How To Plan Weekly Top Set Progression

[@TheSwolefessor]

We need to eventually disagree on a topic so we can have fake coach beef. Hahah, seriously man this was EXCELLENT!

[@PRsPerformance]

I can maybe start promoting that only row variations that target illiac lat fibers are worth utilizing as direct back accessory work, but I'm not sure I can keep a straight face while doing it.

[@TheSwolefessor]

@@PRsPerformance HAHAHAHA

[@sar6575]

You are making better coaches,better athletes and better coachable athletes all at once....Just thank you.

[@PRsPerformance]

Thank you man, that's the goal!

[@salmanseconomics]

You are everywhere 😂😂😂

[@sar6575]

@@salmanseconomics 🤣🤣🤣🤣 admi nahi bhagwan hu mai

[@misd8602]

This video Is so impressive to me! Steve you are something else when it comes to explaining these concepts! I needed to rewatch this multiple times to understand that the point of this video is to understand why we feel weaker in the beggining of a block, and why undershooting might be a good idea. I'm so impressed that I managed to understand it and more impressed how you put it out so detailed!

[@PRsPerformance]

🙏 🙏🙏

[@wilsonman8661]

Hey Steve, informative video as always. Much appreciated. :D Just one note: Super common math mistake at 18:48. Instead of multiplying by .86, you want to divide by 1.14. Multiplying by .86 is dropping 14% off the week 4 weight, but what you want is to find what the 160kg is 14% higher than, if that makes sense. You're doing 160kg * (1 - 14%) = week 1 weight, but what you want is week 1 weight * ( 1 + 14%) = 160kg. Thanks again for the gentle reminder that your strength is fluid, sometimes predictably so.

[@PRsPerformance]

Ahhhhh thank you, that makes sense! Honestly I've done it that way forever due to simplicity sake and it's very easy to teach others even though it is slightly off, but really just dividing by 1.14 is just as easy. I shall switch!

[@PowerliftingwithUday]

Amazing video Steve. One thing I've found useful for myself and my athletes in recent times is to use a static microcycle for weeks 1 and 2 before starting to overload on latter weeks of the block. I think this would provide the same effect as undershooting week 1 slightly, but has proven to be easier to communicate with my athletes.

[@PRsPerformance]

So that can definitely work. The only reason I tend to not do that is more for lifter psychology. People tend to like to add weight to the bar weekly and gives them a sense of building momentum, so due to that I usually don't program static RPEs so that they have more opportunity and novelty week to week to increase loading. Which with static RPEs, they could still add weight, but its' going to be at a lower amount versus ascending RPEs. Neither is right or wrong, just that lifter psychology wise I like an ascending format.

[@thomasashbrook9896]

I would be very interested to see you go down the VBT rabbit hole a as a way to 1) augment RPE, 2) assess readiness, and 3) determine a more accurate 1RM at any given time/block. In any case, love the video and makes complete sense and eye opening for sure as to why you perform differently in the later weeks of the block. As far as augmenting RPE - I think you can take 86.43% of the guess work out of RPE by using VBT.

[@PRsPerformance]

I actually have a VBT device and have some lifters who use one. I’ve messed around with it, but there are some limitations to it that I’m not a fan of. And to a degree, I think too much objectivity can be bad for lifters. The mental side of lifting is huge and there is been to subjectivity at times. Where I have found benefit is as a supplement tool to add objectivity to RPE. But just not as the primary guiding factor.

[@thomasashbrook9896]

@@PRsPerformance I see that. For the sake of conversation and n=1 experience. It has given me two distinct things (probably says more about me than anything else!). first, when it is attached, I do move with more purpose and technique even on the warmups. Secondly, it has shown me, according to my velocity profile, that my RPE/RIR is not accurate. To your point I think objectivity versus subjectivity can play a huge part in a lifter psyche. For example, a set of back squats at 150kg for 5 I think is a 9 RPE when I am done but if you gave it to me for a set of 6 I would have said it was a 9 as well. I now, using velocity profiles, have a very good idea of my RIR based on velocity and know, roughly my 1RM terminal velocity on all three lifts. I also know how my warmups, say after a deload week, are moving and can adjust very accurately. Yes, part art and part science. I get your point and think it depends on the mentality of the lifter. The same for RPE but it does augment and inform. Not arguing so don’t take it in any other way the good discussion/always learning!

