What is Undulating Periodization? (And Why It Might Be A Good Fit for Your Training) - Jake Langham

When it comes to strength and fitness, the way you plan your training is just as important as the exercise selection. This planning is called periodization — structuring your training in phases so you can make progress and continued improvement with the goal of staying injury free.

A lot of people that train strength or focus on sport development may be familiar with a linear block periodization system, where you spend several weeks focusing on one quality at a time. Traditionally, the order is:

1. Hypertrophy (muscle building)

2. Strength (maximum force)

3. Power (speed and explosiveness)

This approach works well for athletes and gym goers preparing for a specific competition. But it is not without its downsides: long blocks dedicated to a single focus can cause you to lose ground in the other areas, especially when illness strikes or your recovery does not match your workload.

That’s where undulating periodization comes in.

What is Undulating Periodization?

Undulating periodization is a way of structuring training so that intensity and volume shift regularly rather than progressing in a straight line. This can be applied in different ways depending on the training goal:

• Daily undulation (conjugate style): rotating focus each session (e.g., hypertrophy one day, strength another, power another) within the same week.

• Weekly undulation: dedicating a week at a time to different qualities (e.g., hypertrophy, then power, then strength), often useful for maintaining multiple qualities at once.

• Block-style undulation: using shorter blocks of 2–4 weeks for each focus, then cycling back through, which can be effective for long-term development and progression.

• Hybrid approaches: some programs mix these methods, shifting focus weekly but still including daily variations in accessories or conditioning.

The version I would like to share focus on is Weekly Undulating Periodization (WUP), where each week rotates between hypertrophy, power THEN strength. Which as you can see is a different order than the more traditional linear fashion where power comes last in the phases.

Why Adjust the Order?

In a WUP model, we can change the order from the traditional sequence. Instead of:

Hypertrophy → Strength → Power

We could use:

Hypertrophy → Power → Strength

Here’s why:

• Hypertrophy week builds muscle and resilience, but it also creates muscular fatigue and damage.

• Jumping straight into strength week after that can mean carrying fatigue and soreness into your heaviest sessions.

• By inserting a power-focused week (using bands, chains, or moderate loads moved explosively), you give the muscles a break from high-volume stress, while potentiating the nervous system to handle heavier lifting.

• The following strength week is then performed in a fresher state, leading to better performance and recovery.

This adjustment can make WUP highly effective for everyday gym goers looking to improve strength and lean muscle mass, athletes in an off season period that want to maintain quality training, older athletes that may need to shake up their routine and avoid large blocks of work that could be detrimental to their continued performance or anyone looking for an engaging alternative but still wants consistent, sustainable results without grinding into fatigue, loss of motivation, injury or overtraining syndrome.

Benefits of Weekly Undulating Periodization

• Maintain all qualities year-round: You will be exposed to all 3 qualities -  hypertrophy, power, and strength more frequently and potentially minimise risk of losing any of those qualities in your training

• Smarter recovery: Power work between hypertrophy and strength weeks can reduce fatigue carryover and keep performance high.

• Joint and soft tissue health: Varied loading prevents constant strain from heavy, high-intensity weeks.

• Variety and engagement: Keeps training fresh and mentally stimulating.

• Applicable to all levels: From general fitness enthusiasts to seasoned athletes, WUP is adaptable.

• Proven in practice: I’ve personally had excellent results using a weekly undulating approach, both in my own training and with clients.

A Simple Example: 3-Day WUP Training Week

Here’s what a weekly undulating periodization split might look like over three training days:

Week 1: Hypertrophy Focus - Build Lean Tissue

• Day 1: Lower Body – Barbel RDL (moderate weight, 3–4 x - 8-10) + accessory work

• Day 2: Upper Body – Dumbbell Bench Press (3–4 x 8–10) + accessory work

• Day 3: Full Body – Split Squat (3–4 x 10 e.s) + accessory work

Week 2: Power Focus - Dynamic Effort

• Day 1: Lower Body – Trap Bar Deadlift with Bands (5–6 x 2–3) + accessory work

• Day 2: Upper Body – Speed Bench with Chains (6x3) + accessory work

• Day 3: Full Body – Speed Squats, Kettlebell Cleans, Plyo Push-ups etc

Week 3: Strength Focus - High Intent

• Day 1: Lower Body – Trap Bar Deadlift (4–6 x3–5, heavy)

• Day 2: Upper Body – Bench Press (4–6 x 3–5, heavy) + accessory work

• Day 3: Full Body – Front Squat (3–4 x 5–6, heavy) + accessory work

Then the cycle repeats. Over time, you get consistent exposure to all three training qualities while hopefully making training fun and avoiding burnout. This table is a simple example of how you could organize a week of sessions but what's fun is that you can play with different loading schemes and exercises within the block to suit your desired goals and outcomes, provided that it is consistent and progressive.

How Does it Compare to Linear Periodization?

Linear block periodization is a popular and successful method of training, it has proven efficacy and is a tried and tested method among strength and team sport athletes, especially when peaking for competition. But as a coach I believe there are many ways to get strong, powerful and perform at your best. Weekly Undulating Periodization is something slightly different to more familiar training methods to which people may utilise and could be something to look into.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a way to build muscle, increase strength, and maintain power all at once, Weekly Undulating Periodization can offer that balance, variety, and sustainability.

It’s not about one method being “better” than the other — it’s about using the right tool for the job. And as happens in life sometimes we change jobs, therefore Undulating Periodization just might be the tool you need!