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- Writing A Cycle of 8s
“If we look at the charts in Lloyd and Oliver’s Youth Physical Development Model, we will see that strength is always in big letters, i.e., it is important at any age. What we will change is the way to train it, but we will start training strength from the early stages of maturity.”
I wanted to write a follow up to my 8/5/3 Method article I wrote a few months ago. In the past few weeks I’ve been writing our new cycle, this is the phase of training we will get into after our spring break. We plan our annual calendar each August before the start of a new school year. Planning the entire school year allows us to know exactly when each cycle ends, holidays, exam weeks, championships, etc. This year we chopped the calendar up into 12 3 week mini cycles.
This is the last big push till the end of school. The foundation we lay in this cycle will dictate the results we see in May. Here is how we approach it…
Guiding Principles for Cycle of 8s
Time To Adapt
You will have to adjust during week one. It is most likely your 1 rep max has gone up quite a bit since the last time you did 4 × 8. It might take a week or two to get comfortable at these new percentages and rep ranges, but it will come. The goal is to keep the weights as prescribed and do AMAP on the last set. Maybe it is 6 reps.. maybe it is 12. Either way your training max will be updated. We almost always see a super compensation in week 2 and 3.
Restore Range of Motion
The lighter loads allow for less compensation from range of motion standpoint. We have our range of motion standards no matter the amount of weight but there is ultimately a different demand when you get up to 90%+. In this cycle we refocus on full ranges, perfect form, smooth tempos, mind/muscle connection, and fundamentals.
Lay The Foundation
If there is anything you might want to introduce in the next cycle (sets of 5) sprinkle some of it throughout this cycle. I’ve built out progressions for each exercise and it plays out over 9 weeks, sending 3 week on each exercise. For example here is one of our vertical press progressions…
Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4×8 ea.
Barbell Shoulder Press 4×5
Barbell Push Press 4×3
There you go, some general thoughts I use as a guide when writing our highest volume phase. Hope you are able to take something from this and apply it to your own training and/or coaching. As always I would love to hear from you and hear your feedback. Best way to connect is via IG, linked below.
Till next time! - Coach Phil
