The BEST Way to Progressive Overload

Is there a best way to progressive overload to build muscle? Two common ways are to increase load or repetition numbers. A 2022 paper out the USA compared these two progressive overload methods for muscle growth. The results? both produced very similar muscle hypertrophy overall.

[@samaanalkhaldi2364]

This short video really summarizes lots of videos hours for bodybuilding 👍

[@Muphenz]

I'm a fan of double progression method. Ex: If I'm doing 3 x 8-10 on an exercise, I'll do 3 sets of 8 reps on day 1, then 3 sets of 9 reps the next day I perform that the same exercise, and do 3 sets of 10 reps on the 3rd day of that exercise. Once I reach the maximum range (in this case 10 reps), then I'll increase my weight and repeat with the lowest number in the rep range (in this case 8 reps). Keep up the amazing content as always!!

[@rainerwahnsinn9585]

I never made it in another way...just 5-10 and a 4th set(the old max)

[@PsychOnLocko]

Man. I can not tell you how glad I am for finding you. You are doing great work, thank you.

[@HouseofHypertrophy]

Thank you so much, welcome to the House of Hypertrophy!

[@xz9908]

My rule for progressive overload is simple. As certain exercises aren’t as efficient in wider rep ranges to the fact that some other muscles or conditions become the limiting factor (heavy rep squat, low rep leg extensions) I keep the rep range to be be the first variable then increase load and repeat. Once I reach the top of that rep range I increase load in order to reach the top of the rep range again and again

[@steve4017]

it's best to combine both and write down sets and reps.

[@sayanbiswas_sports]

Really great to see this channel is booming. 1 million subscribers soon bro. Would love to help you if you need

[@HouseofHypertrophy]

Thank you my friend! :)

[@namazbaiishmakhametov1810]

And another interesting outcome (at least for me) is that while 35 is still hypertrophic, I can hardly imagine anyone doing 30+ deadlifts or bent over rows, they are just too taxing, so I’ll still keep 12 as absolute upper limit for compounds. But it’s great that there is huge range variability for accessories, imagine pushing French press or barbell curl all the way up to 20-25 and still getting hyper trophy while preserving your tendons and ligaments. I’d rather up my weight after achieving 20 reps for French press since it will take few weeks to let tendons strengthen and keep up with muscle strength gain!

[@Kalvi]

Rest Pause is a good way

[@joshyazdi5078]

Would’ve been nice if increasing set numbers was another variable, although I imagine it would have a similar effect

[@DSweashox]

I don't know about that, we need a video,

[@espinhudobr]

if we consider volume as reps x sets = how much you've lifted then why not? although increasing set will increase time on gym

[@atharvabhosale3529]

A mixed approach is safer you could say, for example let's say I'm doing 3x8 of RDLs instead of increasing the weights I'll try to increase my reps to 15 per set that way I'm sure that the weight is "easy" enough for me due to which I get a confirmation to increase the weight next session or next week and repeat tge process till I max out reps on that certain weight. The reason you will be safe is this method will stop you from ego lifting

[@gushernandez25]

I sort of do a mixture of things. I start of with heavy lifting 3 sets/12 reps then I go to the assited machine for that particular muscle and start with heavier weights, do 10 reps and drop a weight after every 10 reps until I reach a particular weight and then do as many as I can (around 35-50 reps) on the last liggt weight until failure.

[@salvadorramirez4114]

Don't forget time under tension or holds

[@danielcastaneda7366]

I'm inclined to believe that rep ranges are irrelevant for hypertrophy. It's more about TUT. However, to improve strength, one must either increase the reps, weight, or both.

[@CarlosAM1]

I always set a certain rep range as my "maximum", usually 10 or 11, in every workout I try to get at least 1 more rep than the last workout, once I hit 10 or 11 reps, I increase the weight. I really don't like the idea of doing more than 12 reps

[@espinhudobr]

The problem is when your next session of a given muscle group come and you do lower reps than your previous workout session

[@CarlosAM1]

@@espinhudobr Why would that be a problem?

[@clap_lmao]

load is usually better for other factors. for example if you do 35 reps vs increase load you’d have: - more cardio fatigue - more time spent at the gym

[@nygeek6471]

Look at the variation in the data. Some people didn’t gain on either group. Some were hyper responders in both groups. The “results” are just an average. Try both and see what works for you.

