The Athlete's Almanac: A Yearlong Block Periodization Guide

The Athlete’s Almanac: A Yearlong Block Periodization GuideMost training programs give you a workout. This one gives you a year. The Athlete’s Almanac is a complete 12-month block periodization system built around four sequential training phases, fat loss, hypertrophy, strength, and power, each one designed to create the conditions the next phase needs to work. The order isn’t arbitrary. It’s how the physiology of adaptation actually operates, and every programming decision in this guide is backed by the research that explains why.Block 1 (Weeks 1–12): Fat Loss Reduce body fat while preserving muscle. Establish the metabolic and nutritional foundation the rest of the year depends on.Block 2 (Weeks 13–24): Hypertrophy Build muscle cross-sectional area systematically. The size you add here becomes the structural substrate Block 3 trains neurally.Block 3 (Weeks 25–36): Strength Develop maximal force production. A larger muscle trained for strength raises the absolute ceiling for everything that follows.Block 4 (Weeks 37–48): Power Express strength quickly. Block 4 targets the force-velocity curve, the stretch-shortening cycle, and the rate coding that separates strong from explosive.Each block includes a complete science chapter explaining the physiology behind the phase, a full nutrition protocol built around that phase’s demands, 12 weeks of progressive training programming, and a transition checklist that bridges into the next block without losing momentum.The guide also includes a full foundational science section covering energy systems, muscle fiber types, and core training principles, so you understand not just what to do, but why it works.The appendix contains practical tracking tools: a 1RM percentage reference chart, a body composition tracker, training logs for all four blocks, an RPE reference table, a supplement reference, and a full transition checklist series.All content is plant-based compatible and fully cited. Over 70 references drawn from peer-reviewed research in exercise physiology, sports nutrition, and strength and conditioning science.Written by Walter Craig M.S. Exercise Science/Health Promotion (Cal Poly Humboldt), MMA competitor. The programming in this guide is the same framework used to prepare for competition, built on the science studied at the graduate level and refined through years of practical application.If you’ve been training for years without a system, this is the system. Read more