Step progression - auto regulation?

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hey,

I’m new member - hopefully this is right section, I’m native german as well, so sorry if not everything is written perfectly…

I’m about writing my own problem, powerlifting + maybe 20% bodybuilding, but I wouldn’t call it “Powerbuilding” - it is PL with a bit more focus to optics as usual.

program is designed as 4 days per week:

  • upper (bench heavy, back - 1x row and 1x lat exercise, OHP)
  • lower (squat heavy, quads, bic+tric)
  • off
  • whole body (bench volume, squat volume, quad, triceps)
  • whole body (Deadlift always “moderate”, 2 x ham exercise, back - 1x row and 1x lat exercise)
  • 2x off (or 1 day off and 1 day off between the 2 whole body days)

back to the main topic, progression for main lifts is planned as step progression (increasing volume with same weights), this is my starting block with generally higher volume, more specific block follow later (with wave progression) but this shouldn’t be part here, just as side information.
The heavy days are planned with 3x3/4x3/5x3 each with 85% 1RM (bench done with 120kg, squat with 145kg, in last set 5 or 6 reps would have been possible, meaning enough space for volume to increase during the next days), volume days with 3x6/3x7/3x8 each with 75% 1RM (105kg and 125kg)

my problem is, I’m missing the auto-regulation, and not sure how to be done, I really like that volume increasing of step-progression, but I miss the auto-regulation. Problem, if I add “too much” of it, the step progression concept wont work anymore, if I add too much weight inside a micro-cycle. But on the other hand, I don’t want to waist time with to less intensities.

what would you suggest? I think there are 2 options, better ideas are highly appreciated:

  • use of overreaching in week 3 (5x3 and 3x8) meaning I would need to start on the harder site, and make week 3 really heavy, then make a deload week (which I actually want to avoid)
  • do the week 3 intensity days last set as amrap (rpe10), and adding 1% per each extra rep to 1RM, next cycle would be then calculated from real 1RM+that extra percentages.
    for the volume day, last set could all days being an amrap, but weight for nex day within that micro-cycle only to be increased, if a minimum target reps can be achieved, otherwhise that step-system could be again not work well, if weights increased too fast

one last note, after 2 cycles with that written sets/reps, I’m going to increase intensity more, meaning starting with 3x2 up to 5x2 and 3x5 up to 3x7, and then same thing with 3x1->5x1 and 3x4->3x6
this makes it even more complicated to really tell if the chosen weights are good or not.

thanks a lot in advance
greetings
Lukas

2

Jut making sure I am reading this correctly. It looks like you are using a REP progression model. So you are adding one rep per set, each week.
Week 1 - 3 sets of 3
Week 2 - 3 sets of 4
Week 3 - 3 sets of 5

I assume that you the deload, then increase the weight a little and repeat the block.

This is a very well used progression method and it works well. The only thing with this method is that it can feel like the progression is slow. But if you think about it in terms of a year rather than 1 or 2 blocks then the results would be very acceptable.

I am not sure what the problem is and what you mean by Auto regulation. I think you are saying that you are worried that if you feel strong then this method doesn’t allow quicker progression. My response to that would be not to worry and just stick to the plan. Slow and steady over time will lead to excellent long term results.

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I think you are saying that you are worried that if you feel strong then this method doesn’t allow quicker progression.

+1. You always word things better than I ever could lol.

And OP when it comes to Step Progression that’s the entire point. You should be feeling strong working in the Submaximal Range (assuming that’s what you meant).

  • use of overreaching in week 3 (5x3 and 3x8) meaning I would need to start on the harder site, and make week 3 really heavy, then make a deload week (which I actually want to avoid)

Pavel T. explains it pretty well on Rogan’s Podcast. It weeds out the impatient folk. I think if you feel strong one day and you decide to up the intensity for that day, go for it and hit your PR, but then scale back on the volume day for whatever lift you increased the intensity on (or skip it, tbh) for that day, before going back to your original planned reps and weight.

if I add “too much” of it, the step progression concept wont work anymore

This is what I think your getting stuck on.

I personally think your really overcomplicating this, my opinion looking from the outside in. Don’t take this as me bashing your training at all, if it works for you it works I understand.

1 Like
4

Hello,

Jut making sure I am reading this correctly. It looks like you are using a REP progression model. So you are adding one rep per set, each week.
Week 1 - 3 sets of 3
Week 2 - 3 sets of 4
Week 3 - 3 sets of 5

Nope, not exactly what I meant, but the principal is correct.

  • 3 sets of 3 up to 5 sets of 3 in week 3 (not 3 sets of 5) - that is the intensity work. Just increasing volume with sets, which I prefer for high intensity (more Sets are easier to handle, then more reps, 3 Sets of 5 with 120kg would be more heavy)
  • but the other volume day is meant to be like you wrote, meaning increase a rep per each week, from 3 sets of 6 up to 3 sets of 8. To be for with 105kg for bench.

I am not sure what the problem is and what you mean by Auto regulation. I think you are saying that you are worried that if you feel strong then this method doesn’t allow quicker progression. My response to that would be not to worry and just stick to the plan. Slow and steady over time will lead to excellent long term results.

Yes I think this is a good point, I think I have overcomplicated it during writing the program, you always have to try in real world and see the results as well. But nevertheless, you need to choose the correct intensity to make the system works properly. You wont be able to do 3x3 with your 3RM, but it would be way too easy with a 8RM, even for the 5x3 week it would be way too less weight. And since you just adding volume, and don’t change the intensities at all, this is my only problem that I’ve maybe chosen the wrong starting intensity. And to be able to correct that, I wanted to use some kind of auto-regulation.

of course you are both right, it is a program which gives you constant success but not adding 20% in 3 weeks or so (just to give an unreal example), but faster progress was not the Idea behind my Auto Regulation thoughts, only to have some kind of feedback and slightly finetuning wrong chosen intensity.

But I think you should know what I tried to ask actually - hopefully.

anyways, already had 2 bench intensity days, 3x3 with 120kg and yesterday 4 sets of 3. it was possible, it was a bit on the heavier side, but still managable. I guess next week 5 sets of 3 will be also possible, but definitely a heavy day. So from that POV, probably I’ve got good intensity and will maintain that. But I will still do some amrap sets from time to time at the end of a block, calculating new theoretical 1rm and calculating the next cycle then based from that.

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OK so simple set progression rather than reps. But as I think you already have worked out, my point above slow and steady still stands. Even if you think you have started a little light, in 1 or 2 more blocks the weight is going to catch up with you. The other lighter blocks will not have been a waste of time as they still allow for some neural adaptions (more practice), so you will get stronger.

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But as I think you already have worked out, my point above slow and steady still stands. Even if you think you have started a little light, in 1 or 2 more blocks the weight is going to catch up with you.

yes you are absolutely right :slight_smile:
I have finished now the first block, 5x3x120kg on bench was really good intensity, could have done maximum +1 rep in the last set.
But the volume block was actually the way more difficult thing, didn’t expect that before, 3x8x105kg is really way harder then 3x6 from first week.

but what I’m not sure about, how to do the deload week? not familiar with it, as I previosly always have done auto-regulated programs, where you dont have a deload per definition.

I have read, just cut half of volume or intensity or even both.
I already did the delaod, I always went for the volume day not the intensity day, and also skipped some of the additional work and also went a bit lighter on that. Bench done with 3x6x80kg that was really easy, feel much better now, cannot await the next block

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