Hey Bo, super helpful! Question, with the goal of muscle building, could this same progressive overload be achieved without tracking rep number and weight amount? I tend to go based on feel and not keep track of weights (partially probably not doing the same moves consistently enough to notice either). However, I’m always challenging myself (if I pick something up that feels too easy after a few reps, I go heavier) and getting close to failure on the last set.
Hey Lauren. Interesting question. If you were diligent about repeating movements and were VERY attuned to the way you feel, you could probably get away with a qualitative-only approach. But it would certainly be tougher. Tracking isn’t necessarily just for causing strength increases, but also determining whether they’ve occurred. Tracking doesn’t need to be sophisticated. Even tracking every so often to determine if you’re moving in the right direction would help tremendously. Like recording the weight you used on a particular exercise on a particular date. And then doing it again at some point in the future.
Hey Bo, super helpful! Question, with the goal of muscle building, could this same progressive overload be achieved without tracking rep number and weight amount? I tend to go based on feel and not keep track of weights (partially probably not doing the same moves consistently enough to notice either). However, I’m always challenging myself (if I pick something up that feels too easy after a few reps, I go heavier) and getting close to failure on the last set.
Hey Lauren. Interesting question. If you were diligent about repeating movements and were VERY attuned to the way you feel, you could probably get away with a qualitative-only approach. But it would certainly be tougher. Tracking isn’t necessarily just for causing strength increases, but also determining whether they’ve occurred. Tracking doesn’t need to be sophisticated. Even tracking every so often to determine if you’re moving in the right direction would help tremendously. Like recording the weight you used on a particular exercise on a particular date. And then doing it again at some point in the future.
Okay that makes sense, thank you! I read one of your other posts that mentioned apps that help with tracking, going to check those out
I’m not ready for barbell movements yet after the pregnancy so dumbbells have been my besties!
They really are underrated. I would even go so far as to say that the general population can get everything they need from them alone.
Wow, so helpful the way you broke the examples down. And I can tell the amount of effort that went into this!
Thank you, as always, for reading Peyton!