Progression - Fast or Slow?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Beginners
1

Whats your opinion?

Do you think that it is more efficient to go heavier every time you hit the gym. Or, do you think that when you reach a personal best(for a certain rep range), you should use this weight a few training days before going heavier.

For example:
I just hit a personal best in the chest press, I feel like I could go heavier immediately, but would I be building a better foundation of muscle by performing the new personal record for the rep range a few times before going even heavier?

2

You should progress as fast as you are able. There is no reason to back off if you feel you can progress from workout to workout.

3

I’m going to make a couple of assumptions.

  1. Since you’re posting in the beginner’s forum, you’re probably a beginner.
  2. Since this is your first post, you’ve been training for less than a year.

Beginners recuperate faster and make faster progress.

Long term, I don’t think it matters. If you’re gunning for strength, add some more weight. If you’re body can’t handle it, it won’t. Make sure you have a spotter.

The only efficiency measured here starts in a couple of years, when you start hitting PR’s you CAN’T repeat immediately.

4

[quote]Otep wrote:
I’m going to make a couple of assumptions.

  1. Since you’re posting in the beginner’s forum, you’re probably a beginner.
  2. Since this is your first post, you’ve been training for less than a year.

Beginners recuperate faster and make faster progress.

Long term, I don’t think it matters. If you’re gunning for strength, add some more weight. If you’re body can’t handle it, it won’t. Make sure you have a spotter.

The only efficiency measured here starts in a couple of years, when you start hitting PR’s you CAN’T repeat immediately.[/quote]

I have only been going heavy the past couple of months (I used to be an endurance athlete). I know what I am doing pretty well. I got to thinking about progression though, I wondered (since I am not in any hurry) if I increased weight more slowly if there is any sort of evidence that I would be building my body more efficiently.

I am seeing great results already. The past 1.5 years I have lifted consistently in the 12 rep range. I am currently doing a 5 x 5 program and I dropped the extreme cardio training and I have seen great gains as I am already very lean.

5

I’d say it all depends on the way you are training : the weight you use, the rep scheme, etc.

If you can use more weight and still do the reps you planned, then go for it. There no need to hold back.

If your PR was a 1Rm, then get a spotter if you try heavier.

6

[quote]EmileZola wrote:
I’d say it all depends on the way you are training : the weight you use, the rep scheme, etc.

If you can use more weight and still do the reps you planned, then go for it. There no need to hold back.

If your PR was a 1Rm, then get a spotter if you try heavier.[/quote]

I am doing a 5x5 program, would you suggest increasing weight every training day until I reach a weight I can’t move 4-5 reps?

Its nothing crazy, but I just did 75 pounds on the chest press for 5 reps(way heavier than I was lifting before in the 12 rep range). Should I crank-out 80 pounds immediately and keep going heavier every training day I can, until I hit a plateau, then adjust from there?

Maybe I am thinking to hard, but this is only my second month of going heavy (for me).

7

I try to add weight every time that I am in the gym. If a miss a rep, I still might add weight next time. Half the time I do this I hit all my reps the next week with more weight. If I miss 2-3 reps then I might one of three things, 1 stay at that weight until you can hit all your reps. 2, Drop like 10-20lbs off the bar and go at again. 3, change movements.

8

There is no point in repeating a workout. You should always be trying to move out of your comfort zone. If you did 75x5 this time, next time either do 75x6 or more or go for 80lbs. You can always improve either in more reps or more weight.

However, there will come a time when you have to back track a bit, take a break or change exercises as Pendas suggested. It will become a balancing act between recovery, training progressively and doing something different to challenge your body in new ways.

9

[quote]stuward wrote:
There is no point in repeating a workout. You should always be trying to move out of your comfort zone. If you did 75x5 this time, next time either do 75x6 or more or go for 80lbs. You can always improve either in more reps or more weight.

However, there will come a time when you have to back track a bit, take a break or change exercises as Pendas suggested. It will become a balancing act between recovery, training progressively and doing something different to challenge your body in new ways. [/quote]

OK, so each time that I lift I am going to try and best my previous training day! I think that as long as I am able to beat my previous lifts I am going to continue with that particular exercise (earn it so to speak). Once I can’t beat a previous lift, I am going to switch exercises and come back to that lift later.

For example, I am going to continue with chest press until I can’t beat my previous best, then switch to something like incline. Since I like the chest press in my routine, this will motivate me to always beat the previous training day somehow. Does this plan sound effective for initial strength gains?

I am doing seated rows, pull-ups, chest press, military press, dips squats and lunges. I love these exercises so I am going to try like hell to beat the previous lifts in order to “keep them” in my current program. Does this sound crazy or do you think this would work for initial strength gains?

Thanks for your input!

Since I am new to going heavy I want to do this right. I like to do things in a balanced way by reaching my goals safely and effectively. Thanks for the advice, it is good to hear from guys who have been training heavy and have way more experience/insight.

