Great message Alex! It's so important to have realistic rates of progression to prevent unnecessary program hopping. By coincidence I released a video about this same issue today 👊
Awesome Faz, I'll link your video here! ua-cam.com/video/rbdAP_W3TRk/v-deo.html Program hopping is usually correlated with false expectations of "slow progress".
@@AlexLeonidas thanks for the love Alex! These are my favourite types of topics because they can really help in getting trainees moving in the right direction!
I’ve been feeling discouraged for months despite getting high volume, 0-1 RIR, great sleep, great stretch/form, and on point nutrition. This is 100% what I needed to hear. Thank you so much man.
By logic a novice would still gain a few lb of muscle per month just by adding a rep per session no? I always wondered if this worked Like If I benched 90lb and could only get 8 but I dedicated few months and got it to 39 reps. Wouldn't I be just as strong than if I did 3-5 x5
Bro this is easily one of your best videos. I relate to a lot of the problems, mistakes and thoughts you described here. This one’s gonna help so many escape the trap of staying late intermediate forever.
Long term progress. Belief. Not motivation but drive is what sets apart elites from advanced lifters. Exercising for decades going after it no matter how hard it gets. Getting back when you lost gains or got sick and gaining back strength and size.
Thanks Alex, I was feeling down due to adding "only" 2 reps to my incline dumbell press over 2 months, just need to be patient and over a longer period of time the gains will surely keep coming
One rep per month is par for the course once you're intermediate. Even that seems fast as you home in on advanced. Imagine going from a 225x5 to 225x17 bench in a year by that metric. I'm not saying it is impossible, but I would argue that is definitely not the standard rate of progression.
UPDATE: After 3 months of constant training went from dumbell incline pressing (30° angle) 20 kg for 10 to 22,5kg for 10 (1-2 RIR). So bros keep adding one rep is really the truth and is an amazing improvement. Keep grinding brothers! (also used different bench angles and rep ranges in these 3 months)
Its all in the stretch. This mean staying down in the bottom position and feel it stretch for a few sec every rep. Have youre legs as straight at you can. A small bend i the kne will take away from the stretch. Hyper mobile kne is acctually a + here. I find doing it in the legpress give more support for the rest of the body and makes it more easy to but all the effort in to the legs. Train then like all other muscle group. Right now I do them 2 times a week. One medium day with 8 reps, and on light day with 12-15reps I have bad calf genetics with a realy high insertion, but this have given my above average calfs.
@@ShaneBoy same I had twig calves +high insertions and doing a pause in the bottom and top end of the ROM was a game changer. Also doing them with super heavy weights for some months, light weights with others. I like working all them rep ranges lol
I use dynamic double progression throughout all of my training. I was impatient, I remember when I hit 225lbs for 3 and I was wondering why I was not adding a rep each week. I was not plateaued, it was simply the percentage and the fact is was going to take me 2-3 weeks to add a rep at that weight!
In line with the philosophy of “milking the gains” & letting “strength to come to you, rather than chasing it!” Amazing & uplifting content as always. Thank you.🙏🏻
This is so relatable, and I've definitely been on both sides of this. When I was in my early 20s, I was constantly spinning my wheels. Switching from a cut to a bulk and vice versa every few weeks, hopping programs like crazy, etc., all because it felt like nothing was working quickly enough. And of course, my impatience was what ACTUALLY made my progress slow. Fast-forward about 5 years, I was forced to embrace "slow" progress because I was working with a lot of joint issues. I even bought and would take my little 1.25 lb micro plates to the gym, with sometimes got funny looks and very rarely a comment. But lo and behold, it ended up being my best transformation to date, and my progress did NOT seem slow after about two years. And then you realize that a huge portion of commercial gym goers look nearly the same after a 2 year period. All of this to say that it's a huge blessing to people in fitness to have people like you talk about things like patience, discipline, and getting over yourself. The results that follow take care of themselves!
Felt so good to hear. After 3 years of lifting, I'm currently getting a sustainable 10 to 20% rep increase on each exercise after each 6 weeks block, which I'm really happy with. But most people I've talked to say that I should be getting much more and that something is wrong, to the point where you start to wonder. So your message was really appreciated :) Love your work Alex, keep it up !
I can count the reps I've gained on my OHP over the last several months on one hand. But, each of those was a PR and I've definitely found enjoyment in hitting those. It's definitely keeping me motivated, despite the 'slow' progress. There's a lot of doing the 'same' stuff week to week, and when you feel particularly good, you just smash that next PR. I don't count those weeks as not progressing. I'm preparing for the next PR 💪
Alex, very good video putting into perspective the power of snowballing +1s. Love the idea of being grateful for the gains you do get and how important they are. I consistently remind myself how quickly +1s can add up over time.
Naturally enhanced enjoyer here, and can confirm the benefits of only adding a single rep. I’m at that point In my lifting career and still making gains. 1-5 reps over the course of a 3 week wave will do so much! Cheers, keep up the great work! ✌🏽
I needed to watch this. I'm currently starting my "intermediate" phase after my first 20 lbs of muscle in my first 2 years of serious training. Started a new program and now doing a full bulk instead of novice main gaining.
Been a long time viewer of yours, but this was one of the best for me because I related to your words so much! I've been struggling to add weight to my bench and weighted dips and although I trust the process, it has been a little demotivating. But, what I failed to take pride in were the 2-3 reps I added on all my secondary & accessory work from month to month. Really puts into perspective how much stronger I've gotten, for example DB Seal Rowing 10x15lbs to now 15x20lbs for 3 sets. Thanks Alex!
