Progressive Volume Training Week 2
I added more volume for every muscle group this week. But did my workload actually increase? Let’s find out.
In week two of the progressive volume program, I added two additional sets per muscle group, going from 10 to 12. For most muscle groups, this was three exercises with four sets each.
I also bumped up the weight slightly on some exercises if it was too easy the previous week. As a result, the total workload increased significantly.
To determine how much work my muscles did, I recorded the number of sets, weight lifted (load), and the reps per set. The total load is the sum of all the weight lifted on every rep.
Progressive Volume Training Week 1 vs Week 2
| Week 1 | Week 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Sets | 114 | 136 (+16%) |
| Total Load | 278,312 | 308,814 (+10%) |
As expected, the total workout volume increased by 16% with the added sets. The total load also increased by 10%.
It’s possible the total load didn’t increase as much as the volume because I was getting fewer reps due to the increase in weight on some exercises. Or it could be a sign that my muscles weren’t fully recovered between workouts.
To determine which is the case, I decided to look at the work done by individual muscle groups from week one to week two. Now we can see the weekly change in weight lifted, reps completed, and work done per set.
Weekly Change By Muscle Group
| Muscle Group | Avg Weight Lifted | Avg Reps Completed | Work Done Per Set |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triceps | +6% | -9% | -6% |
| Biceps | +4% | +0% | -1% |
| Chest | +0% | +4% | +4% |
| Side Delt | +0% | +21% | +14% |
| Back | +0% | +2% | +5% |
| Rear Delt | +0% | +13% | +16% |
| Quads | +3% | +1% | +9% |
| Abs | +0% | +1% | -1% |
| Hamstrings | +5% | +2% | +16% |
| Calves | +0% | +8% | +8% |
This table shows that the work done per set only decreased for the triceps and slightly for the biceps and abs. All other muscle groups performed more work per set and for the week.
There are also outside factors that can affect how much work you’re able to output in a workout. For example, shorter or longer rest periods can significantly change how many reps you get at a given weight.
I’ve been using a stopwatch to control rest periods as much as possible. But I realized my week one arm workout had longer breaks because I was helping my wife set up her Peloton account. In week 2, my rest periods were 60 seconds between sets.
This intensity change could explain the drop in workload for the triceps especially. But it could also be that the volume is just too much. I’m not as concerned with volume for abs because I only did 8 sets.
In week 3, I will continue tracking this data to determine if and when I hit the maximum recoverable volume wall. See you then!
