3 Day Classic Muscle System

Muscle And Strength 1: Undulating Ladder Periodization

Cycle Rep Range Target Weight Effect

Microcycle 1 12 – 15 reps Medium-Light Metabolic

Hypertrophy
Microcycle 2 10 – 12 reps Medium Upper Range

Hypertrophy
Micocycle 3 8 – 10 reps Medium Heavy Lower Range

Strength
Microcycle 4 6 – 8 reps Heavy Upper Range

Strength
Microcycle 5 4 – 6 reps Very Heavy Lower Range

Microcycle 6 15-20 reps Light Metabolic

(Deload)

• One “microcycle” is 3 days long (Your whole body is trained over this 3-day period, using a 3-day body part split).
• One “block” is 18 workouts long (6 microcycles X 3 day split = 18 workouts).
• This chart shows one block of the muscle and strength 1 training program.
• Repeat this block (“undulate”) 3 times, for a total of 18 microcycles and 54 workouts. A 4th block is optional if you are still
making progress, but generally, you have completed the program after the 18 microcycles / 3 blocks.
• The weight lifted on compound, multi-joint exercises must be increased with each passing microcycle in the same block.
• For compound multi-joint exercises, follow this rep ladder system (decreasing reps, increasing weight each microcycle).
• For isolation and single-joint exercises, you have the option of staying in the 8 reps and higher brackets because these
exercises are not as well-suited very low reps.
• Calves may be trained in higher rep brackets (10 – 20).
• Abs can be trained in a higher rep bracket (10 – 25) and reps increased for progression.