The thought of adding 50+ lbs to your overall lifts from just adding a rep until you hit 10 reps on a challenge weight is insane and a shame that many people give up when reaching a momentary "plateau"
as someone currently experiencing coming off of newbie gains and slowing progress, this video is very helpful, appreciate the consistently great advice alex
There is only so much you can do as a natty, think about ten years in the future. With multiple bulks and cuts with correct training, you will be at a stage where if your beginner self saw where you were at, the classic response would be inbound “STEROIDS”
Agreed, think longer term. And base your training age, on when you starting lifting seriously. Hitting protein consistently, trackling ALL numbers on everything, proper programming, proper form education etc. I've been lifting seriously for maybe 2 years, with 4-5 less-educated years before that, closing in on 315 bench
Last comment (wanted to leave it here to boost the algo on this one): That Dorian Yates Pressdown hack with the belt really unlocked a new level of strength on Pressdowns FUCK. It felt like taking off the weighted clothing in DBZ. (Even tho ironically I’m weighing myself down) 115 for 9 the first time I tried it - and I already know this is going to scale way higher over time
Sheesh first time and you already beat me by 5lbs! Oh yeah I can see you hitting the upper ratios, say 70% of your bodyweight. Let's continue doing pushdowns with the average man's lat pulldown, then go beyond😂👍 Glad you found value in the dip belt pro tip, finally it's possible to go heavier.
Another great video, Alex! This makes so much more sense now why even adding 1 rep can feel like a ton of extra weight! 20 lbs is no joke to add! I've always known any progress is better than none, but to have an extra number to it puts it in a whole new perspective.
Hey man I’ve been watching you since 2015 and you’ve changed so much physically and mentally . I used to think you did weird exercises and had some quite radical ideas so I didn’t like your information about bulking and training. People on fitmisc etc used to take the piss out of you but you’ve broken their backs many times over. you stuck to your opinions and back them up with evidence and walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Keep up the good work Alex from a converted fan.
I guess this applies to life broadly as well. Those little bits of progress you do in your work add up, and before you know it, you've written that book, made that game, finished that project, no matter what it was. I'm young. I've only got a few things in my life. No wife or kids yet. Things might seem hard, but that's only due to my expectations. It doesn't come instantly. Patience.
Amazing video. Nothing to add to that. Basement Bodybuilding spoke about something similar in a recent video too and it’s nice to see that the Noble Nattys are United by similar principles even though all of you have their unique style of training. Thanks for carving the way for this young community if natural lifters. Keep em coming, banger after banger!
Best fitness video i have seen in a while! You speak from experience thats for sure, and you are inspiration for all natural lifters out there! Keep on going Alex!
Great points you make here. I only recently realized this myself after plugging in my numbers on a one rep max calculator, I realized a 5lb plus a 1 rep increase meant my one rep max increased almost 15 lbs even though it seemed like little progress! When the goalposts are constantly shifting you tend to forget how pumped you would've been just a few months ago about what you can currently do.
One thing I’ll say is to be honest, you can reasonably expect regular plus 1’s on SOMETHING (often times multiple things) even when you’re already jacked. For ex I basically add reps to most things every session. The stuff I grow slower on just need a little extra volume accumulation and then we’re gucci. If we look at training the way we look at level grinding on an RPG, suddenly it all makes sense in that regard
Yup and that's why we can't be mad, even if that SOMETHING is not what we want to improve. It's often the case that we don't get to choose, and that's all good because it's still feeding into the system and long term, it's going to have some degree of carryover/net benefit. Bro natural training is exactly like a hardcore RPG 💯
Hey Alex, just want to thank you for making these vids! Currently 19 years old, been working out for about 1 and a half years seriously, I'm 220 / 6' around 25% bf, my maxes rn are 205 bench, 315 squat and deadlift, 135 ohp (started including these more thanks to you!). Your tips are very helpful especially for me since I have all these years ahead of me, better to be optimal from the start! Can't wait to see how huge I'm going to be in 10 years or so.
Yeah I've thought like this for a while. Being stuck on a 100kg deadlift is definitely a super concerning plateau, but being "stuck" on a 300kg deadlift is still probably stimulating your muscles a lot because well it's 300 KILOGRAMS!
I'm still rebounding from my cut, so I can expect to gain a lot quickly for a while until I'm back. You're entirely right, though. I always treat each rep in the lower rep ranges with a LOT of reverence. It's also a good reason to try high-rep training. 15, 18, 20, 25... each rep there is not as big of an increase in strength, so it's easier to add one consistently. But it is true that as long as I'm in a surplus, I'm pushing close to my abilities, doing enough volume, and getting enough sleep, I am growing as long as I don't start getting weaker. Then, like you said, comes that "random" (unexpected) +1.
You are also very correct about emphasis on exercises at different times. When I did both weighted dips and OHP, I did both, but alternated which one I wanted to push harder on depending on the circumstances. I always did the same thing: 5 sets of OHP, 2 sets of dips afterwards. But I would occasionally refrain from adding a rep on OHP if I knew I wanted to add one on dips that day, or on the opposite I'd push extra hard on OHP to get that extra rep but only aim to do the same number of reps as I did the previous session on dips. It did get me to 2x15 dips with 180 lbs extra. Something else that helped me a lot was to add reps with 180 as much as I could, then drop the weight to 160, add as many reps as I could, and then back to 180. Alternating like that, milking the rep increases at each weight, worked really well and helped me add reps a bit faster.
I can’t wait to get back to it! I’m addicted to adding Incline Binch. Waited dips with inclines and my chest is round. My strength is slammin right now 💪🏼
What you said is perfectly true. Lately I had some shoulder pain so I ditched the ohp for a few weeks and I did only flat bench and various angles of incline (30-45°). Last week I started to do standing ohp again and I added 2 reps without doing the exercise.
I have deadlifts tomorrow and I'm genuinely a little nervous. Last time I did deadlifts, I was just completely fatigued and I wasn't able to do more than a single rep with my working weight (345 lbs) and then I was unable to pick it up at all again. Must've been partially nervous system, partially poor recovery (I had been at the end of a long cut). 100-something days earlier, I had deadlift 410 lbs. 40-something days before the fiasco, I did 397 while cutting, with a bigger margin of error for sure than I had on 410. It should be alright. I guess, mainly, I don't feel good about not knowing where I'm at with this exercise as it stands. I need to remember what a big accomplishment it was for me to get over that 400 mark in the first place and stop taking it for granted. It'll come back soon. I'm progressing on rows. It's all good.
I totally agree. I stopped progressing 1-3 reps and instead hopped on to 5reps, hitting 315x5 after a year. I then switched to increase one rep per month, and it works great as my muscles grow. Plus one is a jewel when one too blindly pursues one rep max.
Alex is pretty much the only lifter I’m genuinely excited to see 20 years down the line. Obviously it will be past his prime, it happens to everyone, but i guarantee he will have legendary old man strength.
