April 2020
It should be obvious to all of us that different body parts progress at different rates. You may find your chest increases in size faster than your biceps or your quads increase in size faster than your back in fact, some people find their upper body increases faster than their lower body and vice versa. We're all different and we all have our quirks and because of that you'll find different progressions for different body parts. What I want to look at is the 5-basic exercises I use and how I progress -- and measure said progress -- with each of them.
Firstly though, we all know there are many ways to "progress" and by progress I mean progress in either strength, size or both because let's face it: strength and size are closely related. You could add more weight to the bar. You could maintain the same weight but increase volume. You could focus on further time under tension. You could practice nailing technique and form better. You could slow reps down or even add a half push, pull or squat to each rep before taking it the whole way. You could work on strengthening the surrounding musculature. You could paint your toe nails. There are many ways to progress.
PROGRESSING IN 5-BASIC EXERCISES
I'm going to focus on the main methods by which I personally progress because paraphrasing other people isn't something I'm comfortable doing simply because I haven't done it. Too many of us netspurts are guilty of quoting others rather than sharing real-life experiences and it's the real-world outcomes (that work) which fellow trainers discuss, critique and decide to use or not. Any 'ol who, the 5-basic exercises I'll be focusing on are benchpress, bent-over rows, squats, overhead press and deadlifts.
A LIFT IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE MUSCLES YOU'RE USING. IF YOU WANT A BIGGER BENCH, STRENGTHEN YOUR TRICEPS, ANTERIOR DELTS AND MID TRAPS. IF YOU WANT A BIGGER DEADLIFT, STRENGTHEN YOUR GLUTES, HAMSTRINGS, LOW BACK, MID/UPPER TRAPS AND GRIP (BLOG.STRENGTH.COM)
Yes, there are other exercises that could be included here but in the spirit of keeping consistent, I'm only sharing about how I progress with these exercises simply because they're the only compound exercises I do. The only isolation movements I use are overhead tricep extensions with a dumbbell (semi-regularly); an occasional burst of bicep curls for 4-6wks; and the occasional burst of shrugs and chest flys at the end of, say, bent-over rows and benchpress when I feel like a little further post-exhaustion. For the record though, I do none of these consistently, using them more as "finishes" every now and again.
BENCHPRESS PROGRESSION
Benchpress is a weaker lift for me, so I need to increase volume to strengthen and improve. I warm-up first with arm rotations, maybe some pressing just with the bar, then do a light triple (three reps). Next I add 10kg and do another light triple and I keep adding 10kg and doing triples till I reach my max triple. This may be anywhere from 3-8kg heavier than the triple prior, but I really want to keep my form tight and groove in the same repetitive bar path. Once I get to my top triple I focus on adding reps and doing back-off sets to make sure I'm pushing myself enough and exhausting the muscle so as to increase strength and growth.
Adding reps
Let's say I get to my top triple in benchpress -- the only reason I use the likes of triples is because I prefer it and it fits with my strength-orientated goals -- by the start of my third week I can add a another rep which means my top, heaviest set is no longer a triple but rather, four reps with the same weight. Another 2-3wks after that I can add yet another rep so again my top, heaviest set is no longer a triple but now five reps at the same weight. Once my top set hits five reps it's time to recalibrate: I up the weight anywhere from 2-5kg and make that my new heaviest triple. Get it?
DON'T BUY INTO THE YOUNG MAN'S MANTRA OF KEEP-ADDING-WEIGHT-TO-THE-BAR-EVERY-WEEK BECAUSE NO-ONE CAN KEEP ADDING WEIGHT FOREVER. ALSO, YOUR PEERS NO LONGER GIVE A SHIT. IF YOU'RE IN THIS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND ADD WEIGHT WHEN AND WHERE YOU NEED TO
To recap: I go up in triples adding 10kg per set till I get to my top, heaviest triple. Then I start adding reps to this top set until I can do 5-reps with it. At this point I add weight, reduce reps, and make this my heaviest triple and repeat the process i.e. add reps to that top triple till they hit five, add weight, reduce back down to a triple, repeat the process. I find this system easy to use, easy to understand (I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, folks) and one that allows me to progress at my own rate. As of the date of this article this is my standard method of progression for benchpress.
Doing back-off sets
It was actually an article from Jim Wendler, one of the few online coaches I admire and respect -- not just for his straight talking but knowledge and mindset -- that made me aware of the need for greater volume. To get better at an exercise one needs to do it often, and I wasn't doing it enough: I needed more volume i.e. I need a greater amount of time under the bar doing benchpress. Now I had heard of back-off sets before but had never gone down that road; so, I decided to go down that road and start using them.
To quote from the back-off sets link above, the author states: Basically, I'm keeping my intensity high while avoiding lifting to failure and simultaneously including additional volume at a comparative intensity, not to be confused with drop-sets which said author also addresses in this excellent article. So the way this looks for me with benchpress is once I've hit my top set, I strip off 10kg and basically do as many reps as possible (AMRAP), then strip off another 10kg and do the same. I rarely go further down than that.
