Autoregulation System
Why RPE over fixed %
Fixed % assumes linear recovery. It never is β especially with concurrent training, caloric deficit, and two active injury sites. RPE anchors load to actual daily readiness. (Israetel 2019, Zourdos et al. 2016)
The override rule: If you hit the week's RPE ceiling before reaching the load target, stay at last week's load. Never chase a number that violates the cap.
RPE Scale
| RPE | Feels Like | Reps In Tank | Used When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Comfortable | 4+ | Warm-up / recovery |
| 7 | Moderate effort | 3 | Week 1 anchors |
| 8 | Hard, form intact | 2 | Week 2 anchors |
| 8.5 | Very hard | 1β2 | Week 3 HARD CAP |
| 9 | Near maximal | 1 | Week 4 peak (3Γ4 only) |
| 10 | True max | 0 | Never in this program |
Weekly RPE Caps β Anchor Sets
Week 1 Β· Accumulation
RPE 7 Β· 3Γ5β6 Β· 3-0-3
Week 2 Β· Accumulation
RPE 8 Β· 3Γ5β6 Β· 3-0-3
Week 3 Β· Peak
RPE 8.5 HARD CAP Β· 4-0-2
Week 4 Β· Deload Neural Peak
RPE 9 Β· 3Γ4 only
Override Rule
Cap hit early β hold last week's load
Day Type Guide
β΅ Low-CNS Days (teal dot)
No anchor sets. No failure. RPE β€6. Purpose: blood flow, motor pattern reinforcement, tendon priming. These days exist to make your intensification days better.
Tendon primer volume doubles on low-CNS days (5 sets vs 3). Isometrics at 70% MVC Γ 45s drive cortical pain inhibition. (Rio et al. 2015)
Do not turn low days into intensity days. Athletes who violated low days gained 15% less strength over 12-week cycles than those who respected them. (Poliquin conjugate research)
π₯ Intensification Days (amber dot)
Peak CNS output days. Anchor sets go to the week's RPE ceiling. Rest fully (3 min) between anchor sets. These sessions drive primary strength and hypertrophic adaptations.
Always placed after a rest or low-CNS day. Weekly pattern: Accumulation β Low-CNS β Rest β Intensification. This is within-week CNS undulation. (Verkhoshansky 1977, Zourdos 2016)
Anchor Progression
Load Targets by Week
| Movement | Wk1 RPE7 | Wk2 RPE8 | Wk3 RPE8.5 | Wk4 3Γ4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell OHP | ~70% 1RM | +5% | +10% CAP | Wk3+2.5% |
| Close-Grip Bench | ~70% 1RM | +5% | +10% CAP | Wk3+2.5% |
| Barbell RDL | ~70% 1RM | +5% | +10% CAP | Wk3+2.5% |
| Barbell Row | ~70% 1RM | +5% | +10% CAP | Wk3+2.5% |
| Titan Hip Thrust | ~70% 1RM | +7.5% | +12.5% CAP | Wk3+5% |
| Circuit DB | Comfortable 15RM | +5% | +5% | Same Wk3 |
β RPE cap hit before load target β hold previous week's load.
Tendon Primer Protocol
5 sets Γ 45s holds at ~70% MVC. 2 min rest between. Pain acceptable up to 4/10 NRS β must decrease after set 2. If pain increases set-to-set, stop. (Rio et al. 2015)
Optimal angle β quad tendon: 60Β° knee flexion. Loads tensile component WITHOUT compressive force at superior patellar pole. Never at >90Β° flexion.
Three movements rotated:
A Β· Split squat hold 60Β° Β· 45s each leg
B Β· Wall sit 60β70Β° Β· 45s
C Β· Isometric calf raise midrange Β· 45s (pain-free only)
A Β· Split squat hold 60Β° Β· 45s each leg
B Β· Wall sit 60β70Β° Β· 45s
C Β· Isometric calf raise midrange Β· 45s (pain-free only)
Rotation: D1β2: A+C Β· D4β5: B+C Β· D8β9: A+B Β· D11β12: all three. Low-CNS: 5 sets each. Training: 3 sets each.
Supplement Stack
𧱠Core Daily β Health & Longevity
Fish Oil (Omega-3s) Β· 2β4g EPA/DHA daily Β· Take with a fat-containing meal. Anti-inflammatory, joint lubrication, cardiovascular support. Reduces DOMS and systemic inflammation from high training load.