Brother, love your form on the AD press. Moving like a machine. Looking at you makes me realize how many people should UNFUCK their shoulders BEFORE they expect to make significant gains in AD press. Most people I see have their shoulders rounded forward even during he press. How do expect to ever press anything close to 100kg with such form?
Shoot man I’m cutting and my curls have been stalled in weight and reps for like 6 sessions (3 weeks), but it got a LITTLE bit easier every time. Today I finally increased my curls by not 1, but 2 reps! Beast mode!
Preach! Preach! Preach! The gospel of the barbell. I pump my first and hum the final fantasy 3 victory song after EVERY plus 1, because I am always trying my hardest and it’s giving way to more coming through. That’s a level up
Never really thought about it like that. Good way to view progress in the gym. Minor setbacks are temporary in the grand scheme of things. Awesome Video!!
Thank you! This was exactly what I needed to hear today. Been stuck at weighted pull ups +31.5 kg 5x5 for like 2 weeks. Also been unhappy with my dumbbell chest press progression 5x5. Been trying 42.5 kg dumbbells but can't get past 3 reps for the initial set. I have tried reverse pyramid with the first two sets 42.5 kg and then 5 reps with 40 kg. Today I started out with 40 kg and managed 7 reps followed by 6 reps for 3 sets and final set 5 reps. I guess it's in fact progress. Have never managed 7 reps with 40 previously. I wish I had 41 kg dumbbells. A 2.5 kg jump is pretty high I feel. Guess I will continue with 40 kg and see if I progress to 7 reps for most of the set. If I can manage that try 42.5 kg again. Want to be able to do 5x5 with that weight.
This mindset is incredble not only for lifting and making progress in the gym but for life as well Keep grinding keep constant if you growing in a slow or fast pace it dosnt matter since you're still progressing Thanks Alex for this video
One extra rep or 5 additional lbs. to the bar. Those things have always been my metric for progress, and as you mentioned it can sometimes take around a month. Once I could do the 90lb dumbbells on incline for 8-10 reps, it took around 3-4 weeks to add an additional rep for that weight. I got there through doing different rep ranges, rotating exercises (from dumbbell to barbell), and through doing accessories. That sounds slow, but across half a year it was like 5-6 extra reps. That translated to doing the 100s on incline for around 10 reps--tested, not potential. Again, it sounds slow, but progression really grinds to a halt once you're doing the 80s-90s on incline full ROM. If progression continued to be linear and straightforward from there on out, I would be doing the 110s for 10+ reps a further half year down the line. 220 total pounds for 10 on dumbbells. That's heavy stuff. Try to tell me that's slow.
Im learning to love the little 1 rep prs. For my overhead, each workout i got into my records for 1-12 rep maxes and pick whichever one looks easiest to break. I have been hitting am all time pr each week and its making the slow ohp progression feel much better (135->145lbs in 3ish months). Ill probably use this same approach to get my bench from 275 to 300. Thanks as always for the content alex
Great video Alex!! Would be great to see how your standing OHP has responded to the crazy seated OHP progression you had these last months, for the sake of seeing the tranference between exercises. Love from Spain 🥰
After wasting a few months due to shit programs/bad coaches, I decided to fully focus on learning how to lift by myself. I started around 15th of February with 70kg x 6 bench press and I slowly hit my "limit" with 80kg x 5 on 30th of March, while cutting (I still am). Idk what happened but I had the biggest Bench Press plateau ever. Nothing for 3 months, I even slightly injured my pec from trying to force progress. My bench even dropped on some days at 60kg for 5. I decided to take a week off, rework/improve my program and be smarter about maxing out and training. Since early May I've been slowly building up my strength back, also dialed in more on the nutrition side with increasing carbohydrates. Right now my most recent PRs from late June/early July are 75kg x 10, 80kg x 7, 85kg x 3 and 90kg x 1. It's been a long time since I was this happy about progressing and overcoming a struggle. I even feel like I could hit 100kg in the next 2-3 months, that's how confident/surprised I am from my strength surge. Keep grinding and don't quit. Even if you keep lifting lowkey the same weight, but cut fat, your strength is technically going up. I was 100kg ,1.83m , early this year and lifted 80kg (0.8x bodyweight), now at 92 kg weight and 90 x 1, I am basically lifting 1x bodyweight. If I cut another 12kg and lift 100kg once, It would put me in Intermediate. (1.25x bodyweight)
Sometimes it's just about adding one set, if you are REALLY experienced on a exercise, and hey, it's an improvement. I've been benching with 6-7 true heavy sets per session, found a plateau at 310 libs paused, than I started to add another set rpe8-9ish every workout, and reached 325, now I am close to 330 with that same volume. It took a little bit of time, but it is logical, my body adapted to that kind of workout and stopped to respond, added a little bit of stress more, without destroying form and recovery, it kept on growing. I hope to get close to 350 soon.
you know my cross country coach used to always say “trust your training” before every meet, and I never really payed mind to it until recently. when you have good programming and put in genuine effort then the numbers come naturally. even if meet to meet we only saw seconds worth of gains, over the course of the season you look back and you’re like “damn i shaved minutes off my 5k” thats the power of consistent small improvements over a long course of time and it helps to alleviate the fear of not progressing that i had during meets
Great topic and explanation as usual! Would love to see some more nutrition tips/ principles from you! You're very health conscious in regards to food, so would be great to learn more about this and see how you structure your meals and what they contain!
Great video man! We need another episode of you and Steve Shaw talking like you did a couple years ago. You guys both are my favorites because you just hit these simple basics that all these other people overlook. The power of +1s is highly overlooked, and would love to hear you guys do a podcast about it! Keep up the great work!
@@AlexLeonidas that would be awesome! I feel like it would be really helpful for a lot of people because you guys really keep those basic hard hitters in mind
this was great info. i was consistently hitting a top set of 275-6 and then a backdown of 225 for 15. after a long time of staying the same (like u said prolly 3 months) i thought i was doing something wrong and switched my whole rep scheme. i then saw my strength go DOWN.
