High-Frequency Wave Load Training

A Highly Effective High-Frequency Program for Strength, Power, and Muscle Mass

     In several recent articles, I have presented a few key concepts to building strength, power, and muscle mass.  One of the concepts is the “90% method” where you do most of your sets at 90% of a certain rep range.  It could be 90% of 1 rep, of 3 reps, of 5 reps, or even as high as 10 reps.  (If you want more in depth discussion on the 90% method then read my article “Skill Training as Size Building.”)  I have also presented the concepts of weight ladders and wave loading, where, instead of sticking with the same weight throughout several sets before moving to a different weight, you move back and forth from heavier to lighter sets.

     One of my more popular recent articles that used the above concepts is “The 1-5 Program.”  It’s a high-volume program.  It’s good for lifters who like to use split programs, as it’s a multi-lift routine.  If there’s an “issue” with it, it’s that it’s not good for lifters who are also active in other domains.  In my essay “On Goals and Workout Programs,” I discuss that, essentially, there are 3 categories of lifters—the casual trainee, the athlete, and the hyper-specific lifter.  My 1-5 program is probably best for the 3rd category, the lifter who only focuses on powerlifting, bodybuilding, or something similar.  So, in this article, I want to present a way to use wave-loading that can also be beneficial for the average lifter and/or the athlete.  The ideas presented here will be great for you if you engage in other activities outside of the gym, whether casually or competitively.  They will also be good even if you fit in the “hyper-specific” category, as sometimes you need to not go all-out.  A lifter who is always training all-out will eventually fail.  You need to back off at times before once again ascending the mountain.

     In addition to 1-5 training, there are other set/rep combinations that are good for wave loading.  I also like 2-5, 3-8, and 5-10.  2-5 is obviously quite similar to 1-5, as far as the results you will get out of it.  3-8 might be the best if you’re looking for a combination of both power and hypertrophy.  And 5-10 is possibly the best if you’re mainly after hypertrophy, as it covers the low and high end of the “best” workload/time-under-tension strictly for muscle growth.

     For the sake of clarity, the regimen that I will outline below will use the 3-8 method of wave loading.  After explaining it, I will then offer some tips for adapting it to one of the other set/rep combinations.

The High-Frequency 3-8 Program

     This is a full-body routine that you will do 3 days per week, say Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  You will use between 2 and 5 lifts at each session.  The number of movements you select should depend on how much you do outside of the gym and how much time in the gym you have to train.  Select a number of lifts that you know you can and will stick with.  Also, if you’re an athlete, choose the number that still allows you to train in your sport.  So, if you’re a runner, even though you know you may have the willpower to stick with 5 lifts per session, you should still do less so that it doesn’t impact your sport.

     If you select only 2 lifts, make one of them lower body and the other upper body.  Select movements that are big “bang-for-your-buck” lifts.  Squats and military presses would be 2 good selections, for instance.  If you really want to work a lot of muscles in only 2 lifts, then make it squats and clean-and-presses.  For the clean and press, set the bar down after each rep so that you have to clean all of your repetitions.  If you select 3 lifts, a squat, a pull, and a press are good ideas.  Front squats, double kettlebell cleans, and overhead presses would be good selections, for instance.  I like the kettlebell for cleaning (and snatching) with higher reps.  You could also select the 3 powerlifts.  The only issue with that is the deadlift, as I think it’s best trained with a lesser frequency.  However, a good selection might be the thick-bar deadlift, as the use of the thick bar will prevent you from overloading your lower back with too much frequency.  If you select 4 lifts, you could do a squat, a pull, a vertical press and a horizontal press, i.e. bench presses.  You could also select a squat, an upper body pull (chins), a lower body pull, and a press variation.  For 5 lifts, either add a curl to the list or do a squat and an upper body and lower body pull and a vertical and horizontal press.

