Between 2 Racks

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A 12-week macrocycle is more than three months of workouts. It is a defined training period built around one outcome, with every block, mesocycle, microcycle, and training session organized to support it.

In this episode of Between 2 Racks, Kelsey, Stéphane, and Pauric break down KILO’s approach to building a 12-week macrocycle for personal training and strength coaching clients. They explain why KILO commonly uses a 12-week timeframe, when shorter or longer macrocycles may be appropriate, and how the plan changes when a client commits to three months versus a full year.

The conversation follows the decisions a coach must make when constructing the plan. First, determine the primary training goal. Then identify the intensity range required to produce that adaptation, select the appropriate periodization model, establish the block loading and structure, assign specific strength qualities to each mesocycle, and organize the weekly training split.

They also discuss phase undulating and linear periodization, progressive, extensive, and intensive blocks, fixed and variable structures, upper-lower and body-part splits, training frequency, recovery capacity, client preferences, training age, and previous training experience.

The central principle is simple: periodization does not end when a coach names the goal. The intensity, sequencing, and structure of the training must be capable of producing it.

Build the outcome first. Then make every layer of the plan support it.

0:00 Introduction and episode overview
0:47 What a macrocycle really means
1:56 Why gen pop clients use 12 week macrocycles
2:39 The four macrocycle goals
3:47 Blocks mesocycles and microcycles explained
9:50 Fitting macrocycles into a full year
10:36 3-week mesocycles and periodization models
11:53 Undulating vs linear periodization
13:22 Comprehensive periodization and program design
18:06 How to determine the macrocycle goal
20:39 Choosing relative vs absolute strength
21:42 Why training age matters
22:37 Relative strength ratios explained
27:54 Choosing a periodization model
28:45 Fixed variable and integrated block structures
30:08 Determining mesocycle strength qualities
30:55 Building the microcycle structure
33:40 Training splits at three sessions per week
35:56 Body part splits for advanced trainees
45:14 Final tip on intensity and goal setting

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In this Rapid Fire Q&A, the KILO Crew works through a wide range of programming questions that all point back to the same coaching responsibility: selecting the right tool for the trainee, the phase, and the training environment.

The episode opens with step loading for specialty squats and deadlifts in the B Series. Stéphane and Pauric explain why heavy standalone multi-joint lifts often need to be treated more like primary exercises, including the need for additional warm-up sets when the loading demands change significantly.

They also cover ankle mobility, why frequency and joint mechanics need to be considered beyond loaded stretching, and when a lat pulldown is a better starting point than the chin-up progression. For novice trainees, the priority is building upper-back strength, elbow flexor strength, torso control, work capacity, and an improved strength-to-bodyweight ratio before dedicating a large portion of the session to chin-up-specific work.

Additional questions include incline bench angles within the 90° principle, structuring two strength days around CrossFit, keeping higher-repetition assistance work in a novice fat-loss phase, selecting performance markers for defensive linemen, and choosing pressing variations for trainees with limited overhead mobility.

The episode closes with a direct discussion of speed, agility, and quickness drills. The crew separates quick feet from true quickness, explains the roles of reaction time and maximal strength, and questions training methods that cannot be measured or transferred clearly to sport.

Choose the right tool for the athlete in front of you.

00:00 Intro and rapid fire Q&A setup

00:19 Step loading vs constant loading for specialty squats and deadlifts

08:19 Improving ankle mobility beyond calf raise holds

10:44 Lat pulldown vs chin up progression for new clients

20:45 Choosing incline bench angle with the 90 degree principle

24:32 Programming strength days around CrossFit training

30:10 Rep schemes for assistance work in a novice fat loss phase

34:15 Indicator lifts for defensive linemen

39:02 Alternatives to overhead press for limited shoulder mobility

42:11 The value of SAQ and quickness training drills

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Coaches often use “strength training” as though it describes one objective. In practice, the training required to build greater force potential is not the same as the training used to express that potential at the highest possible level.

In this episode, the KILO Crew breaks down the difference between building strength and displaying strength through the principles of program design, periodization, intensity, volume, neural adaptation, and fatigue management.

They explain why many classic strength-building rep schemes fall between 80-90% of 1RM, with enough volume to develop both neural qualities and muscular cross-sectional area. They then examine what changes when the goal becomes strength expression: higher average intensities, lower total volume, greater specificity, and enough fatigue reduction for fitness to become visible.

The discussion covers the fitness-fatigue paradigm, step loading, standard versus complex rep schemes, rate coding, motor unit recruitment, disinhibition, and the recurring 40% reduction in volume seen across deloads and peaking strategies.

The crew also explains why hypertrophy phases, lower-intensity training, exercise selection, and multi-joint skill development remain essential to long-term strength development. Machines can help build the muscular qualities that support a lift, but coaches must still train the movement through which strength will eventually be displayed.

