Progressive overload help

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Leonie_M234
Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I am a female and lift dumbells at home. I am aware of progressive overload, and how important it is, so am trying my best to improve each week. My issue is for example, the last 5 workouts my overhead press has been 10kg each hand for about 5 reps ( last one is a real struggle) I do 3 rounds. I can't seem to get past this? Do I just keep going? or add another round? trouble I see is adding more rounds is time consuming.
I used to find barbell lifting so much easier to structure as you can add small amounts of weight each time. That is not an option at the moment, so am trying to make the best of my dumbells.

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  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited December 2020
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    There are many ways to skin this but dumbbells make it trickier. There are many waya to produce a overload but we also should be looking to recover enough from the stress we dose.

    I'd start by listing the equipment you have available and I can give you a couple options. Also list your volume for the week on presses.
  • Leonie_M234
    Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
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    @Chieflrg Thanks!
    It ends up being about twice. I do weight train 4 to 5 times a week full body. I do squat variations every time, but am careful with deadlifts, rows and presses to have a day in between. I do it more than 3 times because I enjoy it, and the extra 1 or 2 sessions are less intense.
    I have a fairly decent selection of dumbbells and an adjustable dumbbell set which I am able to add plates too. However I am already almost up to capacity on this for deadlifts ( 18kg each side)
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Ypur programming and volume is a mystery as posted. Perhaps you can post your weekly training? It would be helpful to know what stress you are dosing to your body.

    Do you have 7.5kg DBs?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Sounds like 2x weekly x 3 sets x 5 reps x 10kg - last rep a struggle.

    Adding another set of 5 is "time consuming"?

    Curious if the use of "round" instead of set means circuit training style is actually being done.

    Here for the reaction to advice!
  • Leonie_M234
    Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
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    @Chieflrg Sorry you asked for the volume on presses which I answered and the equipment I have available which I answered? I didnt see that you asked for the full programme. Yes I can create 7.5kg dumbbells as I said I have dumbbells with adjustable plates.
    I just wanted to know how I can make progress without adding another round, and whether its ok to keep doing the same weight and reps for a while untill I am ready to move up a weight.
  • Leonie_M234
    Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
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    @heybales
    Round I mean set so I do apologise for that, I am simply looking for some help. I am open to any advice? when I say another round might be time consuming I am asking if there is another way...ofcourse I would add another round if that was the only way? but I am asking if there are other ways to progress, or of its ok to stay with the same weights and reps for a while?
    Wow I really must not be making myself understood..I just seem to be getting attitude lol...
  • wiigelec
    wiigelec Posts: 503 Member
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    volume means number of reps and number of rounds (haha or sets) for each exercise.

    for example:

    db overhead press - 5kg 3 sets of 5 reps
    db curl - 5 kg 4 sets of 10 reps
    goblet squat - 10kg 3 sets of 8 reps

    etc.

    number of times per week is called frequency ie db press twice per week, squat 4 times per week, etc.
  • Leonie_M234
    Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
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    @wiigelec Thanks I get what volume means! I was asked my volume for presses and I answered twice a week and had already answered 5 reps and 3 sets or rounds
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited December 2020
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    Leonie_M234 wrote: »
    @heybales
    Round I mean set so I do apologise for that, I am simply looking for some help. I am open to any advice? when I say another round might be time consuming I am asking if there is another way...ofcourse I would add another round if that was the only way? but I am asking if there are other ways to progress, or of its ok to stay with the same weights and reps for a while?
    Wow I really must not be making myself understood..I just seem to be getting attitude lol...

    You'll be getting expert advice that required knowing exactly where you are at - which in the lifting world overall volume weekly is important (30 sets @ 10kg or 300kg weekly).

    Yes you could keep doing the same thing, but there may be better ways.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    I just want to add that OHP is the debil 😈 and progress is going to be sloooow, no matter what you do.
  • Leonie_M234
    Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
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    @quiksylver296 Thankyou it does feel like the toughest for me
  • wiigelec
    wiigelec Posts: 503 Member
    edited December 2020
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    Leonie_M234 wrote: »
    I was asked my volume for presses and I answered twice a week
    right, requested volume and replied with frequency, which may generate some confusion...

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Leonie_M234 wrote: »
    @quiksylver296 Thankyou it does feel like the toughest for me

    You are not alone. I could be wrong, but I feel like females especially struggle to progress on this exercise. Tiny incremental increases seem to take forever.

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited December 2020
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    Leonie_M234 wrote: »
    @wiigelec Thanks I get what volume means! I was asked my volume for presses and I answered twice a week and had already answered 5 reps and 3 sets or rounds

    So you only do a OHP as a press? No pressing volume via flat bench, incline, floor, etc....correct?

    So a total of six sets of volume of thirty reps for the week, correct?

    Under this info I would go with...

    1 × 5 × 10kg
    &
    3-4 sets of 7.5kg × range

    Rep range can be anywhere in the 5-8 reps.

    When you perform the range consider stopping when you have about two in the tank.

    If 8 reps or so is a bit easy, I would try a variation such as 300 or 500 tempo.

    Also nothing wrong with a range above eight reps, I just wouldn't do it as a main movement more a variation for added volume.

    Also also you could increase or decrease rest time to hit rep range. Just wouldn't be my first choice, unless perhaps if you were under time restaints.
  • Leonie_M234
    Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
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    @quiksylver296 I used to find it easier with the bar and adding small plates, but don't have access to this anymore, dumbbells are definitley tougher I find
  • Leonie_M234
    Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
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    @Chieflrg yes thats correct! 6 sets of 30 reps for overhead press
    But I also do 3 sets of 8 reps of floor presses once a week too.
    Thats really useful advice thankyou
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited December 2020
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    Double post.
  • Floods0fTears
    Floods0fTears Posts: 1 Member
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    Hello there. Overhead press is compound lift that is slowest to progress. No wonder, weakest of all compound lifts. One of the main issues here is you're no longer a beginner, it gets harder to make gains and progress. You need to do something different. Adding more volume helps. There's minimum effective volume for all muscle groups that is around 6-10 sets per muscle group per week, as you get more advanced you should add more volume for each muscle group. So doing more delt and tricep work should help for sure. Don't know what you're doing now but add more exercises also like dumbbell lateral raises, upright rows and tricep work, pushups... Add one more set to your overhead press. Deacrease the weight you're using. Go for 8-12 reps. Try to apply dynamic double progressive overload scheeme, so start your set with 10kg and decrease the weight untill you hit desired rep range. Eating in a calorie surplus is must. Play a little with your workouts, try push, pull, legs 5 days a week or upper, lower, rest, upper, lower - these wont help but will give you more days to recover. For the last set you can try rest pause training. Do last set normaly, rest for few breaths or half a minute and do 1-2 more reps or as much as you can, rest few breaths again and do few more reps. And don't worry about overhead press, as long as you make progress in other areas. Also, train harder than last time. Progressive overload is not only adding weight to the bar or increasing dumbbell size. It's also more reps, more sets, less pause between sets, bigger time under tension - slower reps, etc.
  • Leonie_M234
    Leonie_M234 Posts: 57 Member
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    @Floods0fTears Thanks for the really clear easy to understand answer! : ) much appreciated!

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