Consider this: You’ve been squatting for a while and you finally got up to 2 plates on either side (225lbs for those of you who aren’t adept in Gym Math quite yet), but no matter what you do,
week in and week out you’re stuck at that weight and you can’t seem to go any heavier. Is this just the ceiling to your strength? Probably not.
We have a couple of different options here. The end goal is some kind of Progressive Overload (which we’ll cover in-depth to tie everything together in another video). Remember that your body doesn’t care about the numbers that we see, it only understands tension. One option could be to drop the weight and focus more on tempo to build up strength or smooth over any potential weak links or sticking points in your technique. We could also drop the load and focus on changing up the rep scheme. Let’s say you were only able to lift 2 plates for 5 reps. We increase the reps and focus on getting you stronger and increasing your strength in the higher ranges.
After either of these strategies, if you were to go back to attempt your 225 x 5 squats, I guarantee you that you will no longer be stuck. As we’ve mentioned a few times now throughout these videos, there is A LOT of value in periodizing your training so that you can take full advantage of all of the different rep ranges so that you can take advantage of the overlapping benefits.
For reasons like this and many others, you shouldn’t be scared of losing any progress or strength if you need to drop the weight sometimes. Remember that you’re trying to reach a goal, and your actions need to line up with those goals. It’s very easy to get emotionally attached to things like the amount of weight we can lift or the exercises we’re doing. At times I find it’s very helpful to reconnect with what is actually important to me and WHY I’m even doing this in the first place. What do I care more about, some arbitrary number written on the side of the weights I can lift, or how I look and feel?
The same point needs to be taken in reverse though also. Although some people might be hesitant to decrease the weight to focus on other things, there are also those who are scared to increase the weight for a number of reasons.
“I don’t want to get too big”
Whether that be fear of injury, pure intimidation, or the all too common “I don’t want to accidentally get too big”. Addressing the too big comment first: I promise you, there have been people who’ve been trying to get “too big” for years. Unfortunately it doesn’t happen as a fluke. It takes years of hard work, meticulous planning, and quantities of protein most people couldn’t imagine eating right now.
Fear of Injury
As for the fear of injury, as long as there’s no breakdown in technique with your current load and you feel you’re ready for more of a challenge. There’s likely no harm in you pushing yourself to the next level. Just keep the same level of mindfulness and attention to detail that you had at the previous weights.
Intimidation
The same could also apply for intimidation concern, but it could be a little more nuanced than that. I’m a big fan of calculated risks. You can never expect the risk of something to be Zero, but if you do your due diligence, then you can minimize potential risks before taking the next step. That could be especially helpful in a scenario like this. If you trust your ability to perform the exercise with the current load you’re lifting, remind yourself that at one point that was also out of your comfort zone. You’re only where you’re at now because you took that calculated leap of faith at some point. Getting stronger is a very empowering and addicting feeling. In a lot of cases, the people who are scared of increasing the weight are often the ones who are best prepared for it. I would be more concerned if someone was overconfident and just increasing the weight all willy nilly without any thought towards safety or productivity.
Range of Motion (ROM)
Which leads me into the final consideration I’ll leave you with in this video. To ensure the load you select is one that is productive and conducive towards your goals, you need to perform a bit of a balancing act. It should be challenging enough that you’re questioning whether or not you can reach the predetermined upper range of your rep window, but not so challenging that it interferes with your Range of Motion.
As the very first thing mentioned in the Reps video, your reps must be performed ideally with a complete ROM. There are certain exceptions to this depending on your programming and your goals, but as a general rule of thumb, aim for a full ROM.
In most cases to get the most out of your exercises, you want to take the intended muscles from a fully lengthened state to a fully shortened state. This will ensure you create the maximum amount of tension (the language our body understands best) and actually get the intended benefit out of the exercise or movement.
Now that you have a pretty foundational understanding of some of the ways that the load you choose affects every other aspect of your training, we can move on to the final topic we’re going to cover in this series. Progressive Overload.
Asad Sayal
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Join personal trainer Asad Sayal, as he looks at essential factors to consider when designing your workout. From reps to rest periods, Asad explores how taking these variables into account, and using them in unison with each other can help you reach your goals quicker, avoid plateauing and progress your fitness journey.
Asad answers this not-so-straightforward question by defining what exactly a rep is, introducing rep ranges and how you can use this method to optimize and progress in your workouts. He also touches on the relationship between reps and load.
Did you know that the order in which you perform your sets is critical to your performance? Asad explores how to organize your sets in a certain sequence, in terms of intensity and difficulty, to get the best results and avoid injury.
Asad reviews the various types of sets that exist and which you should use depending on your workout type and goals. He discusses straight sets, supersets, tri-sets and circuits.
Setting a tempo for your workout is one of the most overlooked variables. Asad defines what setting a tempo for your workout really entails, and how you can use it to make the exercises you already know, feel completely new.
Did you know you can change how an exercise feels and what it does to your body just by varying the tempo? Discover how altering the tempo can produce a different kind of result and can bring about potential weaknesses and imbalances.
Rest and recovery are commonly misunderstood and misused. Asad explores common mistakes in regards to rest periods and different considerations that need to be made to ensure you are getting the biggest return on your effort.
Asad reviews general guidelines you can implement into your training, to ensure you are getting optimal rest. He discusses how the amount of rest is dependent on what your goal is at that time, and how you're performing the exercise.
Asad defines load and how it directly relates to the other variables covered thus far: reps, sets, tempo and rest. He highlights the value of thinking beyond just the amount of weight you lift in any given exercise.
Have you ever been stuck on a certain weight and can’t seem to go heavier? Does this mean you’ve reached the ceiling to your strength? Asad explores how you can combine variables, like tempo and reps, to avoid plateauing and increase the weight in your exercises.
To sum up this series, Asad recaps all the variables you should consider when designing a training program. He defines progressive overload and emphasizes the importance of the variables covered in this series and how to use them in synchrony with one another.