[@Jameson-666]

At a certain point, adding more reps becomes cardio.

[@MrOrthodox13]

This is a great question for a wider study, it sounds like a mathematical problem that 8-12 rep count solves perfectly.

[@cheukinator]

Fatigue on the cns means reps not optimal

[@rainerwahnsinn9585]

If I train power, I can repeat , at lower weight more then before...If I train repetition I can´t repeat higher weights more...for knowing this ,I don´t need any study

[@SeuOu]

Can you imagine adding reps to your deadlifts until you were doing sets of 35? 😂

[@MikavS-g7k]

I HATE high reps. I just do 5-8 reps and increase the weight if I hit 8

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

Respectfully, without strictly defining what defines a rep there's no way to make any sense of these statements. 6-35 strict reps results in a wildly different Time Under Load compared to 6-35 reckless fast reps. So ultimately it's about that Time Under Load (to failure), and that range, regardless of reps, tends to be 45-75 seconds for most individuals for optimal sustained gains.

[@HouseofHypertrophy]

This is indeed true, but most people's natural assumption is a rep = lifting and lowering with a normal tempo (perhaps 1-2 seconds lifting and 1-2 seconds lowering). This is what the studies behind that data tended to use, hence in a short such as this, expanding on it is probably not needed as most people's assumption is correct :)

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

@@HouseofHypertrophy Thanks for the reply. So would you say that a 1+2 sec rep is about as fast as a trained subject can perform a repetition? On the low end 6 rep set recommendation, that would be an 18 second set; and at an even modestly slow rep cadence of 4+4 would result in a more than a 4½ minute set. Both of those scenarios, the very quick and the very long set, would seem very undesirable and not to be recommended. So again it boils down to Time Under Load to failure.

[@dynaspinner64]

Trying to count the lifting tempo is honestly quite tiresome and kinda pointless. Just go by instinct. Generally exploding on the concentric and slowing the eccentric is a good rule. And another problem is that as you approach failure, the positive part of the movement tends to take a long time anyways so you can't strictly define a rep. It may also vary from different exercises.

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

@@dynaspinner64 I strongly disagree with all of that other than the cadence of last repetition skewing that rep count, hence the emphasis on Time Under Load to failure; which admittedly requires a stopwatch to be dead on accurate, but can be roughly determined by knowing how long your rep range generally takes, and then estimating your TUL by counting reps. It's really not that hard.

[@gonzayare]

You have to set a reference point where you reach 0-3 reps to failure, if your time under tension is 2 seconds to reach 20 reps to failure, then your progression could be noticeable if you can do the same 20 reps but now with 0.5 seconds under tension, nevertheless the best way to know the progression is if you can make more than 20 reps with the same reference point you made. Total time under load isn't meaningful at the time range you claim, there isn't meta analysis suggestion such thing but there are actual papers proving a wide range from 0.5s to 6 seconds under tension is equally good for hypertrophy while you reach 3-0 reps to failure. You can make all your training under 30 seconds for time under load in every single set and still get the best optimal results. The proper mechanical tension is there so you can recruit all types of muscle fibers.

[@ThatGamerDude9000]

Basically if you do too many reps too quickly, it's cardio, not spot muscle building. That's why you increase the load.

[@yellow1612]

Glad your channel is doing great now days!

[@HouseofHypertrophy]

Thank you my friend, I appeciate your support!

[@yellow1612]

@@HouseofHypertrophy np

[@theosouzadeoliveira5454]

If I can't add reps or weights, I like making the reps slower to increase the time under tension

[@yellow1612]

And the opposite of that, which also adds difficulty is doing the reps faster

[@audinionkundesu]

@@yellow1612from my experience that is not true. Doing faster reps lead to minimal tension since the muscle is changing from eccentric to concentric too quick to even stimulate the muscle compared to if you just slow down. You’d just add more reps of less quality if you’d go faster… But that’s on the topic of hypertrophy. Maybe you mean it’s effectiveness in endurance training since I could see that be the case.