This is excellent and so true. Although not exactly the same, I found a way to ensure I continued with incremental gains in a similar way: My program consisted of 3 sets of 8 reps for each exercise. For about two months I continued to increase my weights slowly, until they seemed to stop. I was annoyed by this but didn't want to change the exercises, so after some thinking I changed from 3 sets of 8 reps, to 4 sets of 6 reps. My rationale is that I'm still doing exactly 24 reps per exercise (3 x 8, or 4 x 6) however I'm able to move more weight for 6 reps only rather than 8, so all my weights for these exercises went up. I'm happy to get the first 3 sets of 6 with a weight, and then possibly not complete all 6 on the last set. But, like in this video, I push next workout with that same exercise to add just one rep, until I hit 4 sets of 6 reps with that weight, then I move the weight up again. I'm only into one month of this change to 4 sets of 6 reps. My plan is that after two months (unless I continue to increase the weight), I will change back to 3 sets of 8 reps but keep the weights the same (not reducing them). I'm now once again doing 24 reps per exercise, but pushing for 8 reps on each set rather than 6. My weights then on what I was doing 3 sets of 8 reps for back a few months should have increased. I'm going to experiment with switching between 3 sets of 8 reps and 4 sets of 6 reps every couple of months (when it feels like the weight increases are slowing down or stopping). The fact that the total rep count is the same but the change appears to be enough to stimulate growth and increased strength has blown my mind. Sorry for the long comment, but thought someone may find this interesting, especially in the context of the video. I was questioning whether my goal of just aiming for that extra rep each session was good or not, and so this video was perfect timing for me in my development!
I 100% agree with this video. People don't realize how 1 rep adds up over time as they're naturally thinking about getting the fastest results possible. If you focus on the long term, you tend to celebrate every PR more. Also, you don't even have to add 1 rep. Simply using micro-plates that are 1 - 1.5 pounds each and adding them to your barbell movements stack up A LOT over time. Thanks for amazing content once again.
Dude, this is EXACTLY how I got a stronger OHP. At some point I could do 5x12 Z-press with 135. Attempting to add one rep to one set every session or so (or make the same sets and reps a bit easier, and then add a rep), eventually, I made it to 5x14 with 145. Potential 1RM went from ~189 lbs to ~213. That's a ~24 lbs increase, on a notoriously stubborn lift. It took a long time. But it got a lot better, and if life circumstances had allowed me to keep going, it would have kept getting better. Useful reminder: it's often easier to add a rep when you can already do 10+ reps than when you can do 3, especially in exercises that use less muscular mass as its prime mover. Other useful reminder: it's good to add as many reps as possible with a certain range, and when it stalls or the target has been reach, add 5 lbs and repeat. That way, one can very slowly increase the intensity and carry the gains they have made in higher rep ranges towards lower rep ranges, such as 5-6 reps. Then one can start the cycle over.
With this view of progress I realize I progress way faster than I thought. Also it pushes the limits even more considering that getting 1 more rep when you already can do 8 is « easier » than get 1 more rep when you do sets of 3. When you do the same weight for sets of 3 and can’t do 4 you can maybe think you plateauing, but you’re not. Anyway thanks Alex for this golden tid bit love your content bro
Great message Alex! It's so important to have realistic rates of progression to prevent unnecessary program hopping. By coincidence I released a video about this same issue today 👊
Awesome Faz, I'll link your video here! ua-cam.com/video/rbdAP_W3TRk/v-deo.html
Program hopping is usually correlated with false expectations of "slow progress".
The chad Faz
Big Facts 💯
@@AlexLeonidas thanks for the love Alex! These are my favourite types of topics because they can really help in getting trainees moving in the right direction!
@@BaldOmniMan 👌🍻
PED users having “rented muscles” is the best description I’ve heard
It's the God honest truth and it felt so good to say that!
@@AlexLeonidasbro that is hilarious 🤣
Ain’t no way bro a kite pfp. That’s pretty rare
All muscle is rented when you reach 70 lmao
It's probably needed in most sports.
I’ve been feeling discouraged for months despite getting high volume, 0-1 RIR, great sleep, great stretch/form, and on point nutrition. This is 100% what I needed to hear. Thank you so much man.
Same here!
I was same, but focus on proper form & intensity, rest pause, negatives etc and lower volume...
@@berlintrada7397how did the low volume run go?
hows your progress been as of late?
13:24 "Winners don't stress about slow gains" 🤙💪
Thanks for the motivation to keep on lifting
By logic a novice would still gain a few lb of muscle per month just by adding a rep per session no? I always wondered if this worked
Like If I benched 90lb and could only get 8 but I dedicated few months and got it to 39 reps. Wouldn't I be just as strong than if I did 3-5 x5
"Beyond the horizon a tempest of gains is gathering" -Alex Leonidas
My new favorite philosophical fitness quote of the year 😂
Ikr, my jaw dropped when I heard that and instantly got +5lbs on bench
Homie hit gold there
Bro this is easily one of your best videos. I relate to a lot of the problems, mistakes and thoughts you described here. This one’s gonna help so many escape the trap of staying late intermediate forever.
Man, so many years of making sick ass content and you still make banger videos like this. Makes me even more happy with my progress.
Thank you brother, I love what I do and the creativity and experiences keep coming 💯
i love the life lessons we learned back in the day from runescape can help us even in bodybuilding
Bro if OG Runescape players applied their addictive habits to real life goals, they'd be tanks in almost anything.
plus 1s are the most satisfying feeling, I agree its huge progression especially when you are already at least fairly strong
Damn, last 3 minutes of that speech was so powerful just listening to it added 1 rep to all my lifts
Great analysis! After 30 years of lifting, one rep increase in any workout is golden.
The +1s continue decades later! Great to hear your confirmation 👍
This is the video I needed to see right now! I’ve been stuck with 8 reps with my inclines but flat is progressing and so is my triceps extensions.
I have been the same and been thinking maybe some sort of shoulder press specialization would help out with that
Long term progress. Belief. Not motivation but drive is what sets apart elites from advanced lifters. Exercising for decades going after it no matter how hard it gets. Getting back when you lost gains or got sick and gaining back strength and size.
