Thread: The SIMPLE truth about “progression”

You go in the gym.
You pick up the 20 lb dumbbells for a warmup….no reason for choosing the 20s other than they are “light” and you can warmup without tiring your arms.


After admiring yourself in the mirror and sending a couple of texts, you grab the 35s and knock out 12 reps. No reason for choosing the 35s other than knowing they aren’t “heavy” but will bring on a bit of a pump in preparation for heavier sets.

Another 90 seconds ticks by…you’re wondering if that onion smell is you or the bruh doing 130s on db incline press….

This brings on a bit of anger and you grab the 45s and knock out 8 reps.

You rest and after sniffing your own arm pits, hoping nobody noticed…you do a sloppy 6 reps with the 50s…

Another two min ticks off…you peek into the cardio section and get a drink…then blast out 4 grinding reps with 60s.


The reality is that you just trained your biceps in a variety of %ages of your 1 rep max.

Let’s say on this particular day, your absolute 1 rep max on a db curl was 70lbs. not bad!

35= 50%
40= 57%
45=64%
50=71%
55=78%
60=85%

Progress comes from training hard in the TARGET TRAINING ZONE usually between 60%-85% of your 1 rep max, but chances are, FOR MANY LIFTS YOU WILL NEVER TEST OR KNOW YOUR 1RM…

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…so what happens next….how do you “progress?”


Well, it’s really not up to YOU. Your muscles will adapt in such a minute way that you can’t possibly plan nor predict exactly what will happen next…

Remember that 70lb 1 rep max that you never actually tested? Well maybe after that workout your body’s adaptations changed that max to a whopping 71 lb max!

Guess what? That means the dbs are now a touch lower on the % scale..

35=49%
40=56%
45=63%
50=70%
55=77%
60=84%

So, yeah 1% or so …probably not even a full rep.

Progress, adaptations…it takes time. Over time if you stayed with that same weight selection, you would only be able to STIMULATE ADAPTATIONS by pushing the rep count up whenever possible. And over time your 1 rep max, never actually tested…will change to say…a 75lb db curl…

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This is why it’s a very good idea to simply familiarize yourself with 1 rep max calculators which are a Google search away.

It’s a good idea to examine % to reps charts to get a BALL PARK number of reps that can on average, be completed at a % of max.

Here’s a simple way to test your “max” on anything…..don’t.

Instead do several warm up sets and try instead to find your absolute best set so 3 reps. A top TRIPLE usually projects to about 90% of your max (ok, maybe 92% for some) rep speed is a variable here…

So …for simplicity as you examine most rep % charts you can see that 12 reps to about 3-4 reps will usually have you in the target zone required to create the gains you are after provided you push the set along far enough for the body to create a new 1 rep max.

You COULD use the same weight day in and day out for a very long time…

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For example you could bench and squat with 250 on the bar for years and as long as you don’t bench and squat 500 you are at least over 50%.

Pick a rep range you like, train in it…when you can, push for another rep. Stimulate adaptations.

Gotta go. Talk amongst yourselves…

Ok Im back…progress…

What you really need to do is stimulate an adaptation…challenging the adaptation of the muscle with more time under tension (another rep) or greater mechanical tension (more weight if your goal reps have been met) or greater volume of work (the dose creates the response, more is better up to a point, law of diminishing returns) and you can even create “metabolic stress” by taking a breath or three and forcing another rep …and another….and another….

Ultimately the body can only improve its adaptation so fast so theres no point in burning yourself out- its not a race.

Simple is good. Pick a rep RANGE and ise weights that keep you in that range. Keep pushing for more and when the body is ready, you’ll get more.