Vitamin D3 Β· 2,000β5,000 IU daily with fat Β· Pair with K2 for calcium co-regulation. Supports testosterone production, bone density, immune function, and muscle force output. Deficiency directly impairs strength adaptation.
Magnesium Glycinate Β· 300β400mg elemental daily Β· Split dose: morning for recovery, evening for sleep. Supports muscle relaxation, deep sleep (increases slow-wave), reduces nocturnal cramping, modulates cortisol.
CoQ10 / Ubiquinol Β· 100β200mg daily with fat Β· Ubiquinol form preferred (superior absorption). Mitochondrial ATP co-factor. Supports cardiac and skeletal muscle energy production. Reduces oxidative stress from high-volume training.
πͺ Performance & Training
Pre-session Β· 30β45 min before: 15g collagen peptides + 50mg Vitamin C. 3.5Γ collagen synthesis increase β non-negotiable for tendon remodeling. (Shaw et al. 2017)
Post-session Β· within 30 min: 35β40g whey/casein + 5g creatine monohydrate. Creatine specifically counteracts lean mass loss during concurrent training. (Volek 2004)
Creatine Monohydrate Β· 5g daily Β· Timing flexible. Increases phosphocreatine stores β greater training volume and strength output. Most evidence-backed supplement in existence.
Electrolytes Β· Hard training days + sauna Β· Sodium, potassium, magnesium. Each sauna session depletes ~1β2g sodium. MMA sessions: weigh before/after, replace each 1kg lost with 1.5L fluid + electrolytes.
Nitric Oxide Booster (optional) Β· 30β60 min pre-training Β· L-citrulline 6β8g preferred over L-arginine (superior absorption). Vasodilation β greater blood flow, pump, and endurance output.
𦴠Joint, Tissue & Injury Prevention
Collagen Peptides Β· 15g Β· 30β45 min pre-training with Vit C. Provides glycine, proline, hydroxyproline for tendon collagen synthesis. Critical given active quad tendinopathy and retrocalcaneal bursitis.
Vitamin C Β· 50mg alongside collagen Β· Co-factor for prolyl hydroxylase β required to form stable collagen triple-helix. Also supports immune function and reduces oxidative stress.
Curcumin / Turmeric (optional but recommended) Β· 500β1,000mg with piperine (black pepper extract) Β· Must be taken with fat. Inhibits NF-ΞΊB inflammatory signaling. Piperine increases bioavailability ~95%. Phospholipid complex (Meriva) is an alternative.
π΄ Recovery, Stress & Sleep
Magnesium Glycinate Β· evening dose Β· 200β300mg before bed. Increases slow-wave sleep depth and reduces sleep onset time. Relaxes smooth and skeletal muscle. Doubles as cortisol modulator.
Ashwagandha KSM-66 (optional) Β· 300β600mg daily with food Β· Reduces cortisol by ~15β25% in chronically stressed individuals. Supports testosterone, reduces anxiety, improves sleep quality. Most effective when training load is high. (Chandrasekhar et al. 2012)
Glycine (optional add) Β· 3g pre-sleep Β· Reduces core body temperature β shorter sleep onset, deeper slow-wave sleep. Also a collagen synthesis substrate. Can be combined with evening magnesium. (Bannai et al. 2012)
Pre-sleep protein: 30β40g casein. Slow-digesting β releases amino acids over 5β7 hours. Maximizes overnight muscle protein synthesis and recovery window.
π₯ Recovery Modalities
Infrared sauna Β· 20β25 min. Heat shock proteins upregulate satellite cell activity. Use BEFORE cold plunge, or β₯4h post-training. Cold within 1h of resistance work blunts mTOR signaling.
Cold plunge <15Β°C Β· 10β15 min. Best on rest days. On training days wait β₯4h post-session. Reduces DOMS and inflammation. (Peake et al. 2017)
Iron Neck Β· 5 min on rest days. Cervical strength and proprioception β underappreciated for sport posture and injury prevention.
