6 min read
nSuns LP: When to Run It and When to Run From It
nSuns is a high-volume 5/3/1 variant that pushes main-lift work nearly every session. Who benefits, who breaks, and how to tell which side you are on.
Tag
intermediate
18 articles
7 min read
Madcow vs Starting Strength: The Graduation Question
Starting Strength gets you to a novice plateau. Madcow 5×5 is a classic next step. When to switch, and when Madcow is the wrong choice for where you are.
7 min read
Texas Method Explained: Heavy, Light, Medium in Practice
Rippetoe's classic intermediate program: a volume day, a recovery day, and an intensity day. What the heavy-light-medium structure actually buys you.
8 min read
Which 5/3/1 Template Fits Your Phase
Jim Wendler wrote dozens of 5/3/1 templates. A decision guide for Boring But Big, FSL, BBS, Jack Shit, 5/3/1 for Powerlifting, and how to pick the right one.
7 min read
Training Plateaus: The Five Causes and How to Diagnose Them
Most plateaus are not programming problems. A framework for diagnosing whether the stall is recovery, volume, technique, nutrition, or simply the wrong program.
5 min read
Sheiko #29 Explained
What makes Sheiko #29 work, who it is actually for, and what to expect in your first four weeks of Boris Sheiko's high-frequency powerlifting system.
5 min read
How Smolov Jr. Works (And When to Use It)
Smolov Jr. is a three-week peaking block that reliably adds 10–30 lb to a lift. Here is the mechanics behind it and when it actually makes sense to run.
6 min read
How SBS Reps-to-Failure Autoregulation Works
SBS Reps-to-Failure adjusts loads based on your actual performance. Here is how the feedback loop works and why it beats fixed-percentage programming.
5 min read
The Bulgarian Method: What Most Lifters Get Wrong
The Bulgarian method is famous for daily maxes and brutal workloads. The useful lessons for regular lifters are not the ones usually copied.
5 min read
PHUL vs PPL: Which Split Fits Your Schedule?
PHUL and PPL both build size and strength on four-to-six day weeks. The difference is how each split groups lifts and how forgiving each is under real life.
6 min read
MEV, MAV, MRV: Volume Landmarks in Practice
Volume landmarks are useful when applied with honesty. Here is how to find your own MEV, MAV, and MRV — and where the framework tends to break down.
6 min read
Daily Undulating Periodization: A Practical Guide
Daily Undulating Periodization (DUP) rotates rep ranges within a week instead of across months. Here is how to set one up and what the research actually says.
6 min read
The Doug Hepburn Method, Explained
Doug Hepburn trained with heavy singles decades before modern strength theory caught up. The method still holds up. Here is how to run it.
5 min read
How to Deload: Planned, Reactive, and Taper Frameworks
Most lifters either never deload or do it by accident. Three frameworks for deloading on purpose, and when to use each.
6 min read
Strongman for Powerlifters: What Transfers, What Does Not
Strongman training builds different strength than powerlifting. What carryover to expect, what costs you pay, and how to blend both without losing either.
7 min read
Hypertrophy for Strength: When More Muscle Moves More Weight
Muscle mass sets the strength ceiling. How to run a hypertrophy block that converts into bigger squats, benches, and deadlifts — not a bigger mirror.
7 min read
Training Through Injury: When to Push, When to Pivot, When to Stop
Most training injuries do not require time off — they require changed loading. A framework for what to modify, what to substitute, and what to pause.
6 min read
Kettlebells for Strength Athletes: What to Add, What to Skip
Most kettlebell work is too generic for strength athletes. Three or four moves that help your squat, deadlift, and press — and the ones that waste time.