Rethinking Block Lengths in Powerlifting - Why 4 Week Waves Aren’t the Only Answer
As a coach and gym owner, one of the most common programming trends I see lifters following is the idea of 4 week waves. A lot of newer coaches default to the modern 4 week wave modality with week one as an intro, weeks two and three build in difficulty, and week four is the heavy/intensity week before a reset.
That style of training works, especially for newer lifters who need structure and frequent exposure to heavier work, but the truth is 4 week waves are not the be all end all for building long term strength. If you want to progress year after year, you need to zoom out and look at how block lengths fit into the bigger picture, the macrocycle.
The Bigger Picture: Macrocycles, Mesocycles, and Microcycles
Here’s how I break it down with my lifters:
Microcycle: One training week.
Mesocycle (Block): A focused training phase, usually 3–8 weeks.
Macrocycle: The full training arc, typically built from meet to meet (16–24+ weeks).
Instead of thinking, “how many weeks should this block last?” the better question is, “What adaptation do I need, and how long does it take this lifter to get it?”
Where Each Phase Fits
When I program for my lifters, we usually work through three key phases:
Accumulation: Building the base… hypertrophy, work capacity, and general strength.
Transmutation: Converting that base into more specific strength, with higher intensities on comp style lifts.
Realization (Peaking): Sharpening for competition, pushing intensity while pulling back volume.
Each of these phases needs different time horizons:
Accumulation might run 6-8 weeks for an experienced lifter who needs more volume.
Realization might only last 2-3 weeks, since heavy peaking work is taxing and unsustainable.
Why 4 Week Waves Aren’t Always Enough
The common “intro → build → heavy → reset” cycle assumes every lifter adapts at the same rate, but adaptation is highly individual.
Some lifters need more than four weeks in a block before they actually get the full benefit of the training.
Cutting a block short just because “it’s week 4” may mean leaving gains on the table.
Advanced lifters often need longer mesocycles (6-8 weeks) to see meaningful strength carryover.
What Determines Block Length?
When I set block lengths for my athletes in The Crew, I look at factors such as…
Experience Level:
Newer lifters adapt quickly and thrive on shorter blocks.
Advanced lifters often need longer waves to accumulate enough training stress.
Gender:
Female lifters typically recover faster, handle more volume, and benefit from longer accumulation phases.
Male lifters, especially heavyweights, fatigue faster and usually peak with shorter, sharper phases.
Size & Strength Level:
The bigger the lifter and the heavier the loads, the more systemic fatigue builds up. That means longer strength blocks but shorter peaking phases.
Lighter lifters can often push productive training longer.
Meet Calendar:
The most important factor of all is the meet date. Everything has to be timed backwards from the platform.
Practical Takeaways from The Crew
Don’t box yourself into 4 week blocks. Adaptation, not the calendar, decides when to move on.
Watch trends… bar speed, RPE patterns, and recovery all tell you if it’s time to shift phases.
Recognize that the right block length changes as you get stronger and more experienced.
Build your macrocycle with the meet in mind, peaking too early or too late can ruin a prep.
Visual Framework
Here’s a simple way I teach lifters to visualize their training:
Macrocycle (Meet to Meet, around 16-24+ Weeks)
Accumulation: 4-8 Weeks - Higher volume, hypertrophy, base building
Transmutation: 4-8 Weeks - Strength-focused, comp-lift emphasis
Realization/Peaking: 2-4 Weeks - High intensity, taper into meet
Each block (mesocycle) is built from weekly microcycles which are updated on a weekly basis on my Crew Coaching App. Some lifters thrive with 4 week waves, but many need 6-8 week phases depending on sex, size, recovery, and experience.
I don’t just follow the calendar, I follow the lifter. That’s how real progress is built.
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