The question is not simply how heavy the program looks. It is whether the current phase is designed to create more strength potential or reveal the strength that has already been built.

Build the quality first. Display it when the timing is right.

0:00 Intro building strength vs displaying strength
0:38 Defining building strength
2:22 Defining displaying strength
3:00 The fitness fatigue paradigm
3:51 Program design and periodization frequency
6:03 Rep scheme trends for building strength
9:42 Loading strategies for building strength
13:44 Rep scheme trends for displaying strength
24:56 Hypertrophy vs strength development
29:11 Intramuscular vs intermuscular coordination
34:52 Volume limits for strength training
37:57 Why the 70 to 80% zone matters
40:46 Long term periodization models
45:19 Outro and resources

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How should coaches load giant sets, tri-sets, and advanced German Body Composition methods when fatigue begins to accumulate? The answer starts with understanding what the method is designed to develop.

Submit your questions https://form.typeform.com/to/R7JfaTZS

In this Rapid Fire Q&A, the KILO Crew explains why metabolic hypertrophy methods should initially be loaded around maintaining the prescribed repetitions and total time under tension. When coaches prioritize load too early, repetition quality and training duration fall, changing the adaptation the session was written to produce.

The discussion then moves into transition phases and active recovery training, including how coaches can bridge the gap between complete rest and productive training without creating unnecessary fatigue.

The Crew also presents a progression for eccentric training methods based on a client’s exposure, training age, and the specific response being developed. Extended eccentrics, accentuated eccentrics, concentric-eccentric combinations, and eccentric-only work each have a place, but personal preference is not a programming framework.

Additional questions cover how the intensity spread of step loading changes as set volume increases, how to structure a three-day fat-loss program, and when the bent-over barbell row fits better than supported rowing variations.

This episode is about selecting and loading training methods according to their purpose, the trainee’s current level, and the structure of the complete program.

Program the adaptation you are trying to build.

0:00 Introduction and rapid fire Q&A kickoff

0:19 Loading strategies for giant sets and tri-sets

1:22 Neural hypertrophy vs metabolic hypertrophy

2:31 Why undershooting load matters early on

5:16 Progressing load as work capacity improves

7:47 Cellular efficiency and time under tension

14:12 Regular GBC vs advanced GBC

17:00 Transition phases explained

19:40 Active recovery weeks and vacation training

21:22 Choosing eccentric methods for clients

26:02 Coaching based on client needs, not personal preference

29:32 Spotting technique and safety

31:32 Step loading percentage ranges

38:24 Structuring training weeks for fat loss clients

44:56 Why barbell bent over row isn't a bigger staple

Stay Connected with KILO: 

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Strength is not only a movement skill. It is also the nervous system’s ability to recruit, fire, and coordinate motor units within the muscles producing force.

In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO team breaks down intramuscular coordination and clearly separates it from intermuscular coordination. They explain the three main neural factors, motor-unit recruitment, rate coding, and synchronization, and discuss how each contributes to force production as training intensity rises.

The conversation then moves from theory to coaching application: why loads above roughly 80% of 1RM place greater demand on intramuscular coordination, why rate coding becomes increasingly important at very high intensities, and how heavy strength work can build qualities that transfer to sport without trying to imitate the sport in the weight room.

The team also examines when advanced methods such as static-overcome-by-dynamic work, concentric pauses, wave loading, and stage systems can target recruitment, sticking points, or force expression. Just as importantly, they explain why these tools are often introduced too early. Advanced programming is valuable only when an athlete or client has earned the need for it through sound movement, connective-tissue preparation, consistent training, and continued progress on the basics.

For trainers and strength coaches, this episode offers a practical framework for deciding when to build the lift, when to load it, and when a specialized method is actually justified. As a coach-led education company, KILO is not here to give you more methods to collect, but to help you understand which adaptation you are training and why.

Build the foundation. Then earn the complexity.

0:00 Introduction to intramuscular coordination

0:16 Defining intramuscular coordination

1:17 Three main factors overview

3:52 Bench press example explained

7:02 Recruitment and the all-or-nothing principle

7:31 High threshold vs low threshold motor units

7:54 Slow twitch fiber characteristics

9:04 Fast twitch fibers and training implications

10:13 Heavy vs light load rep example

14:10 Rate coding introduced

18:40 Building tendon and joint resiliency

22:35 Static overcome by dynamic technique

23:38 Concentric pauses technique

26:35 Running back example

32:05 Angle-specific isometric limitations

32:55 Russian weightlifting isometric use

38:40 Accumulation vs intensification phases

40:22 Advanced periodization example

45:50 Wave loading and potentiation

49:52 Why advanced methods exist

51:36 Don't rush into advanced methods

55:46 Wrap up and final thoughts

Stay Connected with KILO: 

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Intermuscular coordination is the skill of becoming more efficient at a specific lift, and it plays a major role in long-term strength development.

