscle growth to supporting recovery and cognitive function, creatine is a versatile tool. While it may not be a miracle solution, its proven effectiveness makes it a worthy addition to any supplement routine. Remember, while creatine supplementation can provide a significant boost, it should be combined with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and proper hydration to achieve the best results. Stick with creatine monohydrate, the tried and tested form, and enjoy the gains and performance improvements it has to offer.

By understanding the science behind creatine, its benefits, and how to effectively incorporate it into your workout regimen, you can make the most of this powerful supplement. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, creatine can help you achieve your goals and unlock your full potential. Stick with creatine monohydrate, your gains and wallet will thank you! If this was helpful and you would like a deeper dive into creatine - e.g. the benefits for women or its effect on brain function and health comment below or let me know.

Disclaimer

This blog post is not intended to provide nutrition advice. It is a round-up of the research and benefits of creatine. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen.

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