Thanks Alex, I was feeling down due to adding "only" 2 reps to my incline dumbell press over 2 months, just need to be patient and over a longer period of time the gains will surely keep coming
... Z z z. ... .. .... Xx. Xx. X xxx😊😊😊 ZZ
One rep per month is par for the course once you're intermediate. Even that seems fast as you home in on advanced. Imagine going from a 225x5 to 225x17 bench in a year by that metric. I'm not saying it is impossible, but I would argue that is definitely not the standard rate of progression.
How much are you curling?
If your an advanced lifter or intermediate this is normal tbf a novice would be adding a rep per workout
UPDATE: After 3 months of constant training went from dumbell incline pressing (30° angle) 20 kg for 10 to 22,5kg for 10 (1-2 RIR). So bros keep adding one rep is really the truth and is an amazing improvement.
Keep grinding brothers! (also used different bench angles and rep ranges in these 3 months)
Please make a video on calves bro, I've started taking them seriously now and I really want to get them up.
I will once my calves get bigger. I've only been training them seriously for about a month and a half.
I second this. Please include home variations/strategies for people without a calf machine, leg press , belt squat, etc.
@@barbellbryceDip belt, and plyo box is killer for calf gains. Same dip belt /plyo box and a bench for donkey calf raises.
Its all in the stretch. This mean staying down in the bottom position and feel it stretch for a few sec every rep. Have youre legs as straight at you can. A small bend i the kne will take away from the stretch.
Hyper mobile kne is acctually a + here.
I find doing it in the legpress give more support for the rest of the body and makes it more easy to but all the effort in to the legs.
Train then like all other muscle group. Right now I do them 2 times a week. One medium day with 8 reps, and on light day with 12-15reps
I have bad calf genetics with a realy high insertion, but this have given my above average calfs.
@@ShaneBoy same I had twig calves +high insertions and doing a pause in the bottom and top end of the ROM was a game changer. Also doing them with super heavy weights for some months, light weights with others. I like working all them rep ranges lol
I use dynamic double progression throughout all of my training. I was impatient, I remember when I hit 225lbs for 3 and I was wondering why I was not adding a rep each week. I was not plateaued, it was simply the percentage and the fact is was going to take me 2-3 weeks to add a rep at that weight!
But if you added a rep every week you'd be at 225x 15? Is there even a point in low rep sets then?
In line with the philosophy of “milking the gains” & letting “strength to come to you, rather than chasing it!” Amazing & uplifting content as always. Thank you.🙏🏻
Your knowledge is truly helpful alex, thank you for explaining what a true plateau looks like.
I’m glad that you spoke on this. I recently came to this realization with my weight training. Now I don’t feel crazy. Thank you
This is so relatable, and I've definitely been on both sides of this. When I was in my early 20s, I was constantly spinning my wheels. Switching from a cut to a bulk and vice versa every few weeks, hopping programs like crazy, etc., all because it felt like nothing was working quickly enough. And of course, my impatience was what ACTUALLY made my progress slow. Fast-forward about 5 years, I was forced to embrace "slow" progress because I was working with a lot of joint issues. I even bought and would take my little 1.25 lb micro plates to the gym, with sometimes got funny looks and very rarely a comment. But lo and behold, it ended up being my best transformation to date, and my progress did NOT seem slow after about two years. And then you realize that a huge portion of commercial gym goers look nearly the same after a 2 year period.
All of this to say that it's a huge blessing to people in fitness to have people like you talk about things like patience, discipline, and getting over yourself. The results that follow take care of themselves!
Felt so good to hear. After 3 years of lifting, I'm currently getting a sustainable 10 to 20% rep increase on each exercise after each 6 weeks block, which I'm really happy with. But most people I've talked to say that I should be getting much more and that something is wrong, to the point where you start to wonder. So your message was really appreciated :) Love your work Alex, keep it up !
I can count the reps I've gained on my OHP over the last several months on one hand. But, each of those was a PR and I've definitely found enjoyment in hitting those. It's definitely keeping me motivated, despite the 'slow' progress. There's a lot of doing the 'same' stuff week to week, and when you feel particularly good, you just smash that next PR. I don't count those weeks as not progressing. I'm preparing for the next PR 💪
"Preparing for the next PR" great motto
Alex, very good video putting into perspective the power of snowballing +1s. Love the idea of being grateful for the gains you do get and how important they are. I consistently remind myself how quickly +1s can add up over time.
Naturally enhanced enjoyer here, and can confirm the benefits of only adding a single rep. I’m at that point In my lifting career and still making gains. 1-5 reps over the course of a 3 week wave will do so much! Cheers, keep up the great work! ✌🏽
Over a 3 week wave, 1-5 reps is MASSIVE!! Cheers Anthony 💯
I needed to watch this. I'm currently starting my "intermediate" phase after my first 20 lbs of muscle in my first 2 years of serious training. Started a new program and now doing a full bulk instead of novice main gaining.
Been a long time viewer of yours, but this was one of the best for me because I related to your words so much! I've been struggling to add weight to my bench and weighted dips and although I trust the process, it has been a little demotivating. But, what I failed to take pride in were the 2-3 reps I added on all my secondary & accessory work from month to month. Really puts into perspective how much stronger I've gotten, for example DB Seal Rowing 10x15lbs to now 15x20lbs for 3 sets. Thanks Alex!
I talk about this all the time, just adding a small percent every week, in the end, adds up!
Progress takes time!
The thought of adding 50+ lbs to your overall lifts from just adding a rep until you hit 10 reps on a challenge weight is insane and a shame that many people give up when reaching a momentary "plateau"
Really puts it in perspective, eh? ACTUALLY INSANE that people give up on what would be massive improvements.
@@AlexLeonidas It's like voluntary wanting to miss out on DBZ hyperbolic time chamber levels of growth.
The smallest plates available in my gym are 2.5kg (5.5lbs). I always had to add 4-5 reps before adding weight to the bar
Pro Tip: buy yourself 0,25 kg or 0,5 kg plates
@@ak.8161 the inaccuracy of non-calibrated plates probably exceeds that anyway, especially if you're using a decent ammount of weight.
@@mikolajakubiec666 you are right man I forgot this problem in Public gyms
@@ak.8161or a 2 inch washer
Man.. I forgot the last time a video applied to me so much, so timely.
I was struggling to push past 315lbs on bench this year. This video was exactly what I needed to hear to not give up on 405 dream. Thanks!
