Year 10 block 2:

Behind the Block: Year 10, Block 2

Accumulation, Hypertrophy, and Setting Up What’s Next

If the weights feel a bit lighter, the reps are climbing, and the sessions feel dense—this is exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Year 10, Block 2 is an accumulation-focused hypertrophy block. After a relative strength phase that leaned hard on the nervous system, this block shifts the stress toward volume, tissue development, and sustainable hard work. It’s not a step back. It’s a strategic reset that sets up future intensity.

What This Block Is Designed to Do

The primary goal of Block 2 is simple: build muscle and work capacity without frying the CNS.

You’ll see:

  • Moderate loads

  • Higher total reps

  • Controlled tempos

  • Fewer grinders

For Strength, this shows up as straight sets with consistent loading. For Team, it shows up as a stage-ascending protocol, where weight increases every few sets. Both approaches aim to accumulate quality work while managing fatigue.

This four-week block also functions as a soft deload after a heavy CNS phase—training stays challenging, but recovery improves.

How the Workouts Are Built

Rep Schemes That Accumulate, Not Test

Rep schemes like 4–6–6–8–8 allow intensity to taper as fatigue rises. Early sets demand focus and tension; later sets extend time under load without sacrificing form.

The intent is not to see how heavy you can go, but how well you can maintain execution across multiple hard sets.

Practice Themes Across the Week

  • Practice 1: Squat, hinge, row, and trunk

    • Heels-elevated front squats (or goblet squats for Team) emphasize position and quad development.

    • Rows, RDLs or good mornings, and progressive trunk work round out total-body stress.

  • Practice 2: Unilateral work and pressing

    • Low incline pressing paired with split squats reinforces single-leg strength and positional awareness.

    • Accessories focus on vertical pulling, hinging, and lateral core and hip strength.

  • Practice 3: Hinges under fatigue

    • Trap bar or kettlebell deadlifts anchor the session, paired carefully with pressing to manage equipment and space.

    • Single-leg squats, rows, and trunk work reinforce control when tired.

  • Practice 4: Conditioning and sculpting

    • Swings, med ball chops, and controlled mountain climbers keep conditioning honest.

    • Arm, shoulder, trap, and plank work finish the week with focused volume.

Nothing flashy. Just deliberate exercise selection that balances stimulus, recovery, and logistics.

The Training Principles Behind the Block

Accumulation builds the base.
Muscle, tendon health, and work capacity are built through repeated exposure to quality volume—not max attempts.

Intent beats load.
Straight sets force you to create tension through execution. As fatigue rises, effort and focus must rise with it.

Fatigue is expected—but managed.
You should feel worked, maybe a little flat by the end of the session, but not wrecked for days.

How to Get the Most Out of Block 2

  • Prioritize clean reps and full ranges of motion

  • Progress loads conservatively, week to week

  • Eat and sleep like someone who wants to grow

  • Ask coaches for feedback when fatigue sets in

If you’re leaving sessions tired but confident you could come back tomorrow and do it again, you’re doing it right.

The Bigger Picture

Block 2 isn’t about proving strength. It’s about earning the next phase.

This is the work that quietly builds muscle, reinforces positions, and restores momentum so that when intensity ramps back up, your body is ready for it.

Trust the process. Do the work well. And if something feels off, ask a coach.

Allegiate