Strength + Hypertrophy Cycles: Fall 2026

In parts A + B, choose between strength or hypertrophy.

Whatever movements and focus you choose each day, make sure to stay consistent week-to-week so you can progress these effectively over the course of the training cycle.

Throughout the course of the cycle, the proximity to failure will decrease across both strength and hypertrophy programming.

This means the cycle will start with around 4 RIR (reps in reserve) and then finish with a single rep near “failure” for the final testing week. 

Hypertrophy will follow a similar protocol for the RIR, but the rep range targets will remain in the hypertrophy range (5-12 reps/set in most cases). 

In prior cycles, the “swap” movements in the app have been written specifically around equipment access (for example: DB Swaps, Full Gym Swaps etc). 

In this cycle, the swaps will be listed based on whether they apply to a STRENGTH rep scheme, or the HYPERTROPHY rep scheme. 

This is because certain movements are ONLY applicable for hypertrophy, given that they would not be a productive choice to “build to a 1-rep max” at the end of the cycle. 

For example: a Leg Press Machine is a great quad exercise that is listed as a swap for Low Bar Back Squats.

However, we would never want to test a one rep max on a Leg Press Machine. The same applies to other hypertrophy-specific swaps, such as Pulldowns instead of Pull-ups, Overhead Press machine compared to Barbell Overhead Press etc. 

Of course, you can always use the STRENGTH movement for a hypertrophy rep range. For example, you may want to do Deadlifts, but would prefer NOT to do them for sets of super low reps.

You can absolutely select deadlifts for higher rep sets, as listed for the hypertrophy option. 

As with prior strength cycles, it’s important to remember that the DB-only programs always remain in hypertrophy.

This is because much like machines, DB specific exercises are not conducive to building to a one rep max (or even to do sets under 5 reps in most cases).

Could you imagine trying to do a 1-rep max DB Bench Press? Just getting the DB’s into position would be a challenge! 

The 45-min Physique will also remain in hypertrophy, because it would be too inefficient to spend so much time warming up these big barbell movements, whereas hypertrophy rep ranges allow you to get right into productive training and get more out of that 45-min period.

The 2-Day physique program falls into a similar category, but it’s worth noting that the 2D program has some lower-rep “strength” elements in every cycle, along with a full hypertrophy focus! 

• 50-60% of working weight x 6-10 Reps
• 70-75% of working weight x 3-5 Reps
• 85-90% of working weight (optional) x 1 rep
• Then perform your challenging working sets as listed 

The Second Back Squat Session Each Week:

With Back squats as a primary movement (up there with deadlifts as the “main” focus of the cycle), and with the knowledge that strength is a skill (meaning the more often we practice it, the faster the adaptation will take place) – there is great rationale for including back squats twice across the week.

The first session utilizes the same approach outlined above (linear periodization, aka decreasing reps each week).

The second session will be lighter with focus on “technical execution and speed” sets, using reduced weight and reps. These sets will be a percentage of the weights used on the first session.

This second session is meant to enhance execution and refine movement patterns with intention that this will carry over to the heavy sets the following week (also the potential benefits of staying further from failure for strength goals, as described below).

The objective on the lighter day is to ACCELERATE each rep as fast as possible on the “UP” portion (even though the weight is light).

This “UP” portion is called the CONCENTRIC, and we have plenty of data to support the idea of “maximal concentric intent” being vital to the development of the neurological side of building strength.

“To increase strength, faster resistance training is thought to provide a better stimulus for neural adaptations, which could lead to even greater strength gains” (Wilk, 2021)

For the HYPERTROPHY swaps, there will be a different rep scheme than the one used on Monday.

You can use the SAME variation as Monday, or swap to a different one (such as Leg press one day and Hack Squat the other).

For the deadlifts, you have a choice of conventional, sumo, or trap bar. Any of them are fine!

Given that this is not a hypertrophy cycle, I won’t go into detail about which biases which musculature. They’re all good and effective.

Just make sure you are remaining in control. No turning your spine into a question mark.

I find it very helpful to remember two specific cues:
1. Push the floor away (instead of lift the bar up)
2. Everything in the body should rise together (If the weight is too heavy, the hips will rise first).

The deadlift variations are THE MOST fatiguing movement in this entire cycle, which makes it even more important to maintain the “reps from failure” recommendations.

Also remember that the “reps from failure” are assuming TECHNICAL failure (meaning if the back rounds or form deviates, that is already “past failure” so to speak).

For the Hypertrophy swaps, it’s as simple as selecting your preferred RDL variation, or continue to use the more standard deadlift variations for the hypertrophy rep range targets.