Best Progression for Increasing Reps on a Single Exercise with no Assist Work

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

But what is a reasonable amount of time to go between increases in weight? I ask because I was just reading an article about this. Necessary to add weight every single week... every three weeks... six weeks? I ask because I've just tweaked my 5x5 or 6x6 workout and with doing closer to one rep max... is it feasible to think you'll be able to go up in weight week after week doing low reps?

I think everyone should run a Smolov cycle at least once to get a feel for the rep schemes that build strength. It's not sustainable long term, but you will come out of it pleasantly surprised by your new PR.

What % of your max are your 6x6's?

 

[TeTe]

I think everyone should run a Smolov cycle at least once to get a feel for the rep schemes that build strength. It's not sustainable long term, but you will come out of it pleasantly surprised by your new PR.

What % of your max are your 6x6's?

Roughly 85 percent... at least on the compound exercises

 

[TeTe]

I think everyone should run a Smolov cycle at least once to get a feel for the rep schemes that build strength. It's not sustainable long term, but you will come out of it pleasantly surprised by your new PR.

What % of your max are your 6x6's?

I actually just found an article on BB.com that answers the question I had to the T.. in the second method

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/keep-weights-moving-up-2-foolproof-overload-plans.html

TECHNIQUE 2 THE TWO-REP WINDOW
When a more experienced lifter hits a weight ceiling with a step-based program, I like to give them what I call a "two-rep window." This progressive overload technique tweaks the number of reps rather than simply the load, and it's a good way to keep moving along in a classic 5x5 strength program.

BARBELL BENCH PRESS

Say an exercise calls for 5 working reps. The two-rep window will allow for 3-5 reps. Here's how it would look for a hypothetical bench press workout:

WEEK 1 BENCH PRESS

• Set 1: 5 reps of 225 pounds
• Set 2: 5 reps of 225 pounds
• Set 3: 4 reps of 225 pounds
• Set 4: 4 reps of 225 pounds
• Set 5: 3 reps of 225 pounds

This progression cuts the set short at set 3, but still falls within the 2-rep window. Making this model work requires being able to shut out your ego and not make an attempt you're not sure you'll be able to pull off. All else being equal, I'd rather someone save a rep for next week rather than perform 1-2 questionable ones.

In this case, the trainee can make up the reps during the following week to keep progressive overload on track.

WEEK 2 BENCH PRESS

• Set 1: 5 reps of 225 pounds
• Set 2: 5 reps of 225 pounds
• Set 3: 5 reps of 225 pounds
• Set 4: 5 reps of 225 pounds
• Set 5: 4 reps of 225 pounds

The lifter performed three extra reps compared to the previous week. That may not sound like much, but think of it this way: That's 675 more pounds than their muscles were able to move just one week earlier.

Moving forward, the lifter would continue using the same weight until they complete all 5 working sets of 5 reps successfully. From there, they would increase the weight by 5-10 pounds and start the process over.

 

[Sano]

You'll want to do multiple sessions a week and change up the rep schemes.

So one day you might do several maximal sets with 30 seconds of rest between each one.

Another day you might do a ladder scheme doing a single rep. Then two. Then three. Ect. Then back down.

Then another day you'll want to do like ten sets of 20% of your max.

That's what I did to get my pullups from 12 reps to 30.

When was this btw?

 

[DoomPatrol]

When was this btw?

From 05-10 when I was serving in the military. It's one of our tested events. Went in doing 12 sloppy came out doing about 30 strict. My bodyweight at that time was about 200lbs plus or minus a few. Of course during that time I was pretty weak on the weights but had good bodyweight endurance. There was also field life where I would be gone in the woods for a long period of time with a poor diet. I hovered around 16 for a while then 20. Then once I broke 20, my reps kind of flew up to 30.

I just recently started doing them again after a few years off from them at my new weight of 250lbs and I did a set of 20. Had a couple more in the tank. All reps from a dead hang and chin over bar. I'm really big on making sure I do perfect reps on everything. Cheat reps need to have a purpose.

I didn't really do them much the last 5 years because it was always my horizontal pulling strength that needed work (rows) not vertical pulling, but I'm going to start programming them in again. I don't think I'll care much about reps past 20 so I'll probably start adding weight.

 

[MatterOverMind]

at my new weight of 250lbs and I did a set of 20. Had a couple more in the tank. All reps from a dead hang and chin over bar.

Impressive.

 

[DoomPatrol]

Impressive.

Well I've been training them for reps for about 15 years. So really it would be pretty pathetic if I couldn't do that many at this point