There are any number of things that can affect your performance. Maybe you didn't sleep well the night before or you're stressed out about your mother-in-law coming to visit. Maybe you're fighting a cold or maybe you're having a bad hair day. Any of these situations can make your performance suffer and, though you may think there's something wrong with you (wondering: "Why can't I lift as much as I did last week?"), it's natural and something you can use to make your workouts more effective.
That's what scientists looked into with Autoregulatory Progressive Resistance Exercise (APRE) which asks the (very paraphrased) question: What happens if the amount of weight you lift and the number of reps you do each day was based on how you feel and how well you can perform?
That's the question scientists looked into in a recent study published in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. The study took college football players through a standard linear progression workout and an APRE workout. In the linear workout, the athletes increased the amount of weight they were using in a planned progression, going from 70% of their one rep max to 85% over a series of sets. In the APRE group, the athletes adjusted their weights based on how they were performing, rather than on a planned progression. The results? The APRE group increased their strength more than the linear group over a 6 week period.
Most of us probably don't follow a rigid periodized program, like the ones in the study, but one very unscientific way to use this approach in your own workouts is to simply ask yourself: How does this weight feel? If it's too heavy, lighten up. If it's too light, add more weight. Too often we feel obligated to use a certain amount of weight regardless of how it actually feels but, as the study shows, going by what your body can actually do that day may lead to greater strength gains.
What about you? Do you use this method in your own training or do you follow a more planned progression from week to week? Is this something you'd like to try in your own workouts? Leave a comment and tell us what you think.
Source:
Mann B, Thyfault J, Ivey P. The Effect of Autoregulatory Progressive Resistance Exercise vs. Linear Periodization on Strength Improvement in College Athletes. J Strenth Cond Res. 2010 July; 24(7): 1718-1723.
I do 3 sets of 10-12 reps per exercise…I base amount of weight on how I feel, starting with what is “normal” and moving up or down as feels right for that day. Sometimes I go from heavier to lighter in the sets.
I always base weightlifting on how I feel for the day. Most of the time, I feel like I’m getting good conditioning/strength gains this way. I gave up on being super-lifter long ago. It just takes way too much time.
Recently I have started to use lighter weights until my muscle feels fatigued. I repeat an exercise until I can barely lift the next repitition. This seems to be working quite well, but I have only done this for about two weeks.
I have a set upper body routine with 8 different exercises using dumbbells of 3 different weights, 10/15/20 lbs. The number of reps of each exercise using each weight is set, pyramid style. I will adjust the number of reps based on how my muscles respond to the exercises.
I can usually tell with the very first exercise how it’s going to go. I generally reduce the number of reps or skip the heaviest weight (20 lbs), if I am struggling with difficulty with an exercise. I make the same adjustment on all remaining exercises. I may increase the reps slightly if I feel good, but not too much, as I want to complete all exercises pretty much equally to exercise all muscle groups.
Usually, my next upper body workout will go much better and according to plan. I’ve managed to avoid aggravating injuries and strains using this approach. I recently increased my maximum weight from 15 to 20 lbs. I stayed with the 15 lb maximum for a year before trying to increase the weight, electing to increase the number of reps and add additional exercises as I went along, instead.
I am a 60 year old male and have been training with weights most of the past 44 years. I use a general 24 set workout for whatever group I’m working. I pair groups as biceps-triceps, chest-back and legs-shoulders. I use the yin and yang formula (my own) for the number of reps. If it’s a yin day I will do 8 reps. Yang days I will do 4 reps with heavier weight. It may not be the most productive program, but it is one that I try to adhere to.
I just returned from the gym and it was interesting to see this article pop up. I stayed up a little later than usual last night so wasn’t totally feeling the Mojo.
On days like this I usually cut back on the heavy end of my progression or cut back from 4 sets to 3, or a combination thereof. Since I’m doing 3 – 5 different exercises for the big muscle groups (with a 4 day split) I may even skip 1 (only 1) exercise altogether.
What I do not do is completely skip the workout (usually). I’ve always told myself that it’s better to get in there and do a 75% workout than a 0% workout. It’s muscling through these off days that make the days when the Mojo is running high even better.
Before a person go on a workout, he should first see what kind of exercise that best fits him. He should start with a simple one then once he is already used to it, he may upgrade.
APRE sounds very much like what was once referred to instinctive weight training and I know I’m dating myself by knowing this. I’ve been weight training for 40+ years now and I have learned that forcing a workout beyond what you feel you can handle on any given day can and usually does result in injury of some sort. Workouts are supposed get one fit not hurt. Pay attention and listen to your body’s rhythms.
I’m just glad they didn’t call it Autoregulatory Progressive Exercise. And yes, most people I know adjust their weights based on how they are performing, within a planned progression.