315 still pretty decent man, congrats
Got some bad news
as someone currently experiencing coming off of newbie gains and slowing progress, this video is very helpful, appreciate the consistently great advice alex
There is only so much you can do as a natty, think about ten years in the future. With multiple bulks and cuts with correct training, you will be at a stage where if your beginner self saw where you were at, the classic response would be inbound “STEROIDS”
Agreed, think longer term. And base your training age, on when you starting lifting seriously. Hitting protein consistently, trackling ALL numbers on everything, proper programming, proper form education etc. I've been lifting seriously for maybe 2 years, with 4-5 less-educated years before that, closing in on 315 bench
Thank you for the consistent work you put in Alex, much love and support.
Last comment (wanted to leave it here to boost the algo on this one):
That Dorian Yates Pressdown hack with the belt really unlocked a new level of strength on Pressdowns FUCK. It felt like taking off the weighted clothing in DBZ. (Even tho ironically I’m weighing myself down)
115 for 9 the first time I tried it - and I already know this is going to scale way higher over time
Sheesh first time and you already beat me by 5lbs! Oh yeah I can see you hitting the upper ratios, say 70% of your bodyweight. Let's continue doing pushdowns with the average man's lat pulldown, then go beyond😂👍 Glad you found value in the dip belt pro tip, finally it's possible to go heavier.
I really love where you’re content is heading.
Great video Alex! Always inspiring me to work harder, and get fkn better. Best quality natural bodybuilding content on here by far!
Another great video, Alex! This makes so much more sense now why even adding 1 rep can feel like a ton of extra weight! 20 lbs is no joke to add! I've always known any progress is better than none, but to have an extra number to it puts it in a whole new perspective.
Can't believe you referenced being a strength pure in Runescape. Solidified your spot as the best fitness creator
Hey man I’ve been watching you since 2015 and you’ve changed so much physically and mentally . I used to think you did weird exercises and had some quite radical ideas so I didn’t like your information about bulking and training. People on fitmisc etc used to take the piss out of you but you’ve broken their backs many times over. you stuck to your opinions and back them up with evidence and walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Keep up the good work Alex from a converted fan.
Pirates of the Caribbean 6: the tempest of gains.
I guess this applies to life broadly as well. Those little bits of progress you do in your work add up, and before you know it, you've written that book, made that game, finished that project, no matter what it was. I'm young. I've only got a few things in my life. No wife or kids yet. Things might seem hard, but that's only due to my expectations. It doesn't come instantly. Patience.
Amazing video. Nothing to add to that. Basement Bodybuilding spoke about something similar in a recent video too and it’s nice to see that the Noble Nattys are United by similar principles even though all of you have their unique style of training. Thanks for carving the way for this young community if natural lifters.
Keep em coming, banger after banger!
Outstanding stuff here! As it stands now, my bench is improving but my OHP has stalled for a few weeks. The cycle continues like you say!
Best fitness video i have seen in a while! You speak from experience thats for sure, and you are inspiration for all natural lifters out there! Keep on going Alex!
Great points you make here. I only recently realized this myself after plugging in my numbers on a one rep max calculator, I realized a 5lb plus a 1 rep increase meant my one rep max increased almost 15 lbs even though it seemed like little progress! When the goalposts are constantly shifting you tend to forget how pumped you would've been just a few months ago about what you can currently do.
One thing I’ll say is to be honest, you can reasonably expect regular plus 1’s on SOMETHING (often times multiple things) even when you’re already jacked.
For ex I basically add reps to most things every session. The stuff I grow slower on just need a little extra volume accumulation and then we’re gucci.
If we look at training the way we look at level grinding on an RPG, suddenly it all makes sense in that regard
Yup and that's why we can't be mad, even if that SOMETHING is not what we want to improve. It's often the case that we don't get to choose, and that's all good because it's still feeding into the system and long term, it's going to have some degree of carryover/net benefit. Bro natural training is exactly like a hardcore RPG 💯
Hey Alex, just want to thank you for making these vids! Currently 19 years old, been working out for about 1 and a half years seriously, I'm 220 / 6' around 25% bf, my maxes rn are 205 bench, 315 squat and deadlift, 135 ohp (started including these more thanks to you!). Your tips are very helpful especially for me since I have all these years ahead of me, better to be optimal from the start! Can't wait to see how huge I'm going to be in 10 years or so.
5:18 barspeed that’s such a big one for knowing if you are progressing!
Yeah I've thought like this for a while. Being stuck on a 100kg deadlift is definitely a super concerning plateau, but being "stuck" on a 300kg deadlift is still probably stimulating your muscles a lot because well it's 300 KILOGRAMS!
I'm still rebounding from my cut, so I can expect to gain a lot quickly for a while until I'm back. You're entirely right, though. I always treat each rep in the lower rep ranges with a LOT of reverence. It's also a good reason to try high-rep training. 15, 18, 20, 25... each rep there is not as big of an increase in strength, so it's easier to add one consistently. But it is true that as long as I'm in a surplus, I'm pushing close to my abilities, doing enough volume, and getting enough sleep, I am growing as long as I don't start getting weaker. Then, like you said, comes that "random" (unexpected) +1.
Lack of patience and consistency is killing gains
You are also very correct about emphasis on exercises at different times. When I did both weighted dips and OHP, I did both, but alternated which one I wanted to push harder on depending on the circumstances. I always did the same thing: 5 sets of OHP, 2 sets of dips afterwards. But I would occasionally refrain from adding a rep on OHP if I knew I wanted to add one on dips that day, or on the opposite I'd push extra hard on OHP to get that extra rep but only aim to do the same number of reps as I did the previous session on dips.
It did get me to 2x15 dips with 180 lbs extra. Something else that helped me a lot was to add reps with 180 as much as I could, then drop the weight to 160, add as many reps as I could, and then back to 180. Alternating like that, milking the rep increases at each weight, worked really well and helped me add reps a bit faster.
Went from 9 to 9.5 reps of bench at my current rep weight this week. I'm seeing progression and happy about it. Stay on the grind every1
I can’t wait to get back to it!
I’m addicted to adding Incline Binch.
Waited dips with inclines and my chest is round.
