Daily Undulating Periodization (DUP) Muscle Growth Workout

Maybe you’ve been training for a few months or maybe you’ve been under the bar since you were twelve. Either way, you’ve probably been inundated with programs touting the latest and greatest methods to get you jacked and keep you in great shape for life.

Sure, linear periodization might work for some lifters and there are many who pledge their undying love to the 5x5 approach. Progressive overload is one of the main underlying principles of strength and conditioning so there’s no doubt that adding more weight each session will work.

However, perhaps it’s time to reevaluate if this is the most optimal approach for every lifter? What happens if you’re someone who enjoys variety and self-experimentation? Don’t you think it’s going to be slightly boring locked into the same template with little deviation for multiple months at a time?

I’m certainly not condoning program hopping, as it’s one of the major reasons many never see any sort of long-term progression in their lifts. But, perhaps it’s time to examine training in a new light and consider some addition variables that might enhance your programming.

Recently, there has been quite a bit of research on a topic known as daily undulating periodization (DUP). So, what is it, how you do apply it, and why is it (potentially) better than a traditional approach?

The answers might surprise you…

You Gonna Learn Today

In strength and conditioning, we know the Repeated Bout Effect states: “subsequent bouts of the same exercise, repeated within several days to several months, do not produce as much damage as the first bout.”¹ Essentially, your body is good at adapting to stimuli in order to maintain homeostasis.

Normally, periodization revolves around the concept of manipulating specific variables to maximize training adaptations throughout the course of a year. This can be accomplished in a variety of fashions - linear, reverse linear, undulating, blocks, waves, phases, etc. I won’t bore you with a description of each method and the research behind it, but each has their time and place depending upon the lifter and other training variables.

Originally, programs were built upon specific mesocycles or blocks of training designed to generate specific adaptations within the musculoskeletal or cardiovascular system. As such, you would typically encounter strength, speed, power, or hypertrophy blocks throughout the course of a yearlong macrocycle.

Also, bonus points if you got the Kevin Hart reference above.

Digging Into Daily Undulating Periodization (DUP)

DUP revolves around the idea of high frequency training by changing the daily stimulus (volume/intensity/rep ranges/exercise selection/etc). Not just high frequency overall, but high frequency for specific lifts in order to enhance motor learning by repeated exposures to the same movement under a variety of conditions (set/reps).

So, now instead of focusing on the same component for 4 weeks at a clip, you might focus on multiple components within the same week of training. Lets say you’re currently utilizing 3 workouts per week and for the most part you’re focusing on strength with a simple, linear 5x5 approach. Well, now you’re going to divide your training up into 3 workouts, each with a distinct purpose: strength, power, and hypertrophy.

If you want to stay basic, you don’t have to adjust anything else in your training except sets and reps in order to alter the goal of each training session. However, there are a variety of other goodies that you could add if you understood how to program them effectively (HRV, percentage load drops, RPEs, etc); I’m just offering you a very basic outline and understanding of the methodology so that you can apply it in your own training today.

Alright, now you’ve got the basic gist, it's time to select some exercises, overload principles, and make some gains. Here’s a very cut and dry DUP outline:

Science + Application = Gains

Now, DUP is typically set up around a few staple exercises that remain constant while the set and rep combos are varied. However, you have to remember that DUP is simply an idea. Once you understand the concept, there are a variety of different application potentials provided you understand the basics of solid programming.

So, here comes the fun part: DUP is essentially one of the easier forms of autoregulation. You now understand that you have 3 separate workouts to choose from throughout the week depending upon your state of readiness.

So, lets say you’re well rested from the weekend and your glycogen stores are nice and full. Well, then it’s time to hit your strength work on Monday and crush some PRs. However, by the time you make it to Friday you may be swamped with stress from work and lacking sleep so it may be time to hit a lighter hypertrophy workout or perhaps utilize your power day since it’s mostly based upon bar speed at lower intensities.

Get Creative

In one my recent articles, I discussed some simple strategies that one could use to maximize hypertrophy while simultaneously experiencing athletic benefits (Train Like An Athlete, Look Like A Bodybuilder). However, now that you understand DUP, you could simultaneously combine both aspects into one program in order to benefit exponentially. Don’t worry about the details on this one; I’ve laid out the exact specifications for the program below.

I’ve personally been utilizing DUP within my own programming for the last year and have seen some fantastic progress. Not only in my strength numbers but also in my ability to understand signals from my body and respond accordingly (aka autoregulation).

Remember, sustainability and enjoyment are the keys to long-term success in this field. If you enjoy training and your program is based upon solid principles, you’re going to make progress. Here’s a sample template, which also incorporates some additional hypertrophy components (mechanical tension, muscular damage, metabolic stress) in the accessory work:

Pull

Legs #1

Push

Legs #2

The deadlifts within this split follow a slightly different periodization scheme then the other lifts due to the high frequency of the overall program. Since pulling tends to be fairly taxing on your central nervous system and you’re hitting some component of the lower body 3 out of the 4 training days, volume has to be closely monitored.

Getting to the Bottom Line

As DUP researcher Mike Zourdos says,

“Increases in hypertrophy, strength, and power are interrelated and in some cases possibly dependent on each other. Due to this it is important to utilize a periodized training program, even when one specific goal is the outcome.”

So, now the real question is, why are you letting your own training hold you back? Apply the concepts of DUP along with proven science to maximize your performance and hypertrophic potential.