Periodisation & Hypertrophy: Structuring Training Phases for Muscle: Practical Takeaways from Professor Greg Haff

March 16
55 mins

Episode Description

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Periodisation is often dismissed as too complex, too theoretical, or irrelevant to hypertrophy training.

In this episode, I revisit my conversation with Professor Greg Haff - one of the world's leading authorities on periodisation and strength development - and work through what these concepts actually mean for how training should be structured over time.


You'll learn:

  • What periodisation actually is - and why conflating it with programming generates most of the confusion in the debate

  • The three periodisation models (parallel, sequential, and emphasis) and when each one is applicable

  • Why phase potentiation matters, and how building strength first can increase the quality and volume of subsequent hypertrophy work

  • How different loading ranges accumulate fatigue differently - and why this shapes program design beyond just exercise selection

  • What the current research on periodisation and hypertrophy actually shows, and where its limitations genuinely lie

  • How long to stay on a program - and why the honest answer depends on training age, lifestyle, and individual context

  • What cluster sets are, how they differ from traditional set structures, and how I use them with clients

🎧 Original Greg Haff episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1DQ2ZMYb3IuaqYJWTuajGh?si=094ba7a125314f91


⚠️  Educational purposes only. Not individualized training or medical advice.

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