Offseason training should be structured, efficient, and sustainable. I use a simple yet highly effective three-week wave system. This approach is rooted in principles of adaptation, engagement, and progressive overload, ensuring lifters maximize their gains while avoiding stagnation.

Why Three-Week Waves?

Each wave of training follows a three-week cycle for several key reasons:

Optimal Adaptation – The body’s rate of adaptation to exercise peaks around the third week. Beyond this point, diminishing returns set in, making continued progress with the same movements less effective.
Preventing Staleness – Performing the same exercises for six or more weeks can lead to monotony, decreasing engagement and effort. Changing movements regularly keeps training fresh and effective.
Forcing Adaptability – Exposure to new stimuli fosters adaptability, a crucial skill for long-term athletic development and injury prevention.

Weekly Breakdown and Goals

Week 1: Establishing a Baseline

The first week sets the foundation for the following weeks. The primary goal is to establish appropriate working weights while assessing how new movements feel.

Start conservatively to allow for adjustments if certain exercises don’t work well with your body.
Utilize ramping sets—begin with a manageable weight (RPE 5 or lower) and gradually increase until the final set presents a moderate challenge.
This week often serves as a deload because weeks two and three will demand greater output as efficiency improves and systemic fatigue accumulates.

Week 2: Progression and Overload

The second week builds on week one by increasing intensity and volume.

Rep max lifts should progress naturally from the previous week. If week one was appropriately conservative, this should feel like a manageable jump.
Accessory work typically follows a built-in progression. For example:

Week 1: 3 sets of 10
Week 2: 4 sets of 10

Plan to have at least all working sets be as heavy if not heavier than week 1’s heaviest set.
This ensures steady hypertrophic adaptations as long as intensity (weight selection) is sufficient.
Plan ahead thinking about a weight selection that will allow you to complete all reps in week three without failing.

Week 3: Peak Effort Without Overreaching

Week three is where we push hard while maintaining smart training decisions.

Rep max lifts should increase again from week two. This is only possible if week one was approached conservatively and week two was not overly aggressive.
The single-rep focus in this week is not about maxing out but about pushing close to a limit while leaving some energy in the tank.
Think of lifting a true max as putting your hand in a fire—the longer you stay, the higher the risk of serious damage. Training should be challenging but not destructive.
Accessory work is where you can push hardest since the previous two weeks have refined motor patterns, allowing for higher output. Be open to increasing rest intervals or including cluster sets to complete all training volumes.

The Long-Term Plan: Accumulating Strength

For new lifters, these waves will be a fresh experience without previous reference points. More experienced lifters will have past data to guide weight selection.

The key is to accumulate moderate-to-heavy training loads over time, not to rush toward a one-rep max.
Over multiple waves, lifters should aim to increase weight incrementally. You will have older training logs to refer to you the top tier goal is to do a little be better than previous Rep Max or accessory weights or rep numbers. However, if progress stalls, maintaining near-previous bests is still a productive method for gains.
The ultimate goal is to get as strong as possible in the safest manner possible, avoiding injury and burnout.
It’s okay if its not your absolute best, over time your best will increase because you averages increase.

Final Thoughts

This structured yet adaptable approach ensures consistent progress while mitigating plateaus and overuse injuries. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced athlete, following this three-week wave model will keep your offseason training productive and engaging.