Progressive Volume Training Week 3
This week featured two additional sets per muscle group. And I focused on pushing for 1-2 more reps per set. Here’s which muscle groups improved the most.
I continued the workout volume progression by adding two more sets per muscle group, going from 12 to 14. For most muscle groups, this was two exercises with five sets and one with four sets.
I kept the weight the same on all but a few of the exercises to get a better feel of the impact of volume instead of load.
As usual, I recorded the number of sets, weight lifted (load), and the reps per set. Then, I added up the total weight or load lifted for the week.
Progressive Volume Training Week 2 vs Week 3
| Week 1 | Week 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Sets | 136 | 160 (+18%) |
| Total Load | 308,814 | 504,532 (+63%) |
This week, the total workout volume increased by 18% with the added sets, which is on par with last week. However, the total load increased by a whopping 63%.
I was surprised by this big jump because I didn’t increase the weight on as many exercises as I did the previous week. But I did make it a point to push for 1-2 more reps on every set.
Therefore, the reps and sets contribute more to the overall work completed than simply adding another 10 pounds each week.
I’ve found that tracking the average work done per set provides a good insight into the increase in workload, independent of the increase in volume. The table below shows the average weight, reps, and work done per set.
Weekly Change By Muscle Group
| Muscle Group | Avg Weight Lifted | Avg Reps Completed | Work Done Per Set |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triceps | +1% | +8% | +8% |
| Biceps | +0% | +4% | +5% |
| Chest | +0% | +5% | +4% |
| Side Delt | +0% | +6% | +5% |
| Back | +2% | +7% | +7% |
| Rear Delt | +0% | +5% | +6% |
| Quads | +0% | +15% | +19% |
| Abs | +0% | +3% | +3% |
| Hamstrings | +5% | +7% | +11% |
| Calves | +4% | -2% | +2% |
As you can see, the increase in work done was primarily due to the additional reps this week. Although my legs responded well to increases in weight and reps.
The other thing this data tells me is that I have not yet hit the wall in terms of training volume. I’m still progressing in every muscle group, which is excellent.
In week four, I will up the volume to 16 sets per muscle group (32 sets for arms). I might also add 3-5% more weight on exercises where I consistently get more than 12 reps.
Next week should put me at the maximum recoverable volume (MRV) for most muscle groups. So, I will continue tracking this data along with my recovery metrics to see if my performance plateaus.
