Progressive overload training is one of the most basic training concepts that lifters incorporate into their workouts. It simply means that you add a fairly small amount of weight to your lifts at regular intervals of time. Some lifters add weight to every workout, and others add weight on a weekly basis. In the examples of progressive overload training used in this article, cycles will be designed in which weight will be added to every workout.
The marker rep can be used in conjunction with progressive overload training. When you combine the two together, you will be doing what I refer to as Progressive Overload Marker Rep Training. Most people are familiar with the concept of progressive overload training, but only those who are already familiar with precision point training will understand what is meant by marker rep training. This being the case, I will start with a brief explanation of what is meant by the marker rep.
The Marker Rep
The marker rep marks the first slower rep a lifter encounters when he can no longer maintain a steady even rep pace at the end of a set. For example, if John can maintain a steady even rep pace for his first seven reps of an exercise, but his 8th rep starts to slow down, the 8th rep is his marker rep.
Forceful Reps
The more forcefully a lifter performs his reps at the start of the set, the more noticeable it will be when he reaches his marker rep. In contrast, if he is lifting in a casual manner without exerting much force or speed into each rep, the marker rep may be hard to identify. This is because he will be starting the set with a slow rep speed and there will be little difference between the rep speed at the start of the set and the end of the set. You must lift forcefully in order to clearly identify when the marker rep occurs. The marker rep generally occurs two or three reps before max reps to failure is reached.
3 Loading Cycles
There are several ways in which Progressive Overload Marker Rep Training can be carried out, but in this article, an example will be given in which three loading cycles will be used. Each cycle will be done in conjunction with a specific amount of reps. The amount of reps that will be used for each cycle are listed below:
First Cycle: Use 8 reps per set in each workout
Second Cycle: Use 5 reps per set in each workout
Third Cycle: Use 3 reps per set in each workout
Starting Weights For Each Cycle
Your first step is to determine the amount of weight you will start with for each cycle. I recommend that you begin each cycle with the following percentages of your single rep max for each exercise:
First Cycle with 8 reps: Start with 65% of your single rep max
Second Cycle with 5 reps: Start with 70% of your single rep max
Third Cycle with 3 reps: Start with 75% of your single rep max
Finish 10% Higher Than You Started
Each cycle starts with a weight that is about 10% lighter than the weight you will finish with at the end of the cycle. This will translate into the following for each cycle:
Cycle 1 = 65% to 75%
You will start with 65% of your single rep max for the first cycle when doing 8 reps per set, and you will finish the cycle with a weight that is approximately 75% of your single rep max.
Cycle 2 = 70% to 80%
When doing the second cycle with 5 reps, you will start the cycle with 70% of your single rep max, and finish with approximately 80% of your single rep max.
Cycle 3 = 75% to 85%
The third cycle with 3 reps starts with 75% of your single rep max and will finish with approximately 85% of your single rep max.
Add 5 to 10 Pounds per Workout
The progressive overload principle is used throughout the cycle as you will be adding 5 to 10 pounds to each successive workout. I recommend that you add 5 pounds to each workout for any exercise in which you have a single rep max of below 300 pounds. If there are exercises in which you can lift more than 300 pounds for a single rep, then I recommend adding 10 pounds to each workout.
Add 15 to 20 Pounds per Workout if you are Super Strong
If you are super strong and can lift 500 pounds or more for a single rep of an exercise, you should add 15 pounds to each workout. And if you are mega strong and can lift 750 pounds or more for a single rep of an exercise, you should add 20 pounds to each workout. This would be a lot of weight to add to each workout for the majority of lifters, so once again, realize that the majority of lifters will be better off adding 5 to 10 pounds to each workout.
More Sets At The Start of the Cycle
At the start of each cycle, you will find that it is easy to perform the designated amount of reps. You will be doing 8 reps per set with 65% of your single rep max for your first workout of the first cycle. You will find that it is fairly easy to perform 8 reps with only 65% of your single rep max. This being the case, you will be able to perform several sets before it becomes challenging to perform 8 reps.
The Exact Number of Sets
The exact number of sets that you perform is based on how many sets you can repeat before the 8th rep is a marker rep. When performing your first set, you will start out with the ability to do all 8 reps using a steady even rep pace without any problem. However, as you continue to repeat sets, fatigue will accumulate and the sets will become more challenging. When you reach a set where you are forced to slow down on the 8th rep, you have hit your marker rep. This is your capacity for quality training and you should stop repeating sets and stop training the muscle group you have been training.
Less Sets As The Cycle Progresses
When doing your first workout of a training cycle, you may be able to do anywhere between 6 to 10 sets of an exercise before you are forced to slow down on the 8th rep. However, remember that you will be adding 5 to 10 pounds every workout. When you add weight, the exercise will become harder. The result will be that you won’t be able to do as many sets before reaching a set where your 8th rep starts to slow down.
The End of A Cycle
The time will come when you reach a weight that causes you to hit your marker rep on your 8th rep when performing your very first set. Do one or two more sets and stop doing the exercise. When you hit your marker rep at the end of your very first set, you are finished with the training cycle and should move on to the next training cycle.
The next training cycle is performed with 5 reps per set and the cycle begins with 70% of your single rep max. The same procedure of adding 5 to 10 pounds to each workout would continue until you reach a weight that causes you to hit your marker rep on your 5th rep when performing your very first set. You would then start the next cycle and the same procedure would be repeated by starting at 75% with 3 reps. Eventually you will reach a weight in which your 3rd rep slows down on your very first set. At that point, you will have completed all three cycles, and should start over again with 8 reps.
Progressive Overload Marker Rep Training is designed to help you train according to your capacity for quality workouts throughout every workout of every cycle. When using light weights at the start of each cycle, you will have the capacity to do more sets without overtraining. This will improve the over-all condition of your body which will enable you to recover easier when using more weight and less sets at the end of the cycle. Recovery is one of the keys to consistent strength gains.
If your preferred style of training is to add weight to each workout, consider Progressive Overload Marker Rep Training as it will help you to find the correct amount of sets and the correct amount of intensity for strength gains. Best of training to you.