When to add weight?

[Fattyone]

I’m in a rut where I feel like some exercises are stagnant, or even some days going backwards, but other exercises in the same workout are continueing to progress. It’s frustrating as Fuck, but there is still progress.. what do you think it means? I know progress isn’t perfectly linear, just feels weird.

edit: I’ve also noticed a trend where I may not set a “pr” on the first set, but may hit a pr on the second or 3rd set. That’s still progress right? Even though the first set is the heavier/main set.

 

[Ferenor]

I’m in a rut where I feel like some exercises are stagnant, or even some days going backwards, but other exercises in the same workout are continueing to progress. It’s frustrating as Fuck, but there is still progress.. what do you think it means? I know progress isn’t perfectly linear, just feels weird.

edit: I’ve also noticed a trend where I may not set a “pr” on the first set, but may hit a pr on the second or 3rd set. That’s still progress right? Even though the first set is the heavier/main set.

Happens to me too, like you struggle to reach the same number of reps in the first set, and then boom +2 reps on the backoff lol

 

[Test_Subject]

I’m in a rut where I feel like some exercises are stagnant, or even some days going backwards, but other exercises in the same workout are continueing to progress. It’s frustrating as Fuck, but there is still progress.. what do you think it means? I know progress isn’t perfectly linear, just feels weird.

edit: I’ve also noticed a trend where I may not set a “pr” on the first set, but may hit a pr on the second or 3rd set. That’s still progress right? Even though the first set is the heavier/main set.

When I stagnate on exercises, I replace them. It’s something that I learned from Dante Trudell and it works like a charm.

Being stuck at the same weight and reps is demotivating. If it happens, switch things up and come back to the movement later. Do something else that builds the same muscle groups then come back and hit the movement hard after a month or two.

Stuck on bench? Train with dumbbells.

Stuck on your squat? Front squat.

 

[Ferenor]

When I stagnate on exercises, I replace them. It’s something that I learned from Dante Trudell and it works like a charm.

Being stuck at the same weight and reps is demotivating. If it happens, switch things up and come back to the movement later. Do something else that builds the same muscle groups then come back and hit the movement hard after a month or two.

Stuck on bench? Train with dumbbells.

Stuck on your squat? Front squat.

When you stagnate on an exercise, switch to another one until you stagnate to that one too?

 

[Test_Subject]

When you stagnate on an exercise, switch to another one until you stagnate to that one too?

Not typically, but it depends on the specificity of the exercise to your goals. If you’re powerlifting, you don’t want to stray away from your competition lifts for too long. For bodybuilding you have more leeway.

I usually just swap for 8 weeks and come back to the original exercise.

 

[roolosx]

I follow the simple 8-12 rep range method for hypertrophy training. Once I get to 12 reps for however many sets with my current weight, I add 5-10lbs and start back at 8 reps until I can do 12 reps with the new weight. Then simply rinse and repeat. I feel like this is how a lot of people do it and it's how I was taught in the beginning. Hasn't failed me yet!

 

[roolosx]

When I stagnate on exercises, I replace them. It’s something that I learned from Dante Trudell and it works like a charm.

Being stuck at the same weight and reps is demotivating. If it happens, switch things up and come back to the movement later. Do something else that builds the same muscle groups then come back and hit the movement hard after a month or two.

Stuck on bench? Train with dumbbells.

Stuck on your squat? Front squat.

I feel like this is a great method, but I am not sure I would be able to keep up with constantly changing my exercises. I've done the same PPLx2 routine for a little over two years now and though my progress has definitely slowed down, I still make strength gains slowly.

 

[NLM36]

I feel like this is a great method, but I am not sure I would be able to keep up with constantly changing my exercises. I've done the same PPLx2 routine for a little over two years now and though my progress has definitely slowed down, I still make strength gains slowly.

Keep a log book. I do this. I can look back years ago and see what I did and how I felt

 

[roolosx]

Keep a log book. I do this. I can look back years ago and see what I did and how I felt

Do you think it would make that much of an improvement vs what I am doing now? Just not sure if it's worth it to switch over to a new system after so long.

 

[NLM36]

Do you think it would make that much of an improvement vs what I am doing now? Just not sure if it's worth it to switch over to a new system after so long.

How is it a new system? Yes I think getting as strong as possible on each exercise before changing them will work better. Youd still do ppl but you’d keep track of the exercises, weight and reps used.

 

[roolosx]

How is it a new system? Yes I think getting as strong as possible on each exercise before changing them will work better. Youd still do ppl but you’d keep track of the exercises, weight and reps used.

I meant a new system to me since I've just been doing the same exercises pretty much for 2+ years. I definitely will do a bit more research and try out some different exercises.

 

[NLM36]

I meant a new system to me since I've just been doing the same exercises pretty much for 2+ years. I definitely will do a bit more research and try out some different exercises.