In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO team breaks down how the nervous system organizes the muscles involved in a movement so each repetition becomes more stable, repeatable, and efficient. They explain why this quality is highly specific to the exercise, why beginners need frequent exposure rather than constant variation, and why carryover depends on how similar two movement patterns truly are.

The discussion then moves from theory to programming. You’ll learn why most intermuscular coordination work belongs below 80% of 1RM, why 70-80% is often the most productive range, and how KILO’s buffer system preserves total volume while reducing fatigue within each set. 

The team compares a traditional 3x12 approach with a 6x6 structure, explains the value of constant loading, and shows how high-quality repetitions can improve motor learning, concentric speed, and recovery.

They also cover how this approach applies differently to beginners, intermediate trainees, and advanced lifters approaching a plateau, and why it can be useful when recovery is limited without abandoning productive training. The planned discussion of intramuscular coordination continues in the next episode.

This is not about making training easier.

Before you ask for more force, build a better way to express it.

0:00 Introduction

0:36 Why intermuscular coordination matters for strength training

1:15 Defining intermuscular coordination in simple terms

3:37 Does intermuscular coordination carry over between exercises

9:10 Central factors and the nervous system connection

12:14 Why intermuscular coordination matters for advanced lifters

14:39 How to train intermuscular coordination

17:56 Volume, hypertrophy and neural adaptation working together

19:37 Training intensities and the 70% to 80% sweet spot

22:34 Applying this to assistance and accessory lifts

23:56 Explaining the buffer system

26:41 Why constant loading beats step loading here

28:07 How the buffer increases concentric speed and motor unit recruitment

31:27 Why this benefits both beginners and advanced lifters

34:12 Programming across accumulation and intensification mesocycles

36:24 Knowing when to move on from this training style

38:22 Applying this method with true beginners

43:02 Using the buffer system for deload and recovery

45:47 Applying the buffer to primary lifts like deadlift and front squat

49:08 Final thoughts and preview of next episode

Stay Connected with KILO: 

Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠.

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What should change when an athlete’s schedule, training age, or recovery does not fit the model?

In this Rapid Fire Q&A, the KILO team works through the programming decisions that appear when textbook structure meets a real athlete or client.

The episode opens with off-season planning for hockey: how training age, competition schedule, and the athlete’s biggest weakness should determine whether you extend anatomical adaptation, hypertrophy, maximum strength, or power. From there, the discussion moves into step loading versus constant loading, including why two sessions can carry the same average intensity but produce different exposures, recovery costs, and strength outcomes.

The coaches also explain where RPE and reps in reserve fit inside a percentage-based system, why RPE is often unreliable for selecting load, and where it can still help evaluate the overall stress of a session. 

They then break down when a client may need to move from low to medium volume, why consistent programming makes that decision easier, and how to give general-population clients the feeling of “more work” without compromising the quality of their strength training.

The episode closes with two sharp questions: when twice-weekly training is enough, and when expectations need to change, and why the upper body is “smart” while the lower body is “dumb.”

Between 2 Racks is produced by KILO, a coach-led education company for personal trainers and strength coaches who want durable principles, not disposable tactics.

Better coaching starts with better decisions.

0:00 Intro rapid fire Q&A format

0:26 Hockey off-season training progression

7:53 How training age affects anatomical adaptation length

8:24 Training while still playing at night

9:38 Step loading vs constant loading

11:10 Step load vs constant load volume math breakdown

15:17 Using RPE and RIR

19:12 Why RPE is inaccurate for load selection

23:32 Moving from low to medium or high volume

26:51 Managing clients who want more work than they need

32:59 Why training twice a week is frustrating

37:05 Weekly activity recommendations research

38:12 Why upper body training is more complex than lower body

44:02 Closing thoughts

Stay Connected with KILO: 

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Assistance exercises should do more than fill the second half of a training session.

In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO Crew explains how to build the upper body B Series and the reasoning behind every major programming decision within it.

The discussion begins with the role of the B Series in developing strength, hypertrophy, muscular balance, and sufficient weekly exposure. Stéphane explains how the 90-degree principle emerged from analyzing training outcomes and how it can be used to organize pressing angles across a session, mesocycle, macrocycle, and training year.

The crew then breaks down the B2 exercise, including how horizontal rows, leaning 45-degree pulldowns, and vertical pulling variations complement the work performed in the A Series. They also discuss grip width, hand position, exercise selection, equipment limitations, and why the effects of an exercise must be considered across the entire training week.

