Consistent progress is one of the keys to staying motivated for the long haul. Knowing where to look for opportunities to progress in your workout is just as important.
Today I am going to show you three places you can progress. But before we get there, let’s make sure we are clear on what type of progress we are talking about. The kind of progress we are focusing on is what you can control every workout. In any given workout, there is an area you can improve on.
Increase Reps/Time
Increasing reps or time is the safest way to progress. In the first week of a program, you may have done three pushups, but this week, you can do four; last week, you could hold a 20-second plank this week, you can hold a plank for 25 seconds.
One more rep is a big deal, and you should be proud of it. Next workout, if you feel you can get one or two more quality reps or do an exercise for a few more seconds, you are progressing.
Increase Sets/Duration
Another way to progress is to do an extra set of an exercise or if you are doing a circuit style workout increasing your time. If I am doing a Squat with a 25-pound weight for three sets of 10 reps, that is 750 pounds lifted. If I add another set, that is another 250 pounds more than before.
When you decide that you want to do an extra set, that doesn’t mean you have to do an extra set of every exercise in your workout; you can do an extra set of the exercises you feel strong in that day.
Increase Weight
The last way I like to progress is by adding more weight. I know this is usually the first place people look to when progressing, and I am guilty of this myself, but by increasing reps and sets before increasing weight, you are at a lower risk of loading the body too quickly.
That moment when you can add a few more pounds, or you can pick up the bigger dumbbell, that is progress.
How Progress Might Look
I like examples, so here you go, with an example of someone progressing their Squat over four weeks.
Week 1: Squat 3×10@50lbs = 1500lbs lifted
Week2: Squat 3×12@50lbs = 1800lbs lifted
Week3: Squat 4×10@50lbs = 2000lbs lifted
Week4: Squat 3×10@60lbs= 1800lbs lifted
Over four weeks, this person would have progressed by adding an extra 300 pounds to their total work and gone up 10lbs in their squat. That is some significant progress.
Keep in mind you do not need to progress in every lift of a workout. It is ideal to focus on one or two lifts. You should also only pick one way to progress for that day, meaning go up in reps, not reps, weight, and sets. If you try and go up in weight for every exercise or use multiple methods, this is a great weight to injure yourself. The best mindset is to first think about how your body is feeling, and then from there, pick the lift you are going to put the most energy into.
Now that you know where to look and how to progress. Keep pushing, and good things will come.
Your Fitness Sherpa,
Josh
