The pattern that kills progress occurs when a lifter habitually violates the foundational goal that his body has for gaining strength; the goal being to make it easier to lift a given weight. If the basic strategy of a lifter is to immediately increase the difficulty of a lift as soon as he gains strength, this is a direct violation of what his body is trying to accomplish. His body keeps trying to make the weight easier to lift, but his workouts keep getting harder. This contradiction between what the body wants and what the lifter does will eventually kill training progress.
The deceiving thing about the pattern that kills progress is that it doesn’t happen right away. It only happens after a lifter’s ability to adapt to a severe training stress has been maxed out. This may take months or years before it happens, but if a lifter keeps trying to push as hard as possible by training to failure or beyond (ie forced reps and negatives), and by going for single rep max attempts, the pattern that kills progress is almost guaranteed to take place. However, the pattern that kills progress can be avoided.
There are three basic ways to avoid the pattern that kills progress. These strategies include:
- Change exercises often
- Systematic changes in the amount of weight and training volume that is used
- Use training thresholds and let the workouts get easier.
Changing Exercises
The advantage to changing exercises is that it will change the muscles that are being used as well as the pattern of nerve firing. This helps to keep the same muscles and same nerves from being over used when highly taxing workouts are done on a repeated basis. Lifters who train to failure or push to the single rep max on a regular basis will get into trouble if they don’t switch exercises on a regular basis. The West Side lifters change the exercise they use for their one rep max every week or two in order to keep from going into a rut.
Switching Exercises and the Conjugate System
Changing the Amount of Weight and Training Volume
Changing the amount of reps and the training volume that is used is another method that lifters commonly use in order to keep from running into the pattern that kills progress. Different amounts of weight will utilize different types of muscle fibers in varying degrees so that the same muscle fibers aren’t repeatedly highly taxed the same way again and again. The types of muscle fibers I’m referring consist of slow twitch, fast twitch IIa and fast twitch IIb. The varied weights will also stress the nervous system in varied ways so that the same pattern of nerve firing doesn’t become exhausted from overuse.
Changing Weight and Volume
Changing exercises, weight, and training volume are all helpful strategies for avoiding the pattern that kills progress, but it is still quite possible to push your training beyond the point where these strategies will help you avoid the pattern that kills progress. This is why I also recommend the next strategy for avoiding the pattern that kills progress, although I believe it is often overlooked.
Use Training Thresholds and Let the Workouts Get Easier
The last strategy for overcoming the pattern that kills progress is to use training threshold by training to that capacity of your ATP creatine phosphate system and nervous system without exceeding it. Exceeding it can easily backfire as it will bring energy systems into play that are not specific to strength and power. It will also put you at risk for reinforcing weak patterns for nervous system firing instead of strong patterns. However, if you simply train to the capacity of strong reps, strong sets, and a strong lifting motion with single reps (see basics of PPT for the meaning of strong reps, strong sets, and a strong lifting motion), and repeat workouts without increasing the weight or reps for a sufficient time period, the workouts will get easier. This is what your body wants and it will help you to avoid the pattern that kills progress. Eventually your strength will increase so that when you add weight, you’ll be able to do so without exceeding your strength specific capacities.
Although I have listed three strategies that help you avoid running into the pattern that kills progress, you don’t have to use just one strategy, you can use all three if you choose. Unfortunately, many people believe the key to overcoming a sticking point is simply to train harder, but training with strength specific precision is the key. If you are currently encountering a sticking point, or at some point you run into a sticking point, try the suggestions in this article in order to start making progress again. Best of training to you.