Finally, the episode covers tempo and loading. You will learn when tempo should be strictly followed, when a controlled natural rhythm is enough, and how to progress B Series loading across a three-week mesocycle. The crew also explains why the A Series demands an athlete’s approach while the B Series allows the trainee to put on a bodybuilder’s hat and train closer to concentric failure.

This episode is a detailed look at the difference between writing workouts and designing training programs.

Better assistance work begins with better reasoning.

To learn the entire system, enroll in KILO's ⁠Program Design Course⁠ and begin your journey to earning your Level 1 Certification.

00:00 Intro to upper body B Series

00:19 Defining the role of the B Series

01:04 Building muscular balance and pairings

01:39 Origin of the 90° Principle

09:27 Applying the principle across mesocycles

11:03 Why it helps novice trainees

12:19 B2 exercise selection philosophy

14:08 Rotating primary and assistance exercises

19:34 Choosing B2 exercise types

29:31 Dumbbell row vs seated row

38:44 Tempo philosophy for B Series

44:32 Loading and training to failure

47:51 Tracking progressive overload

50:17 Two sets vs more sets to failure

52:14 Course reference and wrap up

Stay Connected with KILO: 

Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠.

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Extended sets can be highly effective for hypertrophy, strength development and work capacity, but only when the trainee has earned the right to use them.

In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO Crew breaks down how extended set techniques work, when they belong in a program and why adding intensifiers to every workout can quickly become counterproductive.

The discussion covers:

• 1 1/4 reps
• Double Barrel
• Rest-Pause
• Max-Rep sets
• Reps for Time
• Post-Fatigue Partials
• Assisted Reps
• Drop Sets
• Mechanical Advantage Extended Sets
• Variable Muscle Action, or VMA

You will learn how strength curves determine where partial reps should be performed, how to introduce intensifiers gradually, which techniques are better suited to B and C series, and how training age, recovery capacity and technical failure should influence programming decisions.

The central coaching lesson is simple: a trainee must first learn how to execute a standard set with genuine effort and technical control. There is nothing valuable to extend when the original set was never taken close to its true capacity.

Extended sets are tools. Use them in the right phase, for the right goal and with a trainee who can recover from the additional demand.

Learn more about KILO’s Specialty Techniques course and education for strength coaches.

Subscribe to Between 2 Racks for weekly conversations on program design, periodization, strength training and the coaching process.

0:00 Intro to extended sets
1:29 What is an extended set
3:00 1 1/14 reps
6:24 When to 1 1/14 reps in programming
10:46 Earning the right to use intensifiers
17:45 Double barrel technique
18:35 Rest-pause sets
22:27 Max reps
25:06 Reps for time
27:41 Post fatigue partials
29:41 Assisted (cheat) reps
32:38 Drop sets
37:33 Mechanical advantage extended sets
43:11 Variable muscle action (VMA)
47:47 Wrap up and coaching takeaways

Stay Connected with KILO: 

Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠.

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What movement patterns are commonly neglected in general population programming? How should training change as a client progresses from novice to intermediate? And what can volume load tell a coach about the actual demands of a program?

In this Rapid Fire Q&A, the KILO Crew works through a wide range of programming and coaching questions.

The discussion begins with the squat, hip hinge and overhead patterns, including why discomfort should not automatically lead a coach to remove an entire movement pattern. The better approach is often to find an appropriate regression, establish a workable starting point and progressively rebuild the client’s ability to perform the movement.

The conversation then moves into the transition from novice to intermediate training. Stéphane and Pauric explain how movement repetition, exercise variation, loading accuracy and periodization can evolve as a trainee develops greater technical competency.They also clarify the difference between total and relative volume load, how accumulation phases build the work capacity required for intensification, and why higher-volume training can improve a trainee’s ability to express strength later in the program.

The episode concludes with early signs of under-recovery, the limitations of wearable data and a practical framework for abdominal training. The crew covers where ab training should begin, the role of stabilization, how to progress trunk and hip flexion exercises, and which movements they most often use with clients.

For trainers and strength coaches, this episode is a reminder that better programs are built through sound decisions, logical progression and an understanding of how each phase prepares the trainee for what comes next.

Build the base, then earn the progression.

0:19 Over- and under-prioritized movement patterns

1:34 Regressing and rebuilding the squat pattern

11:43 Using linear periodization with new clients

14:54 What is volume load?

17:55 Relative volume load in program design

21:28 Old-school Nautilus and Arthur Jones’ training philosophy

23:03 Why work capacity supports intensification

25:11 Buffers versus straining under load

26:58 A sprinting analogy for work capacity

28:38 Signs a client is under-recovered

29:23 Wearables and recovery metrics

30:45 The Charles Poliquin grip test story

31:47 Ab training and stability basics

33:18 Where should ab training begin?

35:51 Favorite ab exercises

39:46 Final principles for training abs

Stay Connected with KILO: 

Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠.

Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠

Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.