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The 6-Week Metabolic Cycle (Winter 2024)

The 6-Week Metabolic Cycle (Winter 2024)

Following the 7-week strength cycle, we move directly into a 6-week “Metabolic” phase, starting with the typical Introduction/Deload week. After a strength cycle, work capacity is lower. This is a result of the lower reps and less time under tension, meaning less...

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The 7-Week Strength Cycle (Winter 2023/2024)

The 7-Week Strength Cycle (Winter 2023/2024)

Let’s Get Strong! This 7-week cycle strength cycle is part of the larger periodization model we follow at Evolved throughout the year, where we primarily train in hypertrophy, and then venture into strength and metabolic every 9 months or so. The main focus of...

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The COMPOUND-ISOLATION Training Cycle

The COMPOUND-ISOLATION Training Cycle

The Compound-Isolation Supersets Cycle The general philosophy applied to Evolved programming across the board can be seen in the blog about lengthened overload. The general principles discussed there will apply to this cycle, as well. Beyond the general principles...

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The Pre-Exhaust Training Cycle

The Pre-Exhaust Training Cycle

The general philosophy applied to Evolved programming across the board can be seen in the blog about lengthened overload. The general principles discussed there will apply to this cycle, as well. However, there are a few big differences. For one, this current cycle is...

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The Lengthened ROM + Partials Cycle

The Lengthened ROM + Partials Cycle

Alright, the science continues to pile on with support for training exercises at “long muscle lengths.” There are now 7+ studies in the last few years that all have demonstrated an advantage to training in this manner. At Evolved, we were on top of this a year ago,...

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Power Building 2.0

Power Building 2.0

In the winter of 2019/2020, just prior to the Pandemic, Evolved released its first POWERBUILDING cycle. The response was overwhelmingly positive, as the concept of “Power Building” has been at the forefront of program design in the fitness space. Powerbuilding has...

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Progressing the Stimulus Blog

Progressing the Stimulus Blog

Intensity: Progressing the Stimulus Since the beginning of my hypertrophy style programming, I have always favored an approach that increases effort week to week. For the last couple years, this has meant starting a 4-week training block around 3-4 reps from failure,...

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Ascending RPE Hypertrophy Cycle

Ascending RPE Hypertrophy Cycle

Phase potentiation is the idea that one block of training will provide leverage for additional progress in subsequent blocks. This process was described in detail in the blog post about the “strength and metabolite” cycle, which preceded this current hypertrophy...

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Metabolite Training Cycle Fall 2021

Metabolite Training Cycle Fall 2021

Following the 6-week strength cycle, we move directly into a 4-week “Metabolite” phase. After a strength cycle, work capacity is lower. This is a result of the lower reps and longer rest periods between sets. In a strength cycle, you don’t really get a great pump from...

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Strength Cycle Fall 2021

Strength Cycle Fall 2021

CLICK HERE FOR THE "METABOLITE" PORTION OF THE BLOG Welcome to the 6-week Strength Phase in the Evolved programs. This 6-week Strength cycle will be followed by a DELOAD week, and then a 4-week “metabolite” phase. Strength cycles are a vital piece of programming...

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Intensity over Volume

Intensity over Volume

The spectrum of variables in training provides the lab for experimentation. The primary variables we can manipulate are Volume (the “dose” of total work), Relative Intensity (proximity to failure) and Frequency. Volume has been heralded as the main driver of...

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The Daily Undulating Periodization Cycle

The Daily Undulating Periodization Cycle

Daily Undulating Periodization (DUP) is a way of structuring training where different rep ranges are targeted throughout the week. The pinnacle study on DUP versus block periodization occurred in 2002 by Rhea and colleagues. (A comparison of linear and daily...

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The Strength Phase on the Evolved Programs

The Strength Phase on the Evolved Programs

On the heels of the metabolite training block, we now embark on the strength phase. Any athlete who has been training with a high level of intensity and volume would benefit substantially from implementing this short-term change in protocol. Steve Hall coined this...

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Metabolite Training (Metabolic Stress)

Metabolite Training (Metabolic Stress)

Spring/Summer 2020 consisted of an extremely productive focus on general hypertrophy across the Evolved Daily programs. The most recent macrocycle utilized a "Reverse Pyramid" approach to the accumulation period. Looking back further, it has been a great year of...

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Reverse Pyramid Cycle – April 2020

Reverse Pyramid Cycle – April 2020

As the Powerbuilding cycle comes to a close, there should be increased strength, as well as a general sense of confidence with the heavier weight in the lower rep ranges. The Powerbuilding cycle had the lowest target reps for “repeating” movements of any Evolved cycle...

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