How To Build Success In Your Training Other Than Just Adding More Weight
Ask 99 out 100 people what’s their “marker” for success in the weight room and they’re likely to say something related to how much weight is on the bar.
“If the bar’s not bendin, you’re pretendin.”
Or something to that effect.
How to Build Success In Your Training (Other Than Just Adding More Weight)
I can’t disagree with the above logic.
If someone is lifting more weight on a particular lift this week compared to the previous week, and is following that mantra on a consistent basis, you can bet they’re going to make significant progress in the gym.
This approach is an easy, straight-forward, and fool proof way to “build” success into any program.
Right behind the “lift more weight” mentality – and serving as yet another fool proof way to champion progress – is the idea of manipulating the total number of sets and reps.
Add in an additional set or two1 and/or perform more repetitions of an exercise at a given weight and you’re doing more work.
In other words: (Cue slow clap here)
Lift heavier loads or lift “x number” of weight for more repetitions and you have yourself some progressive overload.
Wash, rinse, repeat…….F.O.R.E.V.E.R
I think both approaches are spot on, and something I’ve discussed in past articles like HERE and HERE.
However, as much as I want to kiss that train of thought on the mouth without buying it dinner first, it does have its limits.
A recent exchange with a client of mine got me thinking: Are those two approaches, truly, the only way(s) to ensure success in a program? Is telling someone “just suck it up and lift more weight” the unequivocal best idea or approach?
I mean, how would you answer the following comment?
“So I totally understand why I shouldn’t add more weight if technique isn’t great, but what am I supposed to do if you’ve decreased the overall load?
If I’m doing less reps or less sets of a similar number of reps from the previous week and I don’t increase the weight, I’ve done less work than the week before. How will I see/get gains?”
I can’t say for sure, and my translation could be a little fuzzy, but if I were to open up my client to strength coach dictionary2 I’m pretty sure she’s insinuating that I’m trying to steal her gainz!
I’m not.
Let me explain.
To me, another way to build success into anyone’s training is something not many people take notice of or even consider in the first place.
And that is……
“Feel” of a Set
To me, technique is paramount.
Especially when working with newbies or even intermediate lifters.
The reason why many tend to hit a speed bump or fail to make continued progress in their training is because their (shitty, or less than exemplary) technique doesn’t allow them to express their full strength.
Too many energy leaks due to form breakdown and, subsequently, poor alignment up and down the kinetic chain, leads to stagnant, sub-par progress.
Most have a hard time making any progress.
With regards to my client I broke it down like this:
“The reason why you crush 105 lbs. on the front squat and technique breaks down when you increase the weight to 115 lbs. is because you haven’t taken enough reps with 105 (or lower).
You need to build your volume with QUALITY reps, and earn the 115.”
Also “feel” of a set/rep matters.
Let’s say in Week #1 I call for five repetitions at “x” weight. I’d rather you stop your set at three repetitions than perform two reps with crappy technique. How are those final two reps going to make you better?
Grinding out some reps here and there is fine – and at times I’d encourage it. But I wouldn’t make a habit of it, because it doesn’t allow you to groove good technique.
Another way to think about progression is like this.
Week #1
Rep #1 = solid.
Rep #2 = pretty solid.
Rep #3 = meh, I got it, but that wasn’t solid.
Rep #4 = oh shit.
Rep #5 = I think I just destroyed the back of my pants.
Week #2
Rep #1 = dead sexy.
Rep #2 = dead sexy.
Rep #3 = solid.
Rep #4 = pretty solid
Rep #5 = okay, that wasn’t fun.
The idea here is to judge the feel of a set, and to take into account that that DOES MATTER.
If in Week #1, with a certain weight, a few repetitions make you hate life (or are not doable with passable technique), your “progression” is going to be to ensure that ALL repetitions are on point before you even think about increasing load.
That’s another way to build success into your training.
Don’t dismiss it.
[Smoke bomb, smoke bomb, exit stage left]
Comments for This Entry
Asdf
An issue I (and I presume all others) also face is that if you can do 5X at a given weight (lets say 100lb), you might only be able to do 3 at the next weight up (110lb). My personal way around this is to not increase the weight until I can do extra reps eg until I can to 7X100. Then I move to 110lb and should be able to perhaps 4 or maybe almost 5... I would interested to hear your thoughts on whether there is a benefit in jumping up early (eg once you hit 5X100 you go straight to 3X110 and work your way back up to 5X) or taking it slow (eg wait until you can do 7X100 before you try 110). I find, particularly at low reps/heavy weight (eg: I sometimes aim for 10 reps over 3 sets), if I go up in weight as soon as I hit my 10rep target, I end up doing something like 4 reps over 3 sets (2,1,1) and I'm not sure there is much benefit with such low volume. I instead aim for 15 reps/3 sets for the lower weight, then move up and can usually do 7 or 8 reps/3 sets. Another option is 1 set at 110 then drop to 100 for another 2. (I'm aware one answer is 'don't increase the weight so much' but I generally work out with dumbells and they go up by 2.5kg at a time. I know there are micro magnetic weights, but again foiled by my gym - it has rubber coated dumbells!) I suspect these are all valid ways to achieve the same end, but am interested in whether you think there are benefits to one approach over another.April 28, 2015 at 10:21 pm |
TonyGentilcore
I spent the first 25% of the post explaining that I agree that progressive overload is the way to go. Increase load or do more sets/reps. So yes, I agree with that. I just wanted to shed some light that we can't OMIT other factors as well, such as the quality or "feel" of the set. That's another way to build success into your training. It's not ALWAYS about how much weight you're lifting.April 29, 2015 at 7:48 am |
Asdf
thanks TonyApril 29, 2015 at 7:23 pm |
TonyGentilcore
No worries at all. Thanks for reading (and glad we're on the same page).May 4, 2015 at 4:28 pm |
Carlos Weil
Nice idea on how to change the thinking about the progresion during the weeks. ThanksApril 29, 2015 at 8:37 pm |
TonyGentilcore
Thanks Carlos, glad you liked it.May 4, 2015 at 4:28 pm |
Shane Mclean
I love getting all sensitive will the weights to see how it feels :). In all seriousness this point is lost on a ton people when it comes to strength and conditioning. Nice post Tony.May 1, 2015 at 8:20 pm |
TonyGentilcore
Bro-knuckles!May 4, 2015 at 4:29 pm |
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This sounds familiar ...May 6, 2015 at 8:14 am |
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T. Mahesh
I am a newbie and as far as I can tell, she seems to squat with a slight tremor, which is not visible in the next video. The correction has done her good, perhaps, as she squats now with a subtle confident manner.July 18, 2021 at 10:47 am |
Kieran
This was the post I needed, thanks! I’ve been back in the gym for 3 months after a near 3 year layoff after having a baby and 2 jobs. I find that the rep Max calculators no longer seem to work. As soon as it approaches some kind of “Max” everything goes to shit. I recently had a super easy 10 reps with a weight in the squat. I wanted to test a new 5RM so added a conservative 10kg (estimate 15kg extra for 5RM). My whole body was shaking, I was folding in half, couldn’t hit depth etc by the second rep. There’s no doubt I can lift that weight. I just haven’t been training for long enough (again) to be used to it. This post makes me feel betterJuly 18, 2021 at 2:56 pm |
Will
I'm trying to work on this now, with just my phone to judge my reps... Making progress for sure though!August 24, 2021 at 6:49 pm |