Percentages and How to Improve Week to Week

Analysis on weight progression week to week

EXERCISE

Evan Walsh

4/10/20242 min read

pen om paper
pen om paper

There are a few ways to check progress in the gym. Some of the most common are weight, shoulder to waist ratio, body fat percentage, and of course, increases in the weight you can lift. When training to increase a one rep max, it is advisable to train primarily in the 1-5 rep range (I personally strive for 1-3) in order to lift heavier amounts of weight while not gassing yourself out by doing sets of high repetition. Ideally, a lifter will have tested his max lifts before starting a new powerlifting/strength program in order to plan out his/her workouts with greater detail. I personally tend to max my lifts over the course of a week, and then take advantage of a deload week before starting a program. I have found that this allows for a “fresh start” at the beginning of a new and oftentimes grueling program. Now, let’s dive into the percentages and gauge an average starting point for your lifts. I generally begin my week 1 looking to perform 3 tops sets at a weight around 88.5-90% of my 1RM. These sets consist of 1-3 reps where I am pushing myself up to the brink of failure, while still maintaining form and focusing on the speed with which I can move the weight. Let's say for example, I tested a 400lb squat, 300lb bench, and 500lb deadlift before starting the program. That means that for my week 1 top sets, my squat would be 355-360, my bench would be 265-270, and my deadlift would be 440-450. I would expect these weights to be challenging, but at the same time still doable for the 1-3 rep range while maintaining proper form. I would record my lifts, and use that data to increase going into the next week. Now, this is where it gets tricky and “general standards” come into play. Many sources will recommend a 5-10% increase in the weight going into the next week. I would recommend that you listen to your body and try to shoot for the same rep ranges from the week before with whatever weight you can achieve this with. Sometimes I can squat 355 for 3, 2, 2 one week and the next week use 375 as my weight. Other times, I may only jump up to 360. The key is to always leave room for improvement. If you push yourself to absolute failure on week 1 and squeeze out a certain amount of reps with less than stellar form, it will honestly be very difficult to show a considerable improvement just 7 days later. The main focus of powerlifting should be to always improve week after week, whether in terms of weight or reps. This is why I would recommend (especially if you are new to powerlifting/strength training) using 2.5-5% increases in weight from week to week. This approach gets you used to seeing week to week improvements, and reduces the chance of you gassing out or becoming discouraged. Overall, when it comes to powerlifting, you want to avoid unnecessary fatigue and plateaus. The best way to do this is to be diligent with your percentages, and frequently retest maxes (at least once every 6-10 weeks). As long as you increase the weight (even if just by a few pounds) and maintain competition form, you will no doubt see improvement in your 1RM by the end of your program. Just stay consistent and listen to your body!