My Volume-Based Progression Experiment

Bigger Stronger Leaner
21

Back in March

Pull
-V-Bar Pull Downs
-Bent Rows
-Shrugs

Push
-Incline Bench with 2 count pause on Chest
-Standing Press in Rack, from pins at chin, press to eye level
-Close Grip Bench Press from Rack, about 2 inches off Chest

Legs
-Dumbbell Step Ups
-Dimmel Deadlifts
-Leg Extension/Leg Curl
-Calf Raises

Press/Pull Progression
Week 1: For all Push/Pull exercises, work up to a tough 3 reps, leaving 1 rep “in the tank,” I called this an un-official 90%. This was my top “working weight.”

Week 2: 90% x 2 reps, x 3 sets (The working weight I established on week 1)
80% x 3 reps, x3 sets
75% x5 reps, x 3 sets
-Three doubles at the un-official 90%, then 3 back off sets of 3 at 80%. Then 3 back off sets of 5 at 75%

From then on, I just added one set to every exercise, each workout, starting with a set of 5. So 4 weeks in , the workout was 90%x2, four sets/85%x3, 4 sets/75%x5, 5 sets.

I kept it up until I did 5 sets, at 3 weights, for 3 exercises. So the volume from week 1 was more than tripled by week 8.

My legs were in bad shape, so I just did sets of 8 on each leg for the step ups. Then sets of 20 on the dimmel deads. I just did 2 sets week 1, to find a good weight. Then I increased sets each week until I was doing 8 sets of step ups and dimmels.

This was really tough, and really effective. Physically, I knew I could do every set, but mentally, it got tough to get under the bar and do it. I finished the 4th week, and was so mentally dreading the inclines with a pause on the chest I skipped the gym for a week. The last week, where there were 15 work sets was especially tough. Preparing for each set, even the light ones, was like preparing to be tortured.

Physically, I crushed the weights. Technique and execution got better every week. After the doubles at 90%, the sets at 85% feel like speed work. I would pause for like half a second at the bottom and “explode” pushing really fast. The heavy stuff first totally tricked me into using max force on the medium weights. Then the 75% weights felt easy. I found myself pausing at the top and bottom, and generating “peak contraction” for all 5 reps, without really thinking about it. My body just “knew” how to move the light weights a little slower, to require the most effort, and move the best. It was pretty awesome.

Numbers wise, my Incline Bench with a 2 count Pause on the chest went from
week 1- 185x3 reps
week 8- 185x2 reps, 5 sets
175x3 rep, 5 sets
165x5 reps, 5 sets

So it’s impossible that I didn’t get stronger, but I didn’t test my 1rm before or after.

Step ups and dimmels worked pretty well. My lower body was a mess, and they were moves that had a really short ROM, and really focused on muscles I needed to work.

My chest and shoulders, back and VMO’s grew a bunch. But my pec/delt tie-in progressively got more and more tight and painful. These weights and this fast progression was right on the edge of what I could handle. 4 weeks in I needed a total week off. The last week or so I found myself waking up at like 4am, and not being able to get back to sleep. For me, this is a classic indication that I’m going too hard. There was no way I could have continued to progress this set up.

The standing partial presses from pins in the rack were a pleasant surprise. I just threw them in on a whim the 1st week after reading some old Anthony Ditillo stuff, and didn’t expect to keep them. But they really helped me figure out how to get tight and get set. The short ROM was like a pure shoulder lift. I’ll do these again some time.

22

After that, I needed to ditch the barbell presses to give my shoulders a break. And I wanted to go from legs once a week to legs twice a week. I also wanted a slightly slower progression. I liked adding volume at the same weight during the last cycle, so I came up with

Day 1
Dumbell Incline Press
Back Stuff
Leg Stuff

Day 2
Standing Dumbbell Clean and Press
Back Stuff
Leg Stuff

Week 1: Work up to a max triple on whichever dumbbell press I was doing
Week 2: 5 singles with that weight
Week 3: sets of 1,2,1,2,1. ladder style, 7 total reps with that same weight
Week 4: 3 sets of 3

I also did some non-scientific back off sets. Subtract 10 pounds, and do more total reps than I did at the top weight.

Legs and back, I just did whatever felt good that day.

So, fewer moves, done more frequently, progressing slower. Dumbbell presses and inclines really felt good after the barbells. I got better and better at dumbbell pressing. Legs and back were all over the place, and I wore myself out. After a month, I was ready for a change and a little more structure. This setup was kind of whack.

