A SIX-WEEK COURSE ON POUNDAGE PROGRESSION
by Paul Young
To paraphrase a famous saying, “Strength training is a very simple activity made complex by idiots.” We all know that to get strong we need to lift weights that are challenging for us to lift; the exact number of reps per set is not the most important thing. But to get STRONGER you must lift weights that are heavier than you have lifted before. I am continually asked how one can get stronger on an exercise (usually the bench press) and my reply is “add weight to the bar." This reply usually elicits quite a look of bewilderment, as they were hoping I could tell them of some secret specialized exercise or some voodoo “Tri-Split Double-Fatigue Routine." To reiterate, to get strong you must lift weights that are challenging for you to lift, but to get STRONGER you must lift weights heavier than you are used to lifting.
There are a number of ways of providing this type of poundage
overload. One of the easiest ways of implementing progressive poundages into a training routine it to follow the dictum, "Let The Repetitions To Be Performed Dictate The Weight". The following six-week routine is an example of how to get stronger by lifting progressively heavier weights:
Week 1 - work up to a single heavy set of 10reps
Week 2 - work up to a single heavy vet of 8 reps
Week 3 - work up to a single heavy set of 6 reps
Week 4 - work up to a single heavy set of 5 reps
Week 5 - work up to a single heavy set of 4 reps
Week 6 - work up to a single heavy set of 3 reps
If you followed the above dictum, by the time you gee to week 6 of
the weight used for your set of 3 reps should be a good bit heavier
than the weight used for 10 reps in week 1. Now for the real fun part. Once you have made it through week 6, go back and repeat the six-week progression again (and maybe AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN!!). However, each time you repeat the six-week progression, you will increase the weight used on all of your reps.
Example of six-week progression and subsequent progressions:
(Please remember that this is just an example, your specific poundage jumps from week to week will not be as uniform as those presented below.)
1st Progression
Week 1 - 300 x 10
Week 2 - 320 x 8
Week 3 - 340 x 6
Week 4 - 350 x 5
Week 5 - 360 x 4
Week 6 - 365 x 3
2nd Progression
Week 1 - 305 x 10
Week 2 - 325 x 8
Week 3 - 345 x 6
Week 4 - 355 x 5
Week 5 - 365 x 4
Week 6 - 370 x 3
3nd Progression
Week 1 - 310 x 10
Week 2 - 330 x 8
Week 3 - 350 x 6
Week 4 - 360 x 5
Week 5 - 370 x 4
Week 6 - 375 x 3
When following this routine, the real kick in the punts comes when
you go from performing a heavy set for 3 reps one week to decreasing
the weight the following week for a heavy set of 10 reps ... YEOW!!!
There is a world of difference in the type of effort needed in performing a heavy set of 3 reps compared to the effort needed in performing a heavy set of 10 reps. Both are as tough as “Holy Bajeebers” but ... very different! As linear and non-variational as this routine appears outwardly, it is actually a roller coaster with plenty of variation!
How long should someone use this routine? How long should you use any routine!?! As long as you are progressing and you find it
stimulating and you look forward to training, THAT’S HOW LONG! Strength training is all about settling in for a long, steady haul of hard work on basic exercises.
There are many ways of providing overload and progression in a
training routine. This is but one of a host of productive methods that can help you to greater levels of strength.
by Paul Young
To paraphrase a famous saying, “Strength training is a very simple activity made complex by idiots.” We all know that to get strong we need to lift weights that are challenging for us to lift; the exact number of reps per set is not the most important thing. But to get STRONGER you must lift weights that are heavier than you have lifted before. I am continually asked how one can get stronger on an exercise (usually the bench press) and my reply is “add weight to the bar." This reply usually elicits quite a look of bewilderment, as they were hoping I could tell them of some secret specialized exercise or some voodoo “Tri-Split Double-Fatigue Routine." To reiterate, to get strong you must lift weights that are challenging for you to lift, but to get STRONGER you must lift weights heavier than you are used to lifting.
There are a number of ways of providing this type of poundage
overload. One of the easiest ways of implementing progressive poundages into a training routine it to follow the dictum, "Let The Repetitions To Be Performed Dictate The Weight". The following six-week routine is an example of how to get stronger by lifting progressively heavier weights:
Week 1 - work up to a single heavy set of 10reps
Week 2 - work up to a single heavy vet of 8 reps
Week 3 - work up to a single heavy set of 6 reps
Week 4 - work up to a single heavy set of 5 reps
Week 5 - work up to a single heavy set of 4 reps
Week 6 - work up to a single heavy set of 3 reps
If you followed the above dictum, by the time you gee to week 6 of
the weight used for your set of 3 reps should be a good bit heavier
than the weight used for 10 reps in week 1. Now for the real fun part. Once you have made it through week 6, go back and repeat the six-week progression again (and maybe AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN!!). However, each time you repeat the six-week progression, you will increase the weight used on all of your reps.
Example of six-week progression and subsequent progressions:
(Please remember that this is just an example, your specific poundage jumps from week to week will not be as uniform as those presented below.)
1st Progression
Week 1 - 300 x 10
Week 2 - 320 x 8
Week 3 - 340 x 6
Week 4 - 350 x 5
Week 5 - 360 x 4
Week 6 - 365 x 3
2nd Progression
Week 1 - 305 x 10
Week 2 - 325 x 8
Week 3 - 345 x 6
Week 4 - 355 x 5
Week 5 - 365 x 4
Week 6 - 370 x 3
3nd Progression
Week 1 - 310 x 10
Week 2 - 330 x 8
Week 3 - 350 x 6
Week 4 - 360 x 5
Week 5 - 370 x 4
Week 6 - 375 x 3
When following this routine, the real kick in the punts comes when
you go from performing a heavy set for 3 reps one week to decreasing
the weight the following week for a heavy set of 10 reps ... YEOW!!!
There is a world of difference in the type of effort needed in performing a heavy set of 3 reps compared to the effort needed in performing a heavy set of 10 reps. Both are as tough as “Holy Bajeebers” but ... very different! As linear and non-variational as this routine appears outwardly, it is actually a roller coaster with plenty of variation!
How long should someone use this routine? How long should you use any routine!?! As long as you are progressing and you find it
stimulating and you look forward to training, THAT’S HOW LONG! Strength training is all about settling in for a long, steady haul of hard work on basic exercises.
There are many ways of providing overload and progression in a
training routine. This is but one of a host of productive methods that can help you to greater levels of strength.
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