3 Ideas For Tougher Workouts

Are you on exercise autopilot? After every set do you add a
10-pounder to each side of the bar before you can say, "Please spot
me, Jamie Eason?" Then it's time to consider some new ways to step
up your workout. Alwyn Cosgrove has got some great ideas about the
subject.

The Path To Progress

Most people use a single variable to progress in their weight
training – load lifted. There's nothing wrong with that, but
eventually you reach a ceiling when you simply can't add more
weight to an exercise.

In a typical training program, we have exercise order, exercise
selection, sets, reps, tempo, rest period and load. Here's a small
sample workout below. Let's go over three progression methods and
see how each changes the workout.

Sample Workout

1A) Squat – 3 sets of 6 reps (3x6) with 90 seconds rest, using
200 pounds

1B) Dumbbell bench press – 3x6 with 90 seconds rest, using 50
pounds

Workout Volume (sets x reps x weight): Squat 3600 pounds.
Dumbbell bench press 1800 pounds. Total 5400 pounds.

Assuming each set takes a minute, the workout is done in 15
minutes.

Most people would just increase the load each week. But instead,
we could add an additional rep next workout. Or add an additional
set. Or maybe we cut the rest period down, and with the extra time
we can add more exercises or even back-off sets.

Method #1: Add Reps

Add one rep to each set of each exercise.

1A) Squat – 3x7 with 90 seconds rest, using 200
pounds

1B) Dumbbell bench press – 3x7 with 90 seconds rest, using 50
pounds

Workout Volume: Squat 4200 pounds. Dumbbell bench press 2100
pounds. Total 6300 pounds.

You can always get one more rep.

Method #2: Add Sets

Add one set to each exercise.

1A) Squat – 4x6 with 90 seconds rest, using 200
pounds

1B) Dumbbell bench press – 4x6 with 90 seconds rest, using 50
pounds

Workout Volume: Squat 4800 pounds. Dumbbell bench press 2400
pounds. Total 7200 pounds.

Do a little more work than the next guy.

Method #3: Reduce Rest Periods

Decrease the rest between each set.

1A) Squat – 3x6 with 75 seconds rest, using 200
pounds

1B) Dumbbell bench press – 3x6 with 75 seconds rest, using 50
pounds

Workout Volume: Squat 3600 pounds. Dumbbell bench press 1800
pounds. Total 5400 pounds.

Assuming each set takes a minute, the workout is now done in
13.5 minutes.

Let's Put It All Together

Week one: Workout as described. 3x6 with 90 seconds
rest.

Week two: Increase the reps on each set by one. 3x7 with 90
seconds rest.

Week three: Maintain the reps, add one set per exercise. 4x7
with 90 seconds rest.

Week four: Reduce each rest period by 15 seconds per set. 4x7
with 75 seconds rest.

This will take us from week one's total volume of 5400 pounds in
15 minutes to a total volume of 8400 pounds in 18 minutes, with an
increase in workout density from doing those two extra sets. That's
55% more work in only three more minutes, or over 100 pounds of
additional work per minute training.

Obviously this is a huge increase in the total work done
without having to add any weight to the bar. So even if you're in a
situation where your home gym doesn't have any extra weight, you
can still make great progress. I haven't even changed exercise
order, exercise selection, rep tempo or load, yet I still managed
to create a more challenging workout.

This would not be a more challenging
workout.

In Conclusion

Hopefully you see the benefits of implementing different methods
of progression rather than just increasing load all the time. The
key to progress is overload and there are various ways of
getting there. Just make sure you're moving forward every step of
the way.