But pressing the dumbbells after pressing the barbell the previous cycle was awesome. It really improved my bar path, and control. At the end of this month, I tested the barbell incline press with a 2 count pause, and got 200x3. I hadn’t pressed a barbell in a month, and going back to it felt really natural. I realized that in the past, I had been pressing the incline barbell over my clavicles, with a big elbow flare. The bar was moving over my face, almost at an angle, instead of staying low over my chest. A month of dumbbells really taught my to control the bar, and line up my elbows and wrists properly. This was great. The rest of this routine sucked and was super forgettable.

23

Alright, since everybody seems to lay out the details of their plan…

workout A -

  1. squat - triples progression
  2. sldl - 3 sets
  3. leg press - 3 sets
  4. superman planks - 3 sets (this one’s optional)

workout B -
1a. bench - triples progression
1b. front lever - static holds, also increasing volume
2a. incline db press - 3 sets
2b. chest supported row - 3 sets
3. bb curls - 2-3 sets

workout C -

  1. front squat - triples progression
  2. back extension - 3 sets
  3. reverse lunge - 3 sets/leg
  4. superman planks - 3 sets (this one’s optional)

workout D -
1a. press - triples progression
1b. front lever - static holds, also increasing volume
2a. weighted dips - 3 sets
2b. weighted chins - 3 sets
3. bb curls - 2-3 sets

I’ll increase the triples to four sets tomorrow so I’m in the WAY early stages, but it seems promising.

24

For the 3rd cycle, I knew I wanted more lifts and more variety than in the 2nd routine. I also wanted more volume, a more intense progression and more structure than the 2nd routine. Without the extreme nature of the first routine. So I came up with a full body, heavy/light/medium setup.

Mon
Barbell Clean and Press with Fat Gripz

T-Bar Rows

Stiff Leg Deads

Wed
Power Snatch From Hang

Close Grip Bench Press

Inverse Curl/Hanging Leg Raise

Fri
Giant Cambered Bar High Box Squat

Seated Dumbbell Press

Wide Grip Chins

For a progression, I worked up to a good set of 5. I figured this was like 85%, and maybe a better working weight than what I could do for a triple. Then I did a back off set of less weight, for like 7 reps. The following week, I gave myself 2 sets to get more total reps than last week (<5). Then I did 2 backoff sets, trying to hit more than 7 total reps.

After that, I just focused on getting more and more reps in week to week. I didn’t worry about how sets it took. Sometimes I might go 1,2,1,2,1,2,1 for a total of 10 reps if I felt bad. Or 3,4,8 if I felt really good. Then I would do the back off the same way. More total reps, week to week, without worrying how many sets it took. The program was sort of auto regulated this way, and this was a really great way to progress for me.

I loved this routine. Wednesday’s lifts (snatch, leg raises, inverse curls) were just naturally lighter than Monday of Fridays lifts. Progress just came naturally, without being forced. I was moving all over the place, hitting all the angles. The high box squat with the giant cambered bar was the first type of squat I had been able to do in months. T-bar rows made me feel really strong. Snatches made me feel really fast. Chins and inverse curls were like calisthenics.

I didn’t need a deload for the whole time I used this routine. I pretty much felt better and more athletic every week.

If I were 6 weeks out from beginning a sport season, or 6 weeks out from beginning to train for a specific event, I would run this routine as like a “general prep.” I really look forward to rotating back to this setup soon.

After 6 weeks on running this, I tested my Incline Bench with a 2 count pause on the chest. I got 210x3, without doing that particular move in weeks.

25

[quote]Apoklyps wrote:

[quote]dagill2 wrote:
I’ve run a similar program for push presses in an effort to build some shoulders (check my log if you need the details, it’s too late to go into them). After about 6 weeks, my OHP has seen a pretty decent improvement and technique on push presses is much crisper.[/quote]

I will definitely take a look. I haven’t figured out a good scheme for OHP yet on account of my bum shoulder. Instead, I’ve been using my second upper day as bench assistance/hypertropthy. Bench progress has been stellar though, with my paused bench going from 230lbs x 5 to 235lbs x 6 in under 3 weeks.[/quote]

I can’t take any credit, this was a plan written by FlatsFarmer and only slightly modified by me out of boredom, and also because I tend to forget overly complex plans.

26

Nighthawkz,

I like the routine you’ve set out. Simple, but pretty balanced. I personally can’t not have some form of heavy deadlift somewhere in my program, but it’s my specialty and I really hate starting to do them again after taking a break (i.e. I don’t take a break).

TBH, you guys have planned out your routines much more strictly than mine. I’m very picky about main lifts and their progression schemes and somewhat picky about having a balanced push/pull and fixing weak points. Anything else is pretty much whatever I feel like doing at the moment that fits in reasonably well with whatever I’m training. Like throwing in some paused squats for fun (or not, paused triples at 315lbs wiped me after hitting a squat rep PR and doing hip thrusts lol) at the end of my session today. Hit a solid LB squat PR though: 365lbs x 5, with at least one rep in the tank.

