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

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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.