BENT-OVER ROWS PROGRESSION
Firstly, I pull more than I push in all areas so because I move heavier weight in my bent-over rows than I do in my benchpress, I do less sets but heavier. Note that I row after I benchpress -- some people swear on the benefits of doing it the other way around aka row first, bench second but hey, each to their own -- so my back is fairly warmed up. People don't realise that whilst benchpress heavily impacts the front of the upper torso, it also impacts (albeit to a much lesser degree) the back of the upper torso which acts as both base and assistant during the exercise.
What my bent-over row progression looks like is similar to what I do for benchpress: I still use triples but as my current bodyweight is 80kg I start roundabout 50kg for a triple, then 60kg for a triple, then 70kg for a triple just as I would for benchpress. I will go up to 90kg but I won't go past that, simply because I feel no need to (plus it starts looking ugly). I'm a big fan of equal weight either side for both the front and back of the upper torso -- whether this is realistic or not, whose to say -- so if my benchpress ever reaches 100kg, I'll match that with my bent-over rows easily enough.
Here's the thing though: I don't do volume work for my back and the reason for this is simply that I also deadlift. I find both these at heavy (or at least, heavy for me) weights are more than enough to keep my back strong. Admittedly I have done wide-arm pull-ups on occasions but almost exclusively prefer bent-over rows and deadlifts for back development. The point is, I progress up in weights with bent-over rows using triples the same as I would for benchpress: work my top set up to 5-reps with the same weight, recalibrate the weight, drop back down to a heavy triple, repeat the process.
Some days though I won't go past a 70kg triple and instead will find myself doing, say, three sets of five simply because it's feeling really good or I'm not feeling it. Somedays I'm really feeling it and end up doing 3 x 3 at 90kg for each. The reason I mention this is it's important to listen to your body and not be overly constrained by your program. Now, before you shoot me, I'm speaking to the lifter whose been at this some 3years+ and has enough experience to know themselves and read the signs; obviously following your program is vitally important. But. You will have both off and on days and you need to capitalize both.
On your off days, do more volume with lesser weight.
...on days, increase weight and reps or maybe try for a new 1RM.
Conversely, you could practice that jazz ballet move you've never quite nailed.
SQUATS PROGRESSION
Again, I use the same triple system for squats as I do for the above two compound movements though I do a fairly thorough warm-up prior, as squats are more demanding. I've learnt that starting off with 70kg triples work well for me as anything under this feels overly light and hey, if I've done a good warm-up (and trust me, I always do for squats), there's no point doing even more warm-up drills. Prior to last year's medical event I was squatting 140kg/300lbs in my top set but it's been a long, slow and careful journey just getting myself back up to my current top set of a 110kg triple.
...but that's cool.
All I have now is time.
Here too I add reps to my top triple till I'm doing 5-reps with the same weight. Once that's moving easily enough, I'll recalibrate the weight, drop back down to my new heavy triple, and repeat the process. Note that I NEVER pressure myself to jump up in any set amount. Instead, I'll go up in weight anywhere from 2-5kg and be well happy with that. Like I said though, I was doing 140kg last year but once I reached that goal (and boy did that feel great!) I pulled the pin on increasing squat tonnage and leant on more of a maintenance-style squat program; to be frank, I didn't see the point in squatting past that.
Once I've hit my top set squatting, I'll take off 10kg and go back down either adding +1 or +2 reps. What that looks like is this:
• Hit top set of 110kg so...
• Take off 10 → 3 x 90
• Take off 10 → 4 x 80
• Take off 10 → 5 x 70
...or
• Take off 10 → 4 x 90
• Take off 10 → 5 x 80
• Take off 10 → 6 x 70
Obviously there's a myriad of ways you can do the above for example, you may decide to take off 10kg and perform 3 x 3 or 2 x 5 at that weight or whatever takes your fancy, without decreasing the weight any further. One thing I always try to keep in mind though is, if I'm able to produce a solid amount of reps at a lesser weight, then it could be I'm not pushing myself as hard as I should in my working set(s). It could be I need to add another 2-3kg say, to ensure I'm working at the optimal maximum, so keep that in mind too. Worst comes to worse, you could always perform a few singles at your maximum weight.
OVERHEAD-PRESS PROGRESSION
Overhead press and deadlifts are the two exercises whereby I progress differently from the above, particularly with overhead press. After I've warmed up for overhead press -- arm rotations, a few presses with just the bar, bear hugs -- I follow a 5-3-1 pattern: 5-reps then add 10kg, 3-reps then add 10kg, then (and this is where I differ from the above) I add another 10kg and start doing singles. I make sure I get a decent 1-2min rest between these and work up to a 5 x singles. Once I've hit 5 x singles with my max weight I'm able to do a double so at that point, I up the tonnage. Here's what I mean:
30kg x 5
• 40 x 3
• 50 x 1
...once you can do 5-singles with 50 you up the weight:
33kg x 5
• 43 x 3
• 53 x 1
...once you can do 5-singles with 53 you up the weight, so on and so forth.
