what do you think of this progression scheme?

[grey27]

I have been lifting regularly for a year and a half. I stopped making progress on beginner programs like stronglifts 5x5 and greyskull lp (phrak variant). My bench press got to doing 185 pounds for 3x5 which I was happy with. I realized part way through I was half squatting and had to reset that but I got to doing 260 pounds for 3x5. I started doing 531 Boring But Big and it really beat me up doing the 7 week cycle (3x5, 3x3, 531, 3x5, 3x3, 531, deload). I almost quit lifting because I dreaded those 5x10 sets. I didn't even try the 4 week cycle I hated it so much. I felt like doing fullbody 3x a week with 2 days off in a row was great for me for recovery, and I never needed a deload doing that. So I went back to a 3x a week fullbody.

For my compound movements, I pick a rep range. So say for bench press I pick 6-10, and dumbbell incline 8-12, and deadlift 4-8. We'll stick with bench press. So I start off doing 3x10 and on the last set I do an AMRAP where I try to hit RPE 9. I prefer the last rep to not be a grinder, but sometimes it happens. I cannot gauge RPE less than 9 accurately at all, I have tested my ability to gauge RPE and failed. If I get 2 or more additional reps on the AMRAP, then I add 5 pounds next time. If I am stalling, then I go ahead and add 5 pounds but then I do 3x8 (i.e. take 2 reps off per set but still do AMRAP on last set). When I stall there I add 5 pounds and go to 3x6, which is bottom of the range. When I stall on 3x6, I change exercise variations. So I may go from flat barbell bench to flat dumbbell bench, or maybe a low incline barbell bench.

The idea is when I get 2 or more reps on the last set, the first and second set are at most RPE 6 or 7, which is effective but light, but I still get a good RPE 9 set in. When I am stalling, all my sets are at RPE 8 or 9 which is redlining it, but then when I drop down in reps next workout I get some light work in to help recover. I also get to work through different rep ranges which works the muscles differently and may help prevent plateaus. It is also good psychologically for me because I can continue increasing weight even when I am stalling by reducing reps, which isn't as disappointing as resetting weight. Also the time period to stall at 3 different rep ranges is about the time to change exercise variations anyway.

I just went through a full cycle of seated dumbbell shoulder press. I worked through rep range 8-12. When I finished, I was doing 60 pound dumbbells for 3x8. My best barbell overhead press was 115 pounds for 1 set of 5 on the 531 program, so I think I got a lot stronger. I have not finished one cycle on any other exercise, but I can tell I am getting stronger. I am on a lean bulk right now.

[WolfRose7]

It's fine.

I'd prefer some more low ish rpe (@5-7) 2-5 rep work for pure strength goals.
But this will certainly serve you well enough for as long as you enjoy it

[FurtadoZ9]

Yeah that's fine. I actually program similarly.

You might have a bit more accurate assessment of your progress if you do your top set first, then do your back off sets after.

But I do like how you are essentially pre-exhausting before the AMRAP set and stopping a rep or two from failure. That is a good recipe to avoid absolute failure which will also prevent injuries.

Either way, your premise is perfectly fine.

[grey27]

Thanks guys. It seemed natural to me but I never read anything about this kind of progression and wondered if there was a reason why (surely someone has thought of it before). It was what I did when I was a teenager goofing around on a dinky concrete weight set. Surely if you can do 200 pounds for 3x8 you can do 205 pounds for 2x6 and 1x8, and if you can do 200 pounds for 2x8 and 1x10 then you can do 205 pounds for 3x8. I really like that I never reset weight on a given lift, when I work all the way through I just change variations.