Basic long term training pattern?

[Enthusiast]

So the guys here at Barbell Medicine, have been very helpful and articulate in explaining what the intermediate phase is, what the novice phase is, why it ends, and how to program post-LP.

Most of the templates here say that hypertrophy programs should only be run short term, for a few months, and strength programs should be 'bookending' them. This throws me off a bit.

My question is not simple or specific/particular, but more of a macro-scale low-resolution picture request.

What is the basic pattern for sustainable long term progress?

So we have LP --> Volume/intermediate, and we know that volume can be scaled 'infinitely'. When one incorporates phases in the intermediate stage, alternating between emphasis on increasing CSA and emphasis on expression of strength, volume should (on average) trend upwards across the entire intermediate stage, correct? So far so good.

How necessary is a phase focusing on strength expression, when CSA is the limiting factor in the long run? Could one, just watch e1rm rise and working weight rise, and "cash in the gains" on strength expression rarely, if ever?

Where do the arguments for re-sensitization come in? If one can de-train to lower RBE(not actual atrophy) and receive a stronger physiological stress and adaptive response to a previously utilized volume, is this preferable? Is this the basic reasoning behind alternating phases?

I realize that peoples training will have to mold to specific goals or limitations from disease or injury, but if our goal is to just get jacked, what would the long term look like?

How do all these fit together to allow consistent progress over years?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

In depth answers to this constitute book material, which I'll save for now. But briefly:

What is the basic pattern for sustainable long term progress?

There are a lot of contextual factors here that would need to be known to answer your questions. For this question, let's assume it's general strength and conditioning improvement in a non competitive setting.

So we have LP --> Volume/intermediate,

I would say that we have novice> post novice. I do think that a linear progression can be very effective in novice trainees, but there are other models as well. I don't think the LP you're referring to would be the ideal novice training program for a large swath of the population. Also, volume isn't the only thing that needs to increase over a trainee's career, rather- it is stress relative to the current level of adaptation.

When one incorporates phases in the intermediate stage, alternating between emphasis on increasing CSA and emphasis on expression of strength, volume should (on average) trend upwards across the entire intermediate stage, correct? So far so good.

I assume you mean "blocks" when you say "phases", which would work. However, we don't really love conjugate periodization. Rather, we prefer concurrent. A good program will provide training for both hypertrophy and neurological improvements.

How necessary is a phase focusing on strength expression, when CSA is the limiting factor in the long run?

The answer to the first part of your question depends on context. In this one, a focus on transferring strength development to strength expression can be useful for resensitization of the lifter, for instance.

The second part of your question is not true as stated.

Could one, just watch e1rm rise and working weight rise, and "cash in the gains" on strength expression rarely, if ever?

How can you separate the two?

Where do the arguments for re-sensitization come in?

Have you listened to our podcasts? We talk about them fairly in depth.

If one can de-train to lower RBE(not actual atrophy) and receive a stronger physiological stress and adaptive response to a previously utilized volume, is this preferable? Is this the basic reasoning behind alternating phases?

I'm not sure what you're actually asking here.

I realize that peoples training will have to mold to specific goals or limitations from disease or injury, but if our goal is to just get jacked, what would the long term look like?

Train consistently using a system that allows for progressive overload over the long term that also agrees with the best evidence on training at present.

How do all these fit together to allow consistent progress over years?

Again, I think we laid something like this out in our podcasts and posts on this topic. I am not sure what specific questions you have in addition to that, but if I'm missing them we'll talk about it!