10

That’s a good plan. You should also mix up the reps some as well. It’s useful to have a high rep workout in between your heavy workouts. It adds recovery by hitting different muscle fibers and helps maintain endurance. But as long as you can make progress workout to workout, keep at it.

Why don’t you post your whole program and we can take a look at it?

Stu

11

Mon-EDT (chest/biceps)

Tues-EDT (Legs)

Wed-EDT (back/triceps)

Thurs-OFF

Fri-5x5 Lower Body (Squats, lunges, calf work)

Sat-5x5 Upper body (chest press, pull-ups, seated row, dips, military press)

Sun-“core” (back extensions/planks superset)
foam rolling

Since I love endurance training, I do throw in a H.I.I.T. day in there once in a while. I always keep it 30 minutes or less and no more than once a week. I just started taking creatine (3 grams post workout) and a performance multi.

This is my 4th week on this program, I have been able to increase weights/amount of reps every training day thus far.

My goal is to increase strength, I have done this so far. As I mentioned before I was a runner. This is a new challenge and I have absolutely loved it!

Last thing, I am learning how to dead lift properly(with lower weights) and I will soon incorporate these into my program. Lower or upper body day???

What do you think? Again, keep in mind that I love to push myself, one reason I chose to do a cycle of EDT.

12

[quote]joshjuk wrote:

OK, so each time that I lift I am going to try and best my previous training day! I think that as long as I am able to beat my previous lifts I am going to continue with that particular exercise (earn it so to speak). Once I can’t beat a previous lift, I am going to switch exercises and come back to that lift later.

For example, I am going to continue with chest press until I can’t beat my previous best, then switch to something like incline. Since I like the chest press in my routine, this will motivate me to always beat the previous training day somehow. Does this plan sound effective for initial strength gains?

I am doing seated rows, pull-ups, chest press, military press, dips squats and lunges. I love these exercises so I am going to try like hell to beat the previous lifts in order to “keep them” in my current program. Does this sound crazy or do you think this would work for initial strength gains?
.[/quote]

I think that will work for near permanent strength gains.

13

[quote]joshjuk wrote:
Mon-EDT (chest/biceps)

Tues-EDT (Legs)

Wed-EDT (back/triceps)

Thurs-OFF

Fri-5x5 Lower Body (Squats, lunges, calf work)

Sat-5x5 Upper body (chest press, pull-ups, seated row, dips, military press)

Sun-“core” (back extensions/planks superset)
foam rolling

Since I love endurance training, I do throw in a H.I.I.T. day in there once in a while. I always keep it 30 minutes or less and no more than once a week. I just started taking creatine (3 grams post workout) and a performance multi.

This is my 4th week on this program, I have been able to increase weights/amount of reps every training day thus far.

My goal is to increase strength, I have done this so far. As I mentioned before I was a runner. This is a new challenge and I have absolutely loved it!

Last thing, I am learning how to dead lift properly(with lower weights) and I will soon incorporate these into my program. Lower or upper body day???

What do you think? Again, keep in mind that I love to push myself, one reason I chose to do a cycle of EDT. [/quote]

Do you deadlifts on a leg day, Friday’s looks best. Are you using mostly free weight exercises or machines. I see you referring to chest presses, which I’m assuming is a machine.

You should start doing as many of the basic lifts with a barbell as you can. You may not be able to do the same weight as you can with a machine but it will make you stronger overall. You should be able to fit in a few barbell sets followed by a couple of machine sets.

Stu

14

[quote]stuward wrote:
joshjuk wrote:
Mon-EDT (chest/biceps)

Tues-EDT (Legs)

Wed-EDT (back/triceps)

Thurs-OFF

Fri-5x5 Lower Body (Squats, lunges, calf work)

Sat-5x5 Upper body (chest press, pull-ups, seated row, dips, military press)

Sun-“core” (back extensions/planks superset)
foam rolling

Since I love endurance training, I do throw in a H.I.I.T. day in there once in a while. I always keep it 30 minutes or less and no more than once a week. I just started taking creatine (3 grams post workout) and a performance multi.

This is my 4th week on this program, I have been able to increase weights/amount of reps every training day thus far.

My goal is to increase strength, I have done this so far. As I mentioned before I was a runner. This is a new challenge and I have absolutely loved it!

Last thing, I am learning how to dead lift properly(with lower weights) and I will soon incorporate these into my program. Lower or upper body day???

What do you think? Again, keep in mind that I love to push myself, one reason I chose to do a cycle of EDT.

Do you deadlifts on a leg day, Friday’s looks best. Are you using mostly free weight exercises or machines. I see you referring to chest presses, which I’m assuming is a machine.

You should start doing as many of the basic lifts with a barbell as you can. You may not be able to do the same weight as you can with a machine but it will make you stronger overall. You should be able to fit in a few barbell sets followed by a couple of machine sets.

Stu[/quote]

I do machines on EDT days and barbell on the 5x5.

15

Looks good.