UNIVERSITY Hypertrophy Training Progression Part The Lesson PART I Programming a Training Block Understanding Progressive Overload Volume Load Progression as a Gauge of Progress PART II How to Progress Reps and Load How to Progress Effort How to Progress Set Volume Autoregulating Set Additions PART III Lift Progression Trouble Shooting Progression During Contest Prep Progression During a PED Blast or Cruise Progressing Load and Reps Over the Training Block Single Progression: increasing only reps or load for a set/sets Double Progression: increasing reps first and then increasing load within a rep range Problem with both strategies: this does not account for the rate of a person's adaptation For a beginner this might under dose stimulus, for an advanced athlete it might overdose the stimulus Also, true progress can be hard to gauge Dynamic Double Progression: increase reps and/or load within a given rep range to meet a standard high relative effort target level This accounts for rate of adaptation and keeping pace with that adaptation for progressing stimulus More focus is given on effort of the set than load or reps used to accomplish that Allows for autoregulation based on the day when readiness is high or low Dynamic Double Progression Example: set 6-10 and set 10-15 reps RIR 1-0 Hack Squat Wk 500lbs x RIR 430lbs x 12 RIR 0-1 Total VL: 9160 Wk 505lbs x RIR 430lbs x 14 RIR 0-1 Total VL: 10565, +13% Wk 535lbsx RIR 430lbs x 16 RIR 0-1 Total VL: 11,160; +5% WK 535lbs x RIR 470lbs x 12 RIR 0-1 Total VL: 10,450; -6% Dynamic Double Progression WEEK pick a load you can hit within the target rep range and get to that high effort ALL OUT set Based on the first set adjust the load to stay within the target rep range Typically a 5% weight change will + or – reps and 10% weight change will + or – reps and 20% weight change will be +/- 7-8 reps WEEK 2-8 The next session work to increase reps to the top of the rep range for your sets If you get to the top of the rep range increase load to start back at the bottom of the range and work back up Some days you can increase load and reps when progression is fast In this case go for it! 5-10% load increase along with rep progression Remember the effort level is THE most important thing, use the load needed to hit that high effort level within the hypertrophy rep range 6-20 reps Advanced lifters you might only be making 2.5-5% load additions every week or every other week Progressing Effort Level Over Training Block Sets need to be “hard” for effectiveness and should be close to failure Week Start your training block with RIR 1-2 to adjust to new lifts and exercise order This can be lift specific as well (ie adding in squats after not doing them for months) Beginners RIR might need to be adjusted lower for safety If lift proficiency is high RIR 1-0 is appropriate, more application for advanced lifters Week 2-8* Maintain high effort RIR 1-0 and utilize dynamic double progression Effort level will be kept constant during training block *8 week noted as end of block Progressing Set Number Over Training Block Week Start your training block based of current training volume or metaanalytic data (Beginner 5-9 sets per week; intermediate/advanced 820 sets per week) Week Hold set volume constant Lift proficiency increases Adjustments to week set up if needed Focus on Load rep progressions Week 3-8 Autoregulate set volume additions* *more applicable for advanced lifters For beginners and intermediates hold set volume constant and adjust every 8-week block Autoregulating Set Volume Additions All lifts are progressing, and recovery is great, should I add volume? If lifts are progressing, pumps are great, and recovery is high Adding a set might be a reasonable move to make to ensure you don’t underdose volume I would advise to increase set volume 10% first and then evaluate gym performance for the next week to make sure you can recover Remember if you are making progress take it, too many sets can quickly drop you into high fatigue Adding sets more conservatively from mesocycle to mesocycle can give a more conservative time course to evaluate progress and recovery Advanced lifters adding sets on specific body parts or isolations movements Application for rest pause and drop sets) Training Block Progression Summary WEEK Beginner Intermediate/ Advanced 8-20 sets per Volume set # 5-9 sets per muscle muscle Effort RIR 1-3 Load/Reps Dynamic Double Progression RIR 0-2 WEEK WEEK 3-8 Beginner Intermediate/ Intermediate/ Advanced Beginner Advanced HOLD constant Hold Hold constant constant Autoregulated RIR 1-2 5-10% load progression Dynamic Double and/or rep Progression progressions RIR 0-1 2-10% load progression and/or rep progressions RIR 0-2 RIR 0-1 same same This is only one way of Training block planning, you can manipulate more variables, however this will give you more unknowns in evaluation Evaluating the Training Block Muscle growth can be slow, especially at the advanced level We can track visuals, body fat, and circumference for long term trends Short term we should look to the logbook for progress Check your logbook that volume load has progressed, lifts are moving upward across the board Check for progression on lifts and lifts that are stalling swap them next block Change lifts that are causing any soft tissue or joint issues If lifts are still progressing keep those in place, no reason to change them Big picture if lifts are progressing up in load and reps you are programming correctly Your rate of progress is your own rate of progress comparable only to you End Part II Lift Progression Trouble shooting The more advanced you are less progress session to session you will make Progress on just one lift is a win for the day What if most lifts are progressing except a few? Might just need more time to work the lift, I would give it sessions before rotating it out Also try varying loading week to week to try to drive up the lift So if hitting 400lbs x 10 reps every week, Jump to 440 x reps one week, then the next week back to 405lbs and try to match or beat the reps Double check to make sure its just not an off session and sleep, hydration, nutrition, stress all need to be on point So don’t write off one lift if maybe you just lost some stamina in the session Lift Progression Trouble shooting I progressed my first lifts, but my other lifts dropped off in performance? Large jumps in performance on first lifts might lower performance on subsequent lifts from greater fatigue This can be acceptable, but make sure you trend upward on all lifts over the training weeks You might not progress on your first set, but progress on the second set This is common using top and back off sets and acceptable progression Double check to make sure its just not an off session and sleep, hydration, nutrition, stress all need to be on point So don’t write off one lift if maybe you just lost some stamina in the session Did you decrease your rest times between sets? Lift Progression Trouble shooting I progressed my first lifts, but my other lifts dropped off in performance? Evaluate that first lift and make sure the progression wasn’t based on changing mechanics, ROM, or bar speed Progressing a lift is sign adaptation has occurred, but some fatigue might be accumulating quickly, if you see a persistent drop off in performance might be time for a deload or a few lower volume training sessions If all sessions are getting lengthy and fatigue is getting high at the end of sessions might be time to progress up to the next training split to manage stimulus and fatigue Lift Progression Trouble Shooting All lifts have stopped progressing? Are you nailing sleep 7-8 hours , nutrition (calorie surplus), stress management? If no, then nail all these variable and see if progress ensues I am nailing all the above variables! Are you motivated to train or dreading the gym? Is your PRS score