Can Progress Always be Linear?

When we think about progress, we imagine it happening in a straight line. From start to finish we see ourselves steadily progressing in an upward trajectory to our goals. This is especially true with all things fitness related. Weight loss, strength gains, muscle definition, all of it. In fact, even in strength and conditioning the most common way to write a program is named Linear Periodization.

It works great too. Do a little more, and a little more each week and progressively build your strength and make the straight line up. There’s a problem though. If this linear, progressive overload always worked, wouldn’t we all be able to deadlift 500 pounds in due time? Imagine that, adding five pounds to the bar each week and you could just count ahead to the day you’d hit 500. Okay so max deadlift week 1 is 315, only 37 weeks till I pull 5 bills! 

Not only that, but life gets in the way too. You get sick, travel and get bored and tired. Even with planned down time, which is an important part of Linear Periodization, it’s impossible to predict every single session weeks in advance.

Linear’s counterpart, Nonlinear or Conjugate Periodization, forces adaptation in a different way. This approach is more varied and manipulates load, tempo, volume and intensity more frequently to provide new stimulus and to improve several qualities all at once. Linear Periodization is great for training one specific thing, like increasing squat max or a specific event like a race or meet. Instead of planned downtime like we see in the linear model, nonlinear deloads based on feel rather than schedule.

If we zoom in closely, all our progress happens in an undulating fashion. Life throws us peaks and valleys and so will training. The longer you’re in this for, the more nonlinear your program will be. You need to learn to listen to your body and know when it needs a heavy load or something light and fast or long and slow. 

When we’re beginners, adding weight to the bar, or even dropping pounds can be relatively easy. When the linear nature of progress runs out of steam though, expect your gains to go up and down a bit. As long as you’re still headed in the right direction, you’ll be fine. Just keep moving the dirt.

Justin Miner

@justinminergain