Proactive volume increasing

[Xpiro]

For years I’ve used double progression to overload, increasing volume reactively more often than proactively (except for the few weeks following a deload, after which I start with relatively low volume). I wonder if it would be worth breaking the sameness by proactively adding sets and keeping my reps the same throughout the mess, adding a single rep per set every block until I reach the top of my rep goal (starting with less volume and adding more every week), and then I would increase the weight next block repeat the process. For example:

Week 1:

200 lbs @ 3x5

Week 2:

200 lbs @4x5

Week 3:

200 lbs @ 5x5

Week 4:

200 lbs @ 6x5

Week 5:

Deload....

Week 1:

200 lbs @ 3x6

Etc. etc. until I cap it at 6x8 and use 205 @ 3x5 on the following meso

Anyone use this method? Would it be worth using for assistance compounds and isolations in addition to main compounds?

My only thing is that these blocks might end up being too short, given that I tend to go for about 8 weeks, but fatigue accumulation with this method could be faster... dunno.

[RapidFail]

For years I’ve used double progression to overload, increasing volume reactively more often than proactively (except for the few weeks following a deload, after which I start with relatively low volume). I wonder if it would be worth breaking the sameness by proactively adding sets and keeping my reps the same throughout the mess, adding a single rep per set every block until I reach the top of my rep goal (starting with less volume and adding more every week), and then I would increase the weight next block repeat the process. For example:

Week 1:

200 lbs @ 3x5

Week 2:

200 lbs @4x5

Week 3:

200 lbs @ 5x5

Week 4:

200 lbs @ 6x5

Week 5:

Deload....

Week 1:

200 lbs @ 3x6

Etc. etc. until I cap it at 6x8 and use 205 @ 3x5 on the following meso

Anyone use this method? Would it be worth using for assistance compounds and isolations in addition to main compounds?

My only thing is that these blocks might end up being too short, given that I tend to go for about 8 weeks, but fatigue accumulation with this method could be faster... dunno.

Mostly seems like.a decent approach, provided you've got the time for long workouts at the end of the mesocycle. Perhaps the higher volume will mean you need to deload more frequently.

Would you decrease the weight to hit the same reps each set? If I were to do a 6x8 I would need to leave at least 5 RIR for the first set to maintain the same weight across all sets.

[Xpiro]

Mostly seems like.a decent approach, provided you've got the time for long workouts at the end of the mesocycle. Perhaps the higher volume will mean you need to deload more frequently.

Would you decrease the weight to hit the same reps each set? If I were to do a 6x8 I would need to leave at least 5 RIR for the first set to maintain the same weight across all sets.

Ah that’s true, like I’d have a top set and then pyramid downward... or, stay away within an RIR range like 3-1, allowing for either descending or fluctuating 0.5 increments. Week-by-week RIR progression might naturally accompany this. I say might because oftentimes I’ll have matched-rep sets that are less hard than one or some before it (usually set 2 against set 1) or be able to match RIR between sets of the same reps. With some exercises I can probably even hit 0s on that 6th additional set, like arms and side/rear delts and other assistance moves that won’t hurt me if I do. Unsure if that RIR progression would lead to “crowding” of progress or help, provided I deload often enough.

[blue9steel]

Check out the material at RP, their programs do pretty much what you're describing. Anecdotally, that approach has worked well for me.

[MyEgoProblem]

Greg Nuckols often suggested this approach for lifts that are difficult to progress with weight or reps very often.

Not sure id personally do it for big lifts, but im a huge proponent of ramping to a top set @rpe then %or@ backoffs.
And admit my bias' here.

[FurtadoZ9]

I would do the opposite, only because adding a whole set is a larger interval to scale with, as opposed to adding 1 rep per set which gives you more flexibility when progressing. IE, being able to add 2 reps per set if you are feeling really good, or only adding 1 rep for a couple sets because it's feeling too heavy. So maybe:

3x5 @ 200
3x6 @ 200
3x7 @ 200
3x8 @ 200
deload
4x5 @ 200
4x6 @ 200
4x7 @ 200
4x8 @ 200
deload
3x5 @ 210... or along the lines of that


I think both approaches are sound though. JM had a very similar approach, where he would choose a weight he could do for 6 sets of 4-6 reps. So if the 6 sets were something like:

6
6
5
4
4
3

He would try to add at least 1 rep somewhere, then at 6x6 increase 10-30 lbs (depending on the exercise) and work back up to 6x6.

Greg Nuckols often suggested this approach for lifts that are difficult to progress with weight or reps very often.

Not sure id personally do it for big lifts, but im a huge proponent of ramping to a top set @rpe then %or@ backoffs.
And admit my bias' here.

Same here.. Easy to track progress with the top set, the high % is complimented with volume work, and typically allows for more exercise rotation.

[Xpiro]

bluesteel: I have been looking into RP stuff, it was just unclear to me how to apply weight and rep progression alongside the volume ramping. Like, do I keep riding DP until adding reps isn’t possible anymore and add a set instead, etc. but in this way, since I don’t have to increase reps or weight from session to session, I get to acclimate to the same weight and reps by grinding them out for longer.

@ Ego: I’ve been doing the same for a few of my main lifts with a 2x/wk frequency, where I’ll have one day of 3 straight sets (5-8 reps) and one backoff @7-10 or 9-12 or whatever, and on the other day I’ll do one top set at 5-8 and 3 backoffs at 7-10 or 9-12. So like it’s reversed, but my single top set of 5-8 is normally 5-10 lbs heavier than my 5-8 straight sets, so the former ends up helping the latter. If that makes sense. Stuff that’s hard to add weight/reps to... different for everyone, but what for example?

@Furtado: my thing is that adding reps isn’t always feasible anymore while maintaining RIR from session to session, so I wanted to introduce something that would eliminate the pressure of needing to add reps. Maybe I underestimate the difficulty of adding a set with matched reps and RIR, but I feel like I could benefit from repeating the same reps throughout a meso. Since each successive set has the potential to drive RIR down, by the final week I’m hitting 1s and maybe 0s before jumping straight into a deload and coming back with everything reset, and ideally by then I’ll have been able to add a rep in a more genuine way.