Post up wgat you’re doing now we could try and help

 

[FR0Z3N_B0MB3RRR]

@MisterSuperGod i feel weird because i m taggin you to write something real and not bullshit..

I saw some vids of Dorian Yates and one sentence in particularly had my attention “ reach the failure in the eccentric too “ and i saw him doing concentration biceps curls single hand and moving the weight with the other one… and some days ago he trained an italian guy and made him doing the same excercises..

i started introducing that phylosophy and even if just 3 weeks i noticed improvement in strenght i think and soreness, less volume required.. i train same bodypart 2 times x week, one pump fashion and the other one more intensely..

I started keeping the same reps range but upping the intensity , more seconds during iso with some cheating before failure and more forced eccentric reps till total destruction… then I upped the weights..

My physiatrist told me to dont add weight too quickly because you have to give some more times to tendons and soft tissues… so upping the reps its crucial she said and i agree…

 

[Bork]

For hypertrophy, higher reps and lower weight is what I’ve heard and practiced. Add weight if it’s too easy.

What I’ve done lately is start out at 3x5, then 4x5 and and then add weight on the last one (on 3 out of 3 and then 4/4) and do the new weight until I can hit it at 5x5. For me this is +10-20lbs normally. So I’m adding this weight every session.

After adding weight and getting 5x5 successfully, I do the previous weight at 5x15, which is 75 reps. Then I wait for DOMS to heal and start again afterwards with +10-20lbs until I can 5x5 it. Rinse, repeat.

 

[Shivathedestroyer]

Not a rule necessarily, but as some other guys mentioned the 2 top set method popularized by JP. That’s how I train so i shoot for failure in 8-12 then 12-16. So once I get those 12 reps I’ll up the weight and start again by increasing reps

 

[Delphi]

Get the app "Daily Strength"

I'm amazed at the number of people still carrying Slate with them, taking notes!

 

[Chieftain]

Do any of you guys have a rule of thumb when adding weight to the bar for hypertrophy based training or do you go by feel?

i read something a while back that said if you can perform at least 2 sets of 10 with proper form, add 10 lbs and stick with it until you can reach that goal.

What's your take on that and what rules, if any, do you follow for adding weight to the bar?

I orient myself to the sensation. Usually I go 4-6 weeks smoothly up, if I feel that there is a reserve of 1-2 repetitions in a 10 set, I add 1-3 sets. Then I work like this for 1-3 weeks. and only then add the weight on the barbell

 

[Chieftain]

I work with a rep range. I set a rep range, 8-12 for example, I go to failure on the first set at 12, the next set I fail at 10, and the next set I fail at 8. The next week, I'll reach 12 reps leaving a rep or two in reserve, the second set I fail at 12 and the third set I fail at 10. When I can end all the sets at twelve, I increase the weight.

A great option for working in the gym, you have to try. Sounds very interesting. thank you

 

[Chieftain]

If im training for strength i increase weight once i can do 2-3 sets of 6, i add enough weight so i can do a set of 4 and usually do 4x4s and try to increase reps from the last set to the first.
If im doing hypertrophy, i just lower few kilos so i can do 3-4 sets of 8 and add the dropsets, res-pauses, etc. Don't really focus much on progressive overload when on hypertrophy, i just try to kill the muscle. But i do increase weights if im reaching sets of 12+.
I cycle strenght and hypertrophy programs, and sometimes mix them.
I find it's very important to have a very regular schedule, keeping the order of exercises, keeping a timer for the rest periods, and keeping track of other activities outside gym, diet, etc. I just started swimming for the summer and all the lifts took a hit and had to eat almost 1k extra calories to survive.

I also had this indicator of how strong i was on a certain day, for example i would start doing pushups, if i reach 50 non stop as warmup and had some in reserve then i knew that day i was going to increase reps on my BB bench press. If i reached 50 but didn't have much left then i may not increase any reps, and if i didn't reach 50 that day i would struggle reaching the reps planned for that day. You get the idea, haven't found other warmup exercises that would tell me how well i would perform on the main lift for other lifts, but for bench press it works like a clockwork.

I also like to do periodization of strength training and hypertrophy training. The head does not get so tired, since the motivation is sometimes lost from the monotonous work of the same type. And when you alternate strength training and hypertrophy training, it allows you to redesign the training process. And yes, I agree that we need to work in the system and record and control everything. In addition to exercise, control nutrition and, of course, sleep and less stress in life

 

[Canknucklehead]

Do any of you guys have a rule of thumb when adding weight to the bar for hypertrophy based training or do you go by feel?

i read something a while back that said if you can perform at least 2 sets of 10 with proper form, add 10 lbs and stick with it until you can reach that goal.

What's your take on that and what rules, if any, do you follow for adding weight to the bar?

Everytime I try too add weight or reps when I am blasting.

When I cruise I back off and train light for a week or two.