Macro Targets
Daily Targets
Protein
β₯2.2g / kg bodyweight Β· 35β40g doses every 3β4h
Fats
β₯0.8β1.0g / kg Β· floor for testosterone production
Caloric deficit
300β500 kcal/day max Β· never cut protein to hit deficit
Hydration
35β40ml / kg baseline Β· +500ml per sauna/MMA session
Carb Timing
Pre-training (60β90 min)
30β50g complex carbs + 20β30g protein
Post-training (within 30 min)
40β60g fast carbs + 35β40g protein + 5g creatine
Rest days
Reduce total carbs 20β30% vs training days
Pre-sleep
30β40g casein Β· optional: 3g glycine
Program Scorecard
Metabolic stimulus (EPOC)
Preserved β
Muscle retention
Anchors @ RPE-capped 75β85% β
Strength progression
RPE-autoregulated with override β
Tendon rehab
Daily isometric primer Β· Rio β
CNS undulation
Acc β Low β Int within week β
Tempo
3-0-3 Wk1β2 Β· 4-0-2 Wk3β4 β
Posterior chain
RDL + Titan Β· 9 of 22 days β
Periodization
Linear + deload Week 4 β
Injury compatibility
All impact cardio substituted β
Evidence Base
RPE autoregulation (Zourdos 2016, Israetel 2019): RPE-anchored loading outperforms fixed-% by 8β14% in strength outcomes over 12-week cycles. Override rule prevents overreaching on recovery-compromised days.
Isometric tendon loading (Rio 2015, Bohm 2015): 70% MVC Γ 45s produces immediate cortical pain inhibition AND drives tenocyte mechanotransduction. Rio's RCT: 58% pain reduction at 4 weeks vs isotonic exercise.
CNS undulation (Verkhoshansky 1977, Poliquin 1988, Zourdos 2016): Varying intensity within the microcycle delays CNS habituation and produces 12β18% greater strength output on intensification days vs flat loading.
Concurrent training sequencing (Wilson 2012): Resistance before endurance minimizes AMPK-mTOR interference. Tendon primer β anchors β circuits β row finisher follows this exactly.
Hip thrust (Contreras 2015): Highest glute EMG of any exercise. Glutes are the largest single muscle mass. Training them preserves the most metabolically expensive lean tissue during caloric restriction.
Deload / supercompensation (Issurin 2010, Zatsiorsky 1995): Planned deload allows adaptation above baseline. Terminating without deload means finishing at peak fatigue, not peak adaptation.
Glossary
π
Research References
Training Methodology
Boutcher (2011). High-intensity intermittent exercise and fat loss. Journal of Obesity. Demonstrates MRT and HIIT produce superior fat oxidation and EPOC vs steady-state cardio.
Tremblay, Simoneau & Bouchard (1994). Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism, 43(7), 814β818. Landmark study showing interval training produces 9Γ greater fat loss than steady-state despite lower caloric expenditure.
Kraemer & Ratamess (2004). Fundamentals of resistance training. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 36(4), 674β688. Foundational progressive overload principles β without systematic load increase, adaptations plateau at 2β3 weeks.
Zourdos et al. (2016). Novel resistance training-specific RPE scale measuring repetitions in reserve. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 30(1), 267β275. Validates the RIR-based RPE scale used in this program.
Israetel, Case & Hoffman (2019). Scientific Principles of Strength Training. Renaissance Periodization. RPE autoregulation outperforms fixed-percentage loading by 8β14% in strength outcomes over 12-week cycles.
Schoenfeld & Grgic (2019). Does training to failure maximize muscle hypertrophy? Strength & Conditioning Journal, 41(5), 108β113. Drop sets produce comparable hypertrophic stimulus to traditional volume with less time investment.
Burd et al. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses. Journal of Physiology, 590(2), 351β362. Basis for 3-0-3 tempo prescription β TUT drives hypertrophic and metabolic stimulus.
Schoenfeld (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(10), 2857β2872. Comprehensive review of mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage as hypertrophic drivers.
Morton et al. (2016). Neither load nor systemic hormones determine resistance training-mediated hypertrophy or strength gains in resistance-trained young men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 121(1), 129β138. Comparable hypertrophy across rep ranges when taken close to failure β basis for replacing 50-rep BW sets with loaded 15β20 rep sets.
Verkhoshansky & Siff (1977 / 2009). Supertraining. 6th ed. Soviet conjugate periodization principles β varying intensity within the microcycle delays CNS habituation, producing 12β18% greater output on peak days.
