When to increase weight volume

Options
RoyalMoose11
RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When do folks typical increase their weights on their lifting program. I'm on a program where I do an exercise on six reps doing sets of 15 (warm up weight), 12 (slightly more than warm up weight), 10 (heavier), 8 (max), 6 (max), to failure (slightly heavier than max - try to hit six). It's a three day split doing chest/back, biceps/triceps/shoulders, legs.

My guess is when I can to the set-until-failure one with no problem to six but I thought I'd crowd source some information.

Current goal is be on a BF cut until summer and trying to keep lean mass while cutting. Eating at .5 lbs loss/week to hold onto some muscle while cutting.

Also, here is my plan

Replies

  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
    Options
    Why are you wasting all of your energy on warm up reps? I can understand doing a few reps to get the blood flowing if you don't have a warm-up routine, but you should think about keeping it simple. 3x8 OR 5X5. If it's too easy, increase load. If it's too hard, deload. You should be able to do just about 24-25 reps before you're done with that exercise. It will become very apparent when to increase volume.

    Right now, I'm not sure how you could possibly know how much you can lift because you're muscles are already exhausted by the time you get to your real workout. Also, you don't need to work to failure all the time.

    BTW, there's no such thing as "heavier than max." Max is max.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    RoyalMoose11 wrote: »
    When do folks typical increase their weights on their lifting program.
    When the program states it.

    gotolam - there is heavier than known max. Those are PR lifts.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    All programs will have an increment schedule. As Dbmata points out you should stick with the design of the program, but you also need to know of the program is right for your goals.

    ETA seems like your program may not be right for you. Are you an intermediate lifter, I.e. have you been lifting for a year or so and seeing linear gains stall? If not you should probably find a novice program as you will gain much faster.
  • eworcr
    eworcr Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    I guess I like to keep it simple. I will do a small set (or two) to with lower weight to get everything moving and blood flowing. It usually just depends how I feel. Then I just do my number of sets/reps. When I can do all the required sets/reps, then I move up to the next weight (typically 5 lb. increments).

    For example, if I was doing 3 sets of 8-10 @ 100lb. and I actually did 10,9 and 7 reps respectively, then my next day with that exercise would stay at 100lb. until I hit my range. When I hit my range, then I would go to 105lb. This may not work for everybody, but it has helped me progress in the gym and stay motivated. I just know that if I make it too complicated, then my chances of using it are less.
  • RoyalMoose11
    RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    [quote="gotolam;30830123"

    BTW, there's no such thing as "heavier than max." Max is max.

    [/quote]

    Point well taken. I should have been clearer in my original post.

    I've been lifting for a year and this was my attempt at a new program. My gains were stalled and I was hitting some plateaus so I wanted to shake things up some. I prefer a three day split since the gym is less than a minute walk from my office. I started with stronglifts 5x5 Jan 2014 then moved on to another novice plan for the second half of the year. Much of that year was focused on distance running (two half marathons and a full marathon) which may have impeded my progress. I'm still running for pleasure and cardio fitness (and plan on doing a fall marathon but less races before that) and would like to concentrate on lifting from now until the summer.

    I'd be open for suggestions from folks for a more thoughtful plan.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    What program is this "new" program?
  • RoyalMoose11
    RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    After stronglifts I followed a plan found online through BodyBuilding.com

    Day one 3x8 of BB Presses, DB Incline Presses, DB Curls, Concentration Curls
    Day two 3x8 Leg Presses, Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Calf Raises
    Day three 3x8 DB presses, Seated Rear Lateral DB Raises, Cable Pulldowns, Cable Pushdown, DB Shrugs
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Options
    What happen to trial and error. 3x8. Next time go up and see if you can do it with new weight. Progressive overload is a simple concept that OP is making more complex than it is.
  • RoyalMoose11
    RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    What happen to trial and error. 3x8. Next time go up and see if you can do it with new weight. Progressive overload is a simple concept that OP is making more complex than it is.

    Truthfully, I have a knack for over analyzing.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Options
    RoyalMoose11 wrote: »
    After stronglifts I followed a plan found online through BodyBuilding.com

    Day one 3x8 of BB Presses, DB Incline Presses, DB Curls, Concentration Curls
    Day two 3x8 Leg Presses, Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Calf Raises
    Day three 3x8 DB presses, Seated Rear Lateral DB Raises, Cable Pulldowns, Cable Pushdown, DB Shrugs

    Also interesting workout. I personally would rather just stay all free weights if I could.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    RoyalMoose11 wrote: »
    After stronglifts I followed a plan found online through BodyBuilding.com

    Day one 3x8 of BB Presses, DB Incline Presses, DB Curls, Concentration Curls
    Day two 3x8 Leg Presses, Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Calf Raises
    Day three 3x8 DB presses, Seated Rear Lateral DB Raises, Cable Pulldowns, Cable Pushdown, DB Shrugs
    No compounds aside from the presses?
    No rows?
    No squats?

    Are you prepping for a figure competition? Because if not, I'd find a better program bud.
  • RoyalMoose11
    RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    No competition, and certainly open to a better program. I tend to do well with structure (which is why I enjoyed SL 5x5 when I started). I'm not well versed enough to develop a plan on my own.

    I may just modify this program into a 3x8 routine since I like having the compound exercises and large/small muscle group work.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    Don't modify a program. Just get on a different one.

    If you have some time under the bar on you, check out 5/3/1 from Wendler.
  • RoyalMoose11
    RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    I do. And one area where I've stalled (and wanted to change up my program) is in my bench press. I was doing well with gradual increases until I hit 175 lbs. Since then I can't seem to break through that number. Thank you for the suggestion for research.

    Edit: And I really enjoyed Stronglifts "add 5 more pounds" approach. I got pumped for a new PR each time and for seeing great progress.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Options
    dbmata wrote: »
    Don't modify a program. Just get on a different one.

    If you have some time under the bar on you, check out 5/3/1 from Wendler.

    Well for some goals you really don't need a progressive program. It makes things easier because you take out the guess work. You don't need one though.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    Keep in mind too, to a point, bench potential is correlated to weight and technique.

    You can modify both, but can get gains only to an extent. Mine stalled at 225 for a month, then I put it up to 245.

    There are a few programs out there that will probably deliver what you want.

    You're acquianted with SL. There's Starting Strength, Wendler's 531, and a few others. I honestly don't think I'd go to a BB.com program, considering the content they post on their site... lol.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    Options
    dbmata wrote: »
    Keep in mind too, to a point, bench potential is correlated to weight and technique.

    You can modify both, but can get gains only to an extent. Mine stalled at 225 for a month, then I put it up to 245.

    There are a few programs out there that will probably deliver what you want.

    You're acquianted with SL. There's Starting Strength, Wendler's 531, and a few others. I honestly don't think I'd go to a BB.com program, considering the content they post on their site... lol.

    I agree, I've been doing 531 for a three months now and seeing great improvements on my lifts and it's prefect for intermediate lifters. Other good intermediate programs are the West Side and Texas Methods. You can easily google them and get plenty of information.

    I would also avoid most BB.com programs since it's hard for you to tell how good they are and if you can you can probably do your own programming anyway.
  • RoyalMoose11
    RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the additional feedback. At 6'5 and 245 I'm in a place where I know there is more to reach for in terms of breaking through that 175 pound plateau. Starting up 5/3/1, really focusing on those four major work outs and the assistance work might be a good place to start for the new year and new goals.

Categories