The secret here is once you start pushing serious weight, whatever that looks like for you -- and anything body-weight upward is seriously Herculean in my opine -- you still want to ensure adequate warm-up without doing so many warm-up sets you undermine working sets. That's why going upwards in incremental steps of, say, 5-10kg using triples or doubles is a relatively safe and easy way to warm-up with minimal transition to working sets or the risk of overdoing it. That's my opinion anyway.
Lastly, if you're wondering why I do singles with overhead press it's because I'm so weak at them; singles accustom me to the weight as well as force me to use total effort when pushing upward. My strength levels increase week-to-week and I can track that by the amount of singles I'm able to perform with the weight. I like that. I like that clear and obvious simplicity. Now I do zero back-off sets when overhead pressing as I find it effectively stresses my deltoids -- that and the fact that benching also hits them as do the rest of my exercises to a lesser degree.
Always keep this in mind: bigger muscles need more weight/reps whilst smaller muscles don't.
DEADLIFT PROGRESSION
With deadlifts I start with a decent weight which for me is 100kg and pull a double. Then I simply add 10kg and pull another double, add 10kg and pull another double so on and so forth, until I reach my max double at that time. Once I'm at my max double -- and remember, I'll usually stay with the same max double 2-3wks easy -- I'll add 5kg and try to pull a single with that. Once I do, I'll try to pull another single and just like most of my other lifts, I'll keep adding singles (never more than 5) until I can pull this new weight for a double.
Again at this point I'll acclimatize to the new challenge before adding yet another 5kg and pushing for a new single so as to repeat the entire process all over again. No, I won't push for a 1RM max every week but every 3wks I will as I haven't yet gotten back to my previous level -- if indeed I ever do -- from last year. But hey, that's my cross and I'm glad to bear it. With deadlifts I always work backwards which means once I hit my max double, I may/may not try for a single OR I will repeat the single from last time and/or attempt to add another, before taking off 20kg and going back down adding +1 or +2 reps. What that looks like is this:
• Hit top set of 130kg so...
• Take off 20 → 3 x 110
• Take off 20 → 4 x 90
• Take off 20 → 5 x 70
OR
• Hit top set of 130kg so...
• Take off 20 → 4 x 110
• Take off 20 → 5 x 90
• Take off 20 → 6 x 70
If/when the drop down feels too light and/or isn't challenging enough -- which 70kg can be -- I'll stay with the top 1-2 sets which in the above example would be 110 & 90 and rep those out but never to the point where I'm grinding out the final rep. Why I drop down in 20s rather than 10s I've no idea; maybe it's because I find deadlifts pretty full on and it's easier dropping in 20s? Probably. What I do know is I really enjoy deadlifting and find doubles my favourite method when deadlifting and these days I reset between each pull rather than employing touch-and-go like I use to.
MISCELLANEOUS butt RELATED
I want to point out that at no point in ANY of the above exercises do I go to failure. I will always hold 1-2 back from failure and if that's not hardcore enough for others, then I guess it's a damn good thing I work out for me not them, huh? Seriously guys, don't buy into that bullshit. If you're in my age-bracket your own maturity should have you well past one-upmanship by now. Hopefully. Keep your form perfect, your weights within what you can control, and your motion smooth and focused at all times I mean, I don't even strip weights off the bar haphazardly. Nothing should be a serious grind. Mostly. 😊
Once you've reached your top working set, don't be afraid to use singles to push yourself. Keep pushing the singles out till you can get a double. Once you can get a double or a triple, you can then add a bit more to the bar and start again from there. Why not? I always increase weights using singles and from there to doubles/triples thus don't have much to say about doing 3+ sets with the same weight straight across. However, I started off that way back in the day courtesy of Mark Rippetoe and it's a perfectly good system as well. It's all about preference really.
I also wanted to quickly mention warm-ups. If you haven't read my article Warming up (before exercise) -- which we both know you should -- allow me to give you the short version: don't over warm-up. That should be obvious to us all but more importantly, don't over-stretch either. I'm serious. Are you a competitive athlete? Are you an Olympic weight-lifter? No? Then what are you doing stretching yourself this way, that way and the other then foam-rolling your testicles into a panty-liner before running on a treadmill for 30min? You're here to work out, mate...not warm-up. Please.
Lastly, I've switched from working out mornings to working out after tea (dinner for our North American friends), which gives me the benefit of post-meal energy and removes the stress of time constraints. On average my work-outs take roundabout 45min but some days, some days I might really be in the zone and go up to an hour, which I thoroughly enjoy. I only focus on two compound moves per work-out, occasionally with some isolation work thrown in for good measure, and that's me done. Anyway, nga mihi nui koutou (thank you all) for reading and I hope it helps. Kia ora whanau.
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