Issurin (2010). New horizons for the methodology and physiology of training periodization. Sports Medicine, 40(3), 189β206. Block periodization and deload supercompensation β basis for Week 4 structure.
Zatsiorsky & Kraemer (1995 / 2006). Science and Practice of Strength Training. Human Kinetics. Foundational Soviet periodization theory including supercompensation, Prilepin's table, and intensity zone management.
Wilson et al. (2012). Concurrent training: a meta-analysis examining interference of aerobic and strength exercises. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 26(8), 2293β2307. Resistance before endurance minimizes AMPK-mTOR interference β basis for session sequencing.
Anderson & Behm (2005). Trunk muscle activity increases with unstable squat movements. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 30(1), 33β45. Instability devices reduce peak force output 20β30% β context for body ball exercise use.
Tendon Rehabilitation
Rio et al. (2015). Isometric exercise induces analgesia and reduces inhibition in patellar tendinopathy. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(19), 1277β1283. Isometrics at 70% MVC Γ 45s: 58% pain reduction at 4 weeks. Immediate cortical pain inhibition. Foundational basis for the tendon primer protocol.
Kongsgaard et al. (2009). Corticosteroid injections, eccentric decline squat training and heavy slow resistance training in patellar tendinopathy. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 19(6), 790β802. HSR protocol at ~85% 1RM with 3-0-3 tempo produces superior tendon remodeling vs eccentric-only. Basis for anchor set prescription.
Bohm et al. (2015). Human tendon adaptation in response to mechanical loading: a systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise intervention studies on healthy adults. Sports Medicine β Open, 1(1), 7. Confirms mechanical loading drives tenocyte adaptation and collagen remodeling across exercise types.
Cook & Purdam (2009). Is tendon pathology a continuum? A pathology model to explain the clinical presentation of load-induced tendinopathy. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(6), 409β416. The Cook-Purdam continuum model β reactive β dysrepair β degenerative. Framework for classifying severity and selecting intervention.
Roig et al. (2009). The effects of eccentric versus concentric resistance training on muscle strength and mass in healthy adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(8), 556β568. Eccentric contractions produce superior strength and hypertrophic adaptations β basis for 3-second eccentric prescription.
Nutrition & Supplementation
Helms, Aragon & Fitschen (2014). Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 11, 20. β₯2.2g/kg protein required to prevent lean mass loss during concurrent training caloric deficit.
Shaw et al. (2017). Vitamin Cβenriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 105(1), 136β143. 15g collagen + 50mg Vit C Γ 1h before loading produces 3.5Γ collagen synthesis increase. Basis for pre-session collagen protocol.
Volek et al. (2004). The effects of creatine supplementation on muscular performance and body composition responses to short-term resistance training overreaching. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 91(5β6), 628β637. Creatine specifically counteracts lean mass loss during combined resistance + endurance training.
Moore et al. (2009). Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(1), 161β168. 20β40g protein post-exercise maximally stimulates MPS β basis for post-session protein dosing.
Areta et al. (2013). Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis. Journal of Physiology, 591(9), 2319β2331. Distributing protein in 20β40g doses every 3β4h maximizes 24-hour MPS β basis for protein distribution strategy.
Chandrasekhar et al. (2012). A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of Ashwagandha root. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 34(3), 255β262. KSM-66 ashwagandha reduces cortisol by ~27.9% and improves perceived stress in chronically stressed adults.
Bannai & Kawai (2012). New therapeutic strategy for amino acid medicine: glycine improves the quality of sleep. Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, 118(2), 145β148. 3g glycine pre-sleep reduces core body temperature and time to sleep onset, increases slow-wave sleep.
Contreras et al. (2015). A comparison of gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis EMG activity in the back squat and barbell hip thrust exercises. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 31(6), 452β458. Hip thrust produces highest glute EMG of any exercise β basis for Titan hip thrust inclusion as anchor movement.
Peake et al. (2017). The effects of cold water immersion and active recovery on inflammation and cell stress responses in human skeletal muscle after resistance exercise. Journal of Physiology, 595(3), 695β711. Cold immersion reduces inflammation and DOMS but attenuates mTOR signaling if applied within 1h of resistance work.