[@sigurdlindholm7203]

Top tier powerlifting content right there!

[@PRsPerformance]

Thank you!

[@zachbird2465]

Videos like this give great perspective for when I’m tinkering with your free program. Awesome stuff as always, thanks Steve!

[@PRsPerformance]

My pleasure!

[@Hugh_jazz001]

Hey! I know I’m late to comment so I’ll try to make this as short as possible. I saw your video right after finishing my first Microcycle in this intensity meso. In short i pretty much overshot almost all my sbd sets. I overshot my bench and sumo deadlift singles by around 1 rpe (instead of 5,5, 6,5/7) because I programmed them based off of last cycles week 4 single like you said most people shouldn’t do. So what do I do now? How should I program/progress? You don’t have to put us really appreciate an answer, thanks!

[@PRsPerformance]

There is a lot more info I would need to give an answer to this, but simply put, auto regulate down of it was too heavy.

[@Hugh_jazz001]

@@PRsPerformance alright thanks. I’m a person that likes to include a lot of detail but I didn’t want to bother you since I’m not a client

[@Hugh_jazz001]

@@PRsPerformance but auto regulating down next Microcycle will set me back by 2 weeks and I’ll be lucky if I hit the numbers of my last block without messing up my rpe. Isn’t there a way around it?

[@idonthavetiktok4473]

The Godfather of powerlifting community. Thanks coach ❤

[@PRsPerformance]

Your username is 🐐‘d

[@idonthavetiktok4473]

@@PRsPerformance lol. Thanks coach 😂

[@adamdpeeler]

Team overshoot checking in

[@PRsPerformance]

Team overshoot for the win!

[@fazzolarijames]

Excellent video

[@PRsPerformance]

Thank you!

[@MrEverisforever]

Loved it! Great video! I feel like that idiot now for programing how I was 😅

[@PRsPerformance]

Thank you!

[@miguelvillarreal2149]

So instead of thinking of a progression as @ 6, 7, 8, 9 we could do 5-5.5, 6.5-7, 7.5-8, 9 to allow for room to grow? As someone whose E1RM drops throughout the block and tanks on Week4 this was eye-opening. Probably started too heavy. Great video Steve!

[@PRsPerformance]

The RPEs where were just examples, but more so it’s understanding that a 6 RPE week 1 is not the same as 6 RPE at the end of the block after adaptations have occurred and you are likely stronger. But yes, you could also make bigger jumps weekly and start the block off slower/lighter if you tend to sputter out too soon.

[@jakehansen7825]

Thank you Steve!

[@PRsPerformance]

Welcome!

[@estebanmontoya2992]

Have you ever tested being less aggressive with progression on each meso, so keeping RPE more static and having to deload less often? I can’t think a reason for this other option not to work or even be better in the long term

[@PRsPerformance]

Yes that is more along the lines of what I used to do. And if anything I found people had to deload more often, as with the bigger weekly jumps the earlier weeks allow more recovery.

[@MrCatgroove]

Just reached the end of week 2 of my current block and I had to repeat the exact loads at a similar RPE as the previous week, getting a E1RM better than my actual maxes. This is a repeating pattern, so this got me thinking that I should probably start lighter and/or use bigger jumps (like a 1 RPE instead of .5 like I'm currently doing). Then this video shows up two days later. Great work as always Steve.

[@PRsPerformance]

This is a perfect example! Yep, I'd likely do 1 RPE jumps, but also just know that week 1 is likely not going to have the same output as later in the block, so better to start conservative to allow for room to progress than start too heavy and have nowhere to go.

[@rainjango4410]

Do you alter the 1rm percentage decrease from block to block? Does it matter that much if you decrease by too much? Ive chose 90% with 3.33333 increases from week to week and i finally feel like I've done a real rpe 6 But im afraid that 10% might be too strong for every block?.