[@thahardcoregamergstorm7779]

@@audinionkundesu fast reps are an advanced technique to add intensity ,its called compensatory training , watch joe weiders oldcschool bodybuilding tape series. happy holidays , happy lifting bros

[@frv6610]

it depends on how you do it faster though, the style can affect the time under tension. For example if you bend down to take a barbell to do a biceps curl from the floor and already from the floor start curling as fast as you can but time it so that you achieve one full curl just when reach a straight standing position, this will be a different "heavier" fast biceps curl compared to a regular one.

[@yellow1612]

@@audinionkundesu Well i still think that doing a rep faster will be more difficult, the thing is with that tho, that you only go faster. When most people go faster they also swing, use momentum, slack on form, or even range of motion. If you only go faster, do it strictly and properly, I think it would add difficulty to the exercise.

[@guyandahalf7844]

Adding reps literally just takes longer so at a certain point it’s kind of a waste of time

[@dynaspinner64]

Doing both is great. But progressivr overload shouldn't be the long term goal rather a product of hypertrophy. Don't force it, let it happen as you train. The tendency to cheat or undermine other factors for muscle growth by having progressive overload anxiety isn't a good idea.

[@HouseofHypertrophy]

100% agree. I like to think of progressive overload as a cycle: a challenging training session produces muscle and strength gains, these gains enable you to apply progressive overload, and in turn, this progressive overload sustains a challenging training session :)

[@dynaspinner64]

@@HouseofHypertrophy True. But as one advanced in their training years, it becomes a lot slower to increase weights or reps session by session or for multiple sessions. Sticking to the same weight and "mastering" it is generally better - pause reps, slower eccentrics, modifying technique, etc.

[@vvlaunay]

It does not matter, effort is effort, load, reps, tempo, anything can be progressive to maintain effort at a maximum or near maximum level.

[@dynaspinner64]

@@vvlaunay It does matter as you grow in training years and you can't add a rep or increment the load session by session. You can't always "train harder than last time" in such situations. And there may be sessions where some drop in performance may happen due to variables. In that case, you can't train harder than last time but you still stimulated growth if you got 0-3 reps from failure/to failure.

[@morecharacterswithamix9067]

@@dynaspinner64 Well put. Especially as you age, injury prevention should be the non negotiable factor while pursuing higher levels of intensity. I believe around 7 years of consistent training and decent diet, you have probably gained 80 - 90% ish of your natural muscle limit (assuming no PEDs). After that much higher levels of intensity, higher risk of injury, and longer rest periods are needed to extract that last 10 ish percent. Probably not worth it and just maintain. I do like to use drop sets, rest pause, and combination of the two for increasing intensity. Another tool I use is exercise sequence. One physically and mentally challenging one is doing something like barbell back squats as the very last exercise. Way harder and you don't need as much weight but your legs are jelly lol.

[@kaju_zzz0264]

In my opinion it’s best to combine both by increasing weight when you can do more reps than your chosen rep range but at the same time you shouldn’t be scared to do more reps than the rep range as long as you’re reaching failure or coming clise to failure in most sets

[@andydelassus2734]

Both!

[@HouseofHypertrophy]

Yep, certainly the most straightforward (especially in the very long-term). But it's good to know on a short time scale, you can pick either if you have a preference :)

[@aditussomnus]

I'm I doing it wrong? I increase the number of reps but lowering the weight to increase the fatigue to an extended failure. 🤔

[@marztar]

Man i wish humans looked like these images. Bioluminescence as a result of gene manipulation should already be a thing. Clothes are wasteful.

[@vekonglengkong]

More shorts like this 👍 it really summarize all your videos 👌

[@Vapor.Steve77]

You can only incrase so many reps but at the same time you can only add so much load without compromising technique (which in my opinion is crucial) maybe add some reps until you need to add load?

[@Johnpdf]

35 reps is crazy id never go above 15 personally unless its calves but if it works i guess

[@lucashenriques4242]

More than 5 reps is cardio !

[@mannyblackstar]

These videos look mesmerizing always ❤

[@incrementum221]

Man C3PO really got ripped!

[@moretrenmoremen9148]

As always W channel

[@andrewkerr5797]

So ŵork up to 35 reps than add weight.or add another variable.

[@ThiccEagle]

Bro who’s repping up to 35? I never go beyond 12 for any exercise