My strength is slammin right now 💪🏼
What you said is perfectly true. Lately I had some shoulder pain so I ditched the ohp for a few weeks and I did only flat bench and various angles of incline (30-45°). Last week I started to do standing ohp again and I added 2 reps without doing the exercise.
Just what I needed tonight. Training has gotten alittle slow and my mind was going for some programhopping.
I have deadlifts tomorrow and I'm genuinely a little nervous. Last time I did deadlifts, I was just completely fatigued and I wasn't able to do more than a single rep with my working weight (345 lbs) and then I was unable to pick it up at all again. Must've been partially nervous system, partially poor recovery (I had been at the end of a long cut). 100-something days earlier, I had deadlift 410 lbs. 40-something days before the fiasco, I did 397 while cutting, with a bigger margin of error for sure than I had on 410. It should be alright. I guess, mainly, I don't feel good about not knowing where I'm at with this exercise as it stands. I need to remember what a big accomplishment it was for me to get over that 400 mark in the first place and stop taking it for granted. It'll come back soon. I'm progressing on rows. It's all good.
This has been the most important video for me. Approaching advanced I needed to hear this
I totally agree. I stopped progressing 1-3 reps and instead hopped on to 5reps, hitting 315x5 after a year. I then switched to increase one rep per month, and it works great as my muscles grow. Plus one is a jewel when one too blindly pursues one rep max.
For such a young dude, you have some great insights toward training.
YOU REALLY MADE A RUNESCAPE ANALOGY. I KNEW I LOVED THIS CHANNEL
This is the truth. Also huge help to prevent injuries.
Young man, you are a breath of fresh air. Keep up the good work.
Alex is pretty much the only lifter I’m genuinely excited to see 20 years down the line. Obviously it will be past his prime, it happens to everyone, but i guarantee he will have legendary old man strength.
why not geoffrey verity schofield or bald omni man?
@@tohhhype2043 you right. That’s a super group right there.
that runescape analogy! 10/10
Brother, love your form on the AD press. Moving like a machine. Looking at you makes me realize how many people should UNFUCK their shoulders BEFORE they expect to make significant gains in AD press. Most people I see have their shoulders rounded forward even during he press. How do expect to ever press anything close to 100kg with such form?
Shoot man I’m cutting and my curls have been stalled in weight and reps for like 6 sessions (3 weeks), but it got a LITTLE bit easier every time. Today I finally increased my curls by not 1, but 2 reps! Beast mode!
Preach! Preach! Preach! The gospel of the barbell. I pump my first and hum the final fantasy 3 victory song after EVERY plus 1, because I am always trying my hardest and it’s giving way to more coming through. That’s a level up
Never really thought about it like that. Good way to view progress in the gym. Minor setbacks are temporary in the grand scheme of things. Awesome Video!!
My god this guy is top draw!!! Every natural lifter should be subscribed
I’m speechless. Very well said.
Thank you! This was exactly what I needed to hear today. Been stuck at weighted pull ups +31.5 kg 5x5 for like 2 weeks.
Also been unhappy with my dumbbell chest press progression 5x5. Been trying 42.5 kg dumbbells but can't get past 3 reps for the initial set. I have tried reverse pyramid with the first two sets 42.5 kg and then 5 reps with 40 kg. Today I started out with 40 kg and managed 7 reps followed by 6 reps for 3 sets and final set 5 reps. I guess it's in fact progress. Have never managed 7 reps with 40 previously.
I wish I had 41 kg dumbbells. A 2.5 kg jump is pretty high I feel. Guess I will continue with 40 kg and see if I progress to 7 reps for most of the set. If I can manage that try 42.5 kg again. Want to be able to do 5x5 with that weight.
I come back to this video when my brain wants to start program hopping to enjoy novelty gains on new exercises. Thanks bro
This mindset is incredble not only for lifting and making progress in the gym but for life as well
Keep grinding keep constant if you growing in a slow or fast pace it dosnt matter since you're still progressing
Thanks Alex for this video
One extra rep or 5 additional lbs. to the bar. Those things have always been my metric for progress, and as you mentioned it can sometimes take around a month. Once I could do the 90lb dumbbells on incline for 8-10 reps, it took around 3-4 weeks to add an additional rep for that weight. I got there through doing different rep ranges, rotating exercises (from dumbbell to barbell), and through doing accessories. That sounds slow, but across half a year it was like 5-6 extra reps. That translated to doing the 100s on incline for around 10 reps--tested, not potential.
Again, it sounds slow, but progression really grinds to a halt once you're doing the 80s-90s on incline full ROM. If progression continued to be linear and straightforward from there on out, I would be doing the 110s for 10+ reps a further half year down the line. 220 total pounds for 10 on dumbbells. That's heavy stuff. Try to tell me that's slow.
Great comment.
I realized this some time ago also. Even when I stall, I still continue to push myself, and still end up PRing one way or another.
Im learning to love the little 1 rep prs. For my overhead, each workout i got into my records for 1-12 rep maxes and pick whichever one looks easiest to break. I have been hitting am all time pr each week and its making the slow ohp progression feel much better (135->145lbs in 3ish months). Ill probably use this same approach to get my bench from 275 to 300. Thanks as always for the content alex
Great video Alex!!
Would be great to see how your standing OHP has responded to the crazy seated OHP progression you had these last months, for the sake of seeing the tranference between exercises.
Love from Spain 🥰
The Runescape reference was most motivationg!
After wasting a few months due to shit programs/bad coaches, I decided to fully focus on learning how to lift by myself. I started around 15th of February with 70kg x 6 bench press and I slowly hit my "limit" with 80kg x 5 on 30th of March, while cutting (I still am). Idk what happened but I had the biggest Bench Press plateau ever. Nothing for 3 months, I even slightly injured my pec from trying to force progress. My bench even dropped on some days at 60kg for 5. I decided to take a week off, rework/improve my program and be smarter about maxing out and training. Since early May I've been slowly building up my strength back, also dialed in more on the nutrition side with increasing carbohydrates. Right now my most recent PRs from late June/early July are 75kg x 10, 80kg x 7, 85kg x 3 and 90kg x 1. It's been a long time since I was this happy about progressing and overcoming a struggle. I even feel like I could hit 100kg in the next 2-3 months, that's how confident/surprised I am from my strength surge. Keep grinding and don't quit.
