Intensity Progression for Lifters

Published: Wed, 08/23/17


I mean, you’ve got; Forced Reps, Going to Failure, Negatives, Super Sets, Tri-Sets, Giant Sets, Rest-Pauses, Double and Triple Split Workouts.  The list is endless.
 
Is there some type of guideline for knowing when to use the training progressions and when not to use them, especially for guys just starting out? 
 
Let me try and break this down a bit.  I can tell you one thing and that is a newbie lifter should take a simplistic straight set approach to lifting.  You want to avoid going to failure, doing forced or post fatigue reps, negatives and all the other ones mentioned above.  For the first three or four months of training you want to avoid all of that. 
 
During the first 3 months do conventional training where you just go with straight sets and a split routine.  Don’t use negatives and very seldom would you ‘go to failure’. You see these are the training techniques that advanced lifters use to bypass sticking points and I am far from convinced they are the best for great progress, as far as adding great size and strength especially for the beginner.      
 
After the first 3 months of training and for the next three you might consider adding super sets.  Super sets are really good because they get you used to working opposing muscle groups. My suggestion would be to just try it on one muscle group (such as quads/hamstrings, or biceps/triceps) and only once per week.
    
When you’re six months down the road you might add in some giant sets for your back & chest workouts or even the abs.  With regard to double split workouts, no way, unless you are really an advanced competitive bodybuilder or powerlifter, which you may or may not be. 

All in all, many of the techniques mentioned above, especially if done during the first year or two of training, can hinder and detract from one’s training.  They are the enemy of progress because they will expose you to needless high stress and overload your adaptive mechanism.

Hope you found this helpful, thanks for reading!

Stay Strong,

Coach Chris Wilson
CriticalBench.com

ps...Be sure to grab this FREE pdf all about ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER - Living a Legacy of Strength