5 Ways to Make Consistent Progress

Have you ever followed an exercise/training program for multiple weeks and saw great results and then those same results seem to diminish over time?

Yeah me too.

Frustrating isn’t it? BUT the good news is this can be solved by making sure that progressions are built into your training program.

Progressions can be anything that allows you to make progress in some area over the course of your training program.

Whatever you choose - whether it be increasing weight, reps, a more difficult exercise, tempo, etc - you have to make sure you are constantly progressing otherwise your body will learn and and stop adapting/changing (i.e. you’ll stop getting results).

So how do you make sure you are progressing each time? Obviously we can’t always add on more weight or else anyone who’s been lifting consistently for a few years would be incredibly strong(laugh face)

There are a few factors you can look at within your workout. Below are a 5 ways to progress and how to use them in your training program:

Load: increase the amount of weight/resistance you use is the most common way to progress an exercise.
Ex. If you do 3 sets of 20 walking lunges with 20lbs one week, the next week you would keep all other variables the same (3 sets of 20) but with 22.5 or 25lbs.

Volume: This means performing more reps or sets (at the same or almost the same weight).
Ex. 3 sets of 10 shoulder raises one week with 10lbs, and the next week you would try for 3 sets of 12 reps (at the same weight) OR 4 sets of 10 (at the same weight).

Rest time: Performing the same amount of work but in less time - i.e. shortening your rest periods.
Ex. 3 sets of 10 reps with a 90 second break between sets one week, then the next week you would perform 3 sets of 10 reps with the same weight but take a 60 second break between sets.

Stability: By decreasing stability it can make an exercise much more challenging.
Ex. performing 3 sets of 20 split squats with 20lbs one week - the next week keep all variables the same but put your foot onto a step/ or bench (Bulgarian split squat) to decrease the stability and make it more of a challenge.

Tempo/TUT (time under tension): When you slow down the tempo of an exercise, it increases the time under tension for the muscle(s) working.
Ex. if you perform a lunge for 3 sets of 20 reps at 20lbs with a 1011 tempo (1 second down, 0 second at the bottom, 1 second up and 1 second at the top) which approx. 3 seconds per leg - then next week you could perform 3 sets of 20 reps with 20lbs at a tempo of 2111 (2 seconds down, 1 second at the bottom, 1 second up, 1 second at the top) which is approx. 5 seconds per leg and this increases your total time under tension.
I love adding static holds because they are a great way to “feel” what the correct position feels like, as well as work on controlling your body without having to move up and down.

These are 5 ways to change your workouts so you can ensure you are consistently making progress with your workouts.