[@PRsPerformance]

No I do not typically adjust the back off % if it’s working well.

[@jakehansen7825]

hey steve so in this instance where your progressing 13% from week 1 to week 4, and let’s say you also deload to end the block by reducing weight in the bar by -10% as an example, do you every have lifters who have a lighter week 1 then there deload week is. I feel like a setup like that could still work well for a deload week because reps are reduced as well as set count but just curious if you have ever ran into that before. Thanks

[@PRsPerformance]

Yes that is possible, because a deload week isn’t only about an intensity drop, it’s also about a volume drop.

[@timodesmit4197]

When you run the same reps and rpe structure for 2 blocks, do you expect the weight of week 1 to be the same for both blocks? Since you start the second block at the same rpe and reps you started the first block and you account for the adaptation within the block.

[@PRsPerformance]

RPE is a way to auto regulate, so if they got stronger they should be able to do more at the same RPE. If they stayed the same strength, repeat.

[@timodesmit4197]

@@PRsPerformance I was thinking that as well, but got a little bit confused at the part 11:19 where the athlete hits RPE 5 as planned but because the e1rm outperformed week 4 previous block e1rm that 150 might been to heavy to start that block. If the athlete hits RPE 5 as planned in week 1 and block progression stalls, maybe RPE 5 is too high to start the block with for this athlete?

[@johnloschiavo1206]

Is this how you've programmed bottom and top ranges in your 15 week intermediate program? Or is it based on a static max? Awesome work! Thanks 😀

[@PRsPerformance]

Free program is static due to it being a template. This video is more about what I'd be doing for individual lifters I coach as I learn their training.

[@kushkiosk2613]

If your backdowns are based off of your 1RM (70%, 72% etc), Should they be % of the static number or the variable number?

[@PRsPerformance]

They can be either, I program it both ways depending on the situation.

[@semiferal816]

@@PRsPerformance for back downs my coach does both simultaneously. Giving a load range (say example 3x5@75-80%) as well as an RPE. So you hit that RPE, but also are given and idea of an ideal top-end loading range I should be aiming for

[@chronicell998]

Do your clients who wave load have a higher % decrease in 1 rep max for week 1 than those who deload?

[@PRsPerformance]

No, not necessarily

[@chronicell998]

@@PRsPerformance in the waveloaders go straight from week 4 into week 1 where as deloaders have a week 5 before they go into week 1 - would this extra week not allow for more adaptation before starting again?

[@_KaushalSingh]

I not understanded HIGH PERFORMER FOECES PROGESSION can you explain me

[@PRsPerformance]

I am confused on what you are asking

[@_KaushalSingh]

The second one (high performance people which forcing progression).starting week 1 little high and get declined performance on week 4

[@sebastianadamczyk9561]

More videos like this! :)

[@PRsPerformance]

I’ll do my best!

[@sebastianadamczyk9561]

@@PRsPerformance By the way, I used your method of giving myself ranges and 3% jump for 1 RPE for more than 1.5 years but I quickly realized that I need to go more conservative on the first two weeks and can only push it on weeks 3 and 4. So while on paper it may seem like 3% jump per week in actuality it is more because in the first two weeks I never go above the middle of the range, usually going below and conversely, in the last two weeks I never go below the middle of the range and push it harder, especially on the last week, if I can.

[@sebastianadamczyk9561]

@@PRsPerformance And for video topics, you talk a lot about the main lift and variations programming but something that is less talked about is accessories programming. You could talk more about that.

[@KingKyzdg]

Can we have a scenario where the weight and rpe are static but we look to progress in reps? for example, 130kgs 3-6reps @8rpe. Then we look to add weight when we hit 6 reps @8rpe.

[@PRsPerformance]

Yes you could, just not something I usually implement myself.

[@ArtlantisDE]

new video = at least 10kg more 1RM in all lifts

[@PRsPerformance]

Now I just need that kind of magic to work for my own lifts haha!