When I work with new clients, there's one question that comes up pretty frequently. We'll be in the middle of explaining the exercises in their first training program and they will notice all the blank spaces on the page where they are to write down the weights they have used when training. They ask me “What weight should I use for this exercise?” Now, since I've had the chance of working closelywith lots of athletes over many years, I've noticed a difference in the progression of athletes who use different strategies and as a result, I'm in a great position to offer up my two cents as to how the progression of loading within a given training program should be undertaken.I believe there are a few important factors that come into play when determining load. The first of these is something that I've heard Charles Poliquin and Ian King refer to as The Technical Limit Principle. Briefly, this principle states that the load in any given exercise is a dependent variable of the technique, tempo and rest intervals. One must choose a load that allows completion of the set with proper form, and proper tempo, respecting the rest intervals. If one cannot complete the suggested number of repetitions without changing the form or tempo or without increasing the rest intervals between sets, then the load is too heavy. This is pretty straightforward but as we will see, can lead to some interesting negative effects if not counterbalanced with a second principle.
With the exception of athletes who are only interested in aesthetic gains (for example those who are only interested in bodybuilding or who are training for a specific role in a movie) I
With the exception of athletes who are only interested in aesthetic gains (for example those who are only interested in bodybuilding or who are training for a specific role in a movie) Ibelieve that proper execution of the exercises is by far and away the most important training parameter. That is to say, but the main goal of strength training is to improve movement capability and the secondary goal is to improve the loading tolerated in these movements. Since quality of movement is learned by the accumulation of proper form on multiple sets and repetitions, it is essential that as many of the repetitions as possible be done with perfect form.
This brings me to my approach to choosing loading parameters. Since movement quality is the
primary goal I suggest that anyone starting a new program, whether beginner or elite athlete, select conservatively when choosing their weights. They should be able to confidently execute all the suggested repetitions of the exercises without any change to tempo or technique. There will be enough neurological and physiological stress imposed on the body by the other parameters of the new workout (new exercises, new exercise order, new tempo, a new rest intervals) that stressing the body with loads near strength limits is unnecessary to produce positive adaptation. Secondly, since quality of movement is our main goal, it is essential that this quality be learned quickly and repeated as often as possible throughout the workout. Choosing loads that are too challenging, too early in the training would lead to improper execution and imprint poor motor patterns in the neuromuscular system.As the athlete progresses through the progressive workouts of their training cycle, they should increase the load with a thin slicing approach—using the smallest available increments to increase load from set to set and day-to-day, always without compromising tempo or technique. It is only on the last cycle of a given workout, or on occasional planned peak days that loading be allowed to increase to the point where it may have a negative affect on
technique.
For example, let's say you have front squats as the first exercise on day two of your training program. There are five sets programmed, each with a suggested repetition range of between five and seven reps. You are to repeat this workout four times (once a week for four weeks) before moving on to the next phase of your training. That means that you will do between 25 and 35 repetitions of front squats for each workout day two for four weeks a grand total of between 100 and 140 total repetitions of front squats.
For the first week of your training, I suggest that you choose loads that allow comfortable execution of all seven repetitions on each set without slowing down or hesitating on any of the repetitions. This does not mean that the weight should be exceptionally light, but that choices be made conservatively. Keep in mind that the loads can be adjusted between set one and set five so that they are challenging when you reach the seventh repetition without compromising form. These adjustments should be made with the smallest possible increments available so that the speed and technique of execution remain the same.
During the second week, the weights should increase so that the seventh rep on each set the more challenging. On the third week, often times this will be an offloading week with less total volume, I suggest that he increased the load so that his new technical limit be nearer to six repetitions per set. On the fourth and final week, you should challenge yourself with loads nearing the technical limit at five repetitions, but you should only attempt a load which might compromise that fifth repetition on the final set of the final day of training.
When executing a set, you should be careful to
pay attention to the speed of movement. When you can no longer execute the movement at the same speed as in your first repetition, you should stop your set. Your next repetition attempt will not likely succeed. When we look at the cumulative effect of executing forced repetitions or failing in repetition attempts, the fewer failed attempts you accumulate the faster you will progress to higher loads. I've seen many cases where athletes insist on finishing each set with a failed attempt or an attempted repetition where they need external assistance to lift the weight. These athletes stagnate very quickly in their progress and eventually the poor technique that they use in executing those final repetitions contaminates more and more of their sets until it becomes their primary technique. Since the neurological and physical stress of those final repetitions is very high, the learning effect of these repetitions is also significantly more important than those of easier repetitions. If the final, high stress repetitions of a set are done with poor form, this is the technique that the body will remember as the chosen technique to use when stress is high. As the loads progressively increase, the high stress technique will dominate. Additionally, if you only ever use one technique for a lift, when loads begin to get heavier you are less likely two corrupt this technique to finish a difficult set since your body has accumulated hundreds of repetitions of experience with the proper form and very few with improper form.
If we look at our example, the total number of petitions of front squats to be executed in the training program falls between 100 and 120 reps. If each set was finished by a failed attempt, the total number of failed attempts would be somewhere on the order of 20 repetitions for the duration of the program (between 16% and 20% of total reps). On the other hand, if we use a more conservative loading strategy we will accumulate 99% of properly executed reps and the percentage difference in overall load will be negligible.Using a fine slicing approach to increasing load (by choosing the smallest possible increments) will allow you to increase your loads consistently, reliably and with less negative impact on technique. The accumulation of successful attempts also has a great positive impact on the way you feel when you finish your set and your workout, opening the door for more successful workouts in the future. If all of your last attempts at a lift have succeeded, and your next attempt is only a fine slice heavier—you will be unafraid to attempt it and will be more likely to succeed, even if it is a load that you have never lifted before.
In conclusion, I believe it's important to keep in mind that if you are using weight training to improve your performance in a given sport or to improve your quality of movement in your day-to-day life, you must always emphasize technique and tempo more than load in your program. Choose loads conservatively and wisely and you will progress faster than those who consistently overestimate their capabilities and finish sets with failed attempts.
