Dual Factor Programming

[Darkhorse]

OK, I see tons of confusion on the DFT sticky and how to factor in programs to coincide with overreaching and deloading. I'll try my best to answer everything within this thread so have patience. Eric, feel free to chyme in since you're equally as knowledgable with this...

Dual Factor Sticky

^^ This sticky has everything you'll need in it. It has 3-4 different 5x5 programs ranging from beginner to advanced as well as DFHT and DFST programs.

What is dual factor? Dual factor is basically trying to overreach within 3-5 weeks, then deloading for recovery. Simplest blanket answer.

Originally Posted by Reynolds

So what you get concerning the two-factor theory is a period of peaking fatigue (maybe 6 weeks), followed by a period of rest (maybe 2 weeks deloading, then one or two weeks of total rest). You view entire weeks and maybe months as you would have viewed just one workout with the single factor theory. For example, in the single factor theory, one workout represents a period of fatigue. But, in the two-factor theory, 6 weeks would represent a period of fatigue. In the single factor theory, a day or two (up to a week) represents a period of rest. But in the two-factor theory, up to four weeks may represent a period rest.

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1) What does this mean:

Mesocycle 1:........................5x5 Loading
Mesocycle 2: Microcycle 1:.....5x5 Deload Week
Mesocycle 2: Microcycles 2-5:.5x5 Intensity Weeks
Microcycle 1 (separate):.........Deloading - 1 week
Mesocycle 3: Microcycles 1-3:.DFHT Loading
Mesocycle 3: Micocycle 4:.......DFHT Deloading
Microcycle 2 (separate):..........Specialty work - 2 weeks
Repeat

This is roughly 4 months or 16 weeks

Simply put, a mesocycle in this case is a loading phase lasting from 3-4 weeks. A microcycle stands for the week of deloading. That's all there is to it.

Does this mean part of DFHT is the 5x5? NO. But, they do work extremely well together. I'll get into DFHT later...

So basically you have three Dual Factor 5 x 5 options:

1) Run the program exactly as written doing volume AND intensity phases. At the end of your intensity phase, deload, then do another volume phase. An example is doing 4 weeks volume, 1 week deload, 3 weeks intensity, 1 deload.... Then start over again with slightly more weight meaning you'll hit new PR's your final weeks of volume and intensity.

2) Run back to back volume phases like I personally did in my old journal dual factor 5 x 5 On this example, you'd do 4 weeks volume phase, 1 week deload, then back to another 4 weeks of volume with added weight from last time. In this case, you have to use the twice a week deload protocol found at bottom of page.

3) Do the 5x5 all the way through (volume/deload/intensity/deload) then do DFHT (dual factor hypertrophy training). Again, DFHT is NOT part of the 5x5, it's recommended since they work well together, and because they are both dual factor programs.

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What about the DELOADING?

There's two ways to do it. I personally always prefer the twice a week deload.

1) Stick with the three days of lifting. Whatever was 1x5 (pyramid) now becomes 1x3 (pyramid), and 5x5 (same weight) becomes 3x3 (same weight). Also, you DROP Wednesday (day 2) squats. The key to making this work is to USE YOUR LAST WEEK'S VOLUME PHASE WEIGHTS FOR THE DELOAD. So if week 4's 5x5 squat was with 300 lbs, you'd keep the 300 lbs and do 3 sets of 3 reps.

2) Only workout two days instead of three.

Monday:
Oly squats: 3x3
Bench: 3x3
Rows: 3x3

Thursday:
Light Oly Squats (70% of monday): 3x3
Deadlifts: 3x3
Military Press: 3x3
Chins:3x3

Cont.....