Even if you keep lifting lowkey the same weight, but cut fat, your strength is technically going up.
I was 100kg ,1.83m , early this year and lifted 80kg (0.8x bodyweight), now at 92 kg weight and 90 x 1, I am basically lifting 1x bodyweight. If I cut another 12kg and lift 100kg once, It would put me in Intermediate. (1.25x bodyweight)
Went from 4 to 5 deficit HSPU wall assisted. ‘It ain’t much but it’s honest work’ 😂
Sometimes it's just about adding one set, if you are REALLY experienced on a exercise, and hey, it's an improvement.
I've been benching with 6-7 true heavy sets per session, found a plateau at 310 libs paused, than I started to add another set rpe8-9ish every workout, and reached 325, now I am close to 330 with that same volume.
It took a little bit of time, but it is logical, my body adapted to that kind of workout and stopped to respond, added a little bit of stress more, without destroying form and recovery, it kept on growing.
I hope to get close to 350 soon.
you know my cross country coach used to always say “trust your training” before every meet, and I never really payed mind to it until recently. when you have good programming and put in genuine effort then the numbers come naturally. even if meet to meet we only saw seconds worth of gains, over the course of the season you look back and you’re like “damn i shaved minutes off my 5k” thats the power of consistent small improvements over a long course of time and it helps to alleviate the fear of not progressing that i had during meets
Ive been adding 1 rep for a couple of years now to all my exercise lifts. And have been progressing ever since each and every workout.
Great topic and explanation as usual! Would love to see some more nutrition tips/ principles from you! You're very health conscious in regards to food, so would be great to learn more about this and see how you structure your meals and what they contain!
Great video man! We need another episode of you and Steve Shaw talking like you did a couple years ago. You guys both are my favorites because you just hit these simple basics that all these other people overlook. The power of +1s is highly overlooked, and would love to hear you guys do a podcast about it! Keep up the great work!
Always game to chat it up with Steve!
@@AlexLeonidas that would be awesome! I feel like it would be really helpful for a lot of people because you guys really keep those basic hard hitters in mind
safety racks are a big thing for progress. They really give you that confidence to hit that extra rep.
Keep up the good work dude! I find more and more value and inspiration from your videos.
Thank you Isaac, will do and I'm happy to inspire you!
hey u are the biggest natural ive seen in my life, congrats man
I needed this talk my man! Thanks
Thank you, this is exactly the video i needed and i didn't even search for it. I needed to hear this
this was great info. i was consistently hitting a top set of 275-6 and then a backdown of 225 for 15. after a long time of staying the same (like u said prolly 3 months) i thought i was doing something wrong and switched my whole rep scheme. i then saw my strength go DOWN.
Patience! It’s a “life long pursuit” Wicked video.
This is excellent and so true. Although not exactly the same, I found a way to ensure I continued with incremental gains in a similar way:
My program consisted of 3 sets of 8 reps for each exercise. For about two months I continued to increase my weights slowly, until they seemed to stop. I was annoyed by this but didn't want to change the exercises, so after some thinking I changed from 3 sets of 8 reps, to 4 sets of 6 reps. My rationale is that I'm still doing exactly 24 reps per exercise (3 x 8, or 4 x 6) however I'm able to move more weight for 6 reps only rather than 8, so all my weights for these exercises went up. I'm happy to get the first 3 sets of 6 with a weight, and then possibly not complete all 6 on the last set. But, like in this video, I push next workout with that same exercise to add just one rep, until I hit 4 sets of 6 reps with that weight, then I move the weight up again.
I'm only into one month of this change to 4 sets of 6 reps. My plan is that after two months (unless I continue to increase the weight), I will change back to 3 sets of 8 reps but keep the weights the same (not reducing them). I'm now once again doing 24 reps per exercise, but pushing for 8 reps on each set rather than 6. My weights then on what I was doing 3 sets of 8 reps for back a few months should have increased.
I'm going to experiment with switching between 3 sets of 8 reps and 4 sets of 6 reps every couple of months (when it feels like the weight increases are slowing down or stopping). The fact that the total rep count is the same but the change appears to be enough to stimulate growth and increased strength has blown my mind.
Sorry for the long comment, but thought someone may find this interesting, especially in the context of the video. I was questioning whether my goal of just aiming for that extra rep each session was good or not, and so this video was perfect timing for me in my development!
Outstanding video and incredible insight and logic on this one!
I 100% agree with this video. People don't realize how 1 rep adds up over time as they're naturally thinking about getting the fastest results possible. If you focus on the long term, you tend to celebrate every PR more. Also, you don't even have to add 1 rep. Simply using micro-plates that are 1 - 1.5 pounds each and adding them to your barbell movements stack up A LOT over time.
Thanks for amazing content once again.
That was honestly very informative and enlightening. Thank you for this video, this really helped me too.
Dude, this is EXACTLY how I got a stronger OHP. At some point I could do 5x12 Z-press with 135. Attempting to add one rep to one set every session or so (or make the same sets and reps a bit easier, and then add a rep), eventually, I made it to 5x14 with 145. Potential 1RM went from ~189 lbs to ~213. That's a ~24 lbs increase, on a notoriously stubborn lift. It took a long time. But it got a lot better, and if life circumstances had allowed me to keep going, it would have kept getting better.
Useful reminder: it's often easier to add a rep when you can already do 10+ reps than when you can do 3, especially in exercises that use less muscular mass as its prime mover.
Other useful reminder: it's good to add as many reps as possible with a certain range, and when it stalls or the target has been reach, add 5 lbs and repeat. That way, one can very slowly increase the intensity and carry the gains they have made in higher rep ranges towards lower rep ranges, such as 5-6 reps. Then one can start the cycle over.
Can you share your workout routine day by day and voiceover of the exercises why you them specifically and tips while performing dat movement
With this view of progress I realize I progress way faster than I thought. Also it pushes the limits even more considering that getting 1 more rep when you already can do 8 is « easier » than get 1 more rep when you do sets of 3. When you do the same weight for sets of 3 and can’t do 4 you can maybe think you plateauing, but you’re not. Anyway thanks Alex for this golden tid bit love your content bro