Might not exactly be training like a scientist, but it definitely makes for an enjoyable sesh to always have the ability to say “fuck it, I want to do some curls/other exercise of choice instead” as long as I’ve had a good day with my meat and potatoes lifts.

27

[quote]Apoklyps wrote:
Nighthawkz,

I like the routine you’ve set out. Simple, but pretty balanced. I personally can’t not have some form of heavy deadlift somewhere in my program, but it’s my specialty and I really hate starting to do them again after taking a break (i.e. I don’t take a break).[/quote]

See, my deadlifting technique never seems to get worse when I don’t do it, so just getting stronger means I’ll lift more. Squatting, on the other hand, is very much a balancing skill for me, so I try to do it frequently.

28

If you have developed a strong base, and have some experience, there is a lot of room to be flexible, or to do what fits or is fun.

Earlier this year I was at a sub-beginner level. Everything was weak, and some stuff was super weak. So there was no room for flexibility. I had to start somewhere. Then build. After several sessions doing the same thing, “strengths” and " weaknesses" began to appear. Like my presses still sucked, but after awhile I could “feel” that they sucked less at the bottom, and more at the top, so it was time for more triceps.

You look to be rolling right now. Continue with what you are doing.

29

[quote]FlatsFarmer wrote:
If you have developed a strong base, and have some experience, there is a lot of room to be flexible, or to do what fits or is fun.

Earlier this year I was at a sub-beginner level. Everything was weak, and some stuff was super weak. So there was no room for flexibility. I had to start somewhere. Then build. After several sessions doing the same thing, “strengths” and " weaknesses" began to appear. Like my presses still sucked, but after awhile I could “feel” that they sucked less at the bottom, and more at the top, so it was time for more triceps.

You look to be rolling right now. Continue with what you are doing. [/quote]

Agreed!

Once you’ve got a system that works for you (and this is doing just that - I’m making quick, but consistent progress on all my big lifts for the first time since my newbie phase!), the rest is just details.

I feel like a lot of it has to do with having a flexible vs rigid mindset. I find that if I’m overly rigid about my training routine it loses something. I opt out of being flexible enough to change my exercises or scheme in favour of keeping the program, which is actually quite a detriment when taken to an extreme. When you’re experienced enough to know how to experiment properly and can recognize how your experiments are affecting your body.

Like hip thrusts. I started scheduling them as a consistent thing and I really doubt that it’s a coincidence that my squats have gotten more upright with less knee caving and my 1RM has increased by at least 30lbs in the past month or so.

30

Turns out that my 31-year old lanky body hates a steady diet of triples… Too bad since it seems promising, but pain in the shoulders, wrists, knees AND hips (the latter being an absolute first) seem like a clear sign :confused:

31

That’s why I like to use “secondary lifts” or “assistance lifts” or “variations” of the competition lifts for this type of lay-out.

With dumbbell presses and rows you can use the wrist position and bench angles that don’t hurt. Close grip bench and T-Bar rows build a base of muscle, to support bigger regular bench presses in the future.

You can box squat and stiff leg deadlift to build up your hamstrings, instead of blasting your knees.

32

Damn, sorry to hear that, but I appreciate the feedback. Maybe switching to variations will work for you, but it’s definitely true that working with heavy weights for moderately high volumes regularly isn’t for everyone.

Been moving a lot of my assistance lately towards focusing on the deadlift. I’m starting to get hungry for PL records. Did 495lbs x 4 off a 3" deficit earlier this week.

33

Strong work. Keep rolling.

I was doing benches, with a shoulder width grip, and a pause. After a couple months, I started “dying off” near lockout. So I moved my grip out an inch or two, dropped 10 pounds straight weight, and added 50 pounds of chain. At the top it was like “No Way!” At the bottom it was “do-able.” It was still benching, but it felt completely new with the chains.

I tried some snatch grip deadlifts this month too. Trying to get lower, or add ROM or something. They were like some kind of torture the first week, and almost comfortable the 4th week. I’m not sure how they’ll carry over.

34

Thanks!

I’ve always used deficit DLs for strength off the floor, and those have treated me well, as incorporating them regularly means I’m rarely weak off the floor. For that reason, I’ve never incorprated SGDLs, though I know a few lifters who seem to really like them. From what I understand, they’re good for strength off the floor (due to ROM) and training upper back.

You’ve given me a good idea though. Think I’ll start trying them out as a DL assistance exercise on my squat day. I’m thinking it’ll have a reasonable specificity for DL carryover and add upper back assistance (as I sometimes skip PC or upper back assistance due to time on squat days). All about those high yield exercises, yo.