Originally Posted by Christian Thibaudeau

As explained in my first article on Pendulum Training, if you're a bodybuilder it's best to use a three-step approach that includes two structural/hypertrophy phases and one functional/strength phase. That last phase is important to maximize neural improvements, which will, in turn, potentiate the muscle gains you’ll get from your "regular" bodybuilding training. It’s also a phase that can have drastic effect on muscle tone, hardness, and density. Therefore, I feel it's necessary to include some heavy lifting, even in a purely aesthetic program.

Both structural phases will focus on muscle mass, but both are also very different from one another. The first phase includes more volume and more density (thus the use of several "advanced" techniques) while the second phase uses slightly more weight. Each phase lasts one week and the general schedule is as follow:

Week 1: Structural 1

Week 2: Structural 2

Week 3: Functional strength

Week 4: Structural 2

Week 5: Structural 1


Phases 1 and 5: Structural 1

This phase of training will use less weight but will be the most energy-draining phase of all. The focus is on increasing lactic acid build-up and maximizing total muscle breakdown (to stimulate a massive anabolic response to training). To do so we'll use techniques such as supersets, tempo contrast, and isometric-dynamic contrast. The rest intervals will be short and the volume relatively high. Each muscle group is to be trained once a week.

Phases 2 and 4: Structural 2

We'll still be working on developing muscle mass, but this time we'll use less "advanced" techniques and increase the average load to be lifted. We'll also increase the training frequency to two sessions per muscle group. There'll be less direct work for the biceps and triceps (which will be directly trained only once a week)

Phase 3: Functional Strength

During this week of training we'll use heavy weights and only include compound exercises. Each session will be a whole body workout. The objective is to stimulate the nervous system while giving the muscle, energy and hormonal systems a break.


This training program is to be followed for two to three consecutive cycles (10 to 15 weeks) for maximum gains. You can change the exercises with each new cycle, but you’ll find out it's not necessary for continuous gains on this program because the variation of training methods, volume, and intensity is enough to keep the body in an adaptive mode.

This program is best suited to someone who wants to gain a lot of lean body mass; however, for it to be maximally effective, you should adopt a sound bodybuilding diet.

The bottom line is that this program is extremely effective, probably even more so than you think!

The great part is that Pendulum Bodybuilding is fun to do! The frequent variation will help you stay motivated and you'll end up enjoying your training just as much as your progress!


About the Author

Christian Thibaudeau is a strength and conditioning coach who works with a wide range of elite athletes. He has successfully trained athletes requiring a wide array of physical qualities ranging from strength and power (football players, Olympic lifters, strongmen competitors) and important energetic capacities (hockey players) to proprioception and stabilization/balance (figure skaters ). He's also a competitive Olympic weightlifter and a football coach. Christian is completing his M.Sc. degree in exercise science and has been a research assistant in that field for the past two years. You can pick up his book, The Black Book of Training Secrets, right here at this site.