Day One - Heavy

     This program will follow a heavy/light/medium format.  Your first day will be your heavy day.  On each lift, after you have warmed up, you will use two weights: 90% of your 3-rep max and 90% of your 8-rep max.  If you are not sure what those exact weights are for you, then select a weight that you could do for 1 hard set of 5 reps for the 3-rep sets and 1 hard set of 10 reps for the 8-rep set.  When you start the program, if you are in doubt, always choose lighter over heavier.  If you’re not accustomed to frequent training, you may want to start a little lighter, anyway.

     Do 6 sets on each lift.  3 sets for 3 reps and 3 for 8 reps.  Do a set for 3 reps with 90% of your 3-rep max and then, after resting several minutes, do a set of 8 reps with 90% of your 8-rep max.  Alternate back and forth in this manner until you have completed all 6 sets.

     Your workout might look something like this:

Front squats: 6x3-8-3-8-3-8

Thick-bar deadlifts: 6x3-8-3-8-3-8

Bench presses: 6x3-8-3-8-3-8

Military presses: 6x3-8-3-8-3-8

Barbell curls: 6x3-8-3-8-3-8

Day Two - Light

     After 48 hours, return to the gym for your light day.  Do the same workout as your heavy day but on all of your movements, use 80% of the weight used on your heavy day.  So, if on front squats you did your sets of 3 reps with 275 pounds and your sets of 8 reps with 225 pounds, you would use 220 pounds and 180 pounds on this day.

     If you wish, you can also use less movements on this day.  So, if you did the above workout on your heavy day, your light day might look like this:

Front squats: 6x3-8-3-8-3-8

Thick-bar deadlifts: 6x3-8-3-8-3-8

Bench presses: 6x3-8-3-8-3-8

     Just omit the military presses and barbell curls.  If you did just 3 or 4 movements on your heavy day, you could reduce the movements to 2 here.  So, if you did a squatting movement, a pull and a press, just do a squat and a press on your light day.  Obviously, if you only used 2 exercises on your heavy day, you would want to use 2 here.

Day Three - Medium

     After another 48 hours, return to the gym again for your medium session.  On this day, repeat the workout once more but use weights that are 90% of what was used on your heavy day.  Using our hypothetical front squatter again, on this day, he would squat 250 for sets of 3 reps and 200 pounds for sets of 8.

     Even if you used less movements on your light day, I suggest using the exact same number of lifts on the medium day as what you used on your heavy day.

Tips and Pointers

     When you return to the gym after 72 hours for your next heavy session, add weight to each of your lifts.  How much weight will depend on the lift you selected.  You can add 10 pounds to big lifts such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses and 5 pounds to smaller lifts such as barbell curls or even overhead presses.  As with the weight selection to begin the program, when in doubt, add less not more.  If you miss getting any of your reps on any of your sets, stick with that weight at the next heavy session until you do get all sets for both 3 and 8 reps.  Let’s say you get all of your 3 rep sets with that weight but miss your last 8-rep set, still stick with the same 3 rep weight at your next session.  Only increase poundages when you get all of your reps at both weights.

     Make sure that you keep a training journal.  You might be able to remember all of your weights if you only use 2 movements, but even then I would keep one just to ensure you don’t forget any of the poundages utilized.

     When you add weight to a movement on your heavy days, be sure to add weight on your light and medium days and make sure that they are “calculated” correctly.

     If you choose other rep ranges, such as 1-5 or 5-10 or whatever, to start the program, always select a weight that is 90% of that rep range.  So, if you choose a 5-10 program, make sure you’re using 90% of your 5-rep max and 90% of your 10-rep max on the first training day of the program.

     This is another great full-body protocol to add to your program arsenal.  If you’ve been searching for a new full-body, 3 days per week routine, your search is over.

     I have been on quite a “writing tear” as of late.  However, with Christmas fast approaching, I will probably take a few-days break from writing and working (and training).  But look for a new article or essay shortly after Christmas.  Until then, have a very Merry Christmas.  May Santa bring you plenty of muscle-building food, supplements, and maybe even some newfound muscle and strength gains.  (Though, I don’t know if that’s something jolly ol’ Saint Nick is capable of.)