Important!
Not all exercises progress at the same rate.
- Each muscle group will be ready to progress at different times.
- Do not progress if you do not feel comfortable when doing the exercise.
To make sure you continue to challenge your muscles and make them stronger, it is important for you to progress your resistance training exercises. This means that, as your muscles get used to the weight you lift, something has to change. This could be how much weight you lift or how many times you lift the weight.
- Progress your program when you can perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions comfortably.
- Gradually increase the number of repetitions from 10 to 15.
- Increase the weight by 2 to 5 lbs and reduce the reps back to 10.
Remember: your RPE should never be any higher than 16
Example of How to Progress Your Resistance Training Program
| Week of RT Program | # of Sets | # of Repetitions | Change in Weight Lifted |
|---|
| 3 | 2 | 10 | No change in weight |
| 4 | 2 | Increase to 12 | No change in weight |
| 5 | 2 | Increase to 14 | No change in weight |
| 6 | 2 | Increase to 15 | No change in weight |
| 7 | 2 | Decrease to 10 | Increase in weight (see below) |
| 8 | 2 | Increase to 11 | No change in weight |
If you are using dumbbells they increase in the following weight increments:
|
Lightest |
Heaviest |
|---|
| 1 lb | 2 lbs | 3 lbs | 5 lbs | 8 lbs | 10 lbs | 12 lbs | 15 lbs | 20 lbs | 25 lbs | 30 lbs | 35 lbs | 40 lbs |
You can follow the same progression with exercise bands as you do with weights. When you are ready to reduce the number of reps back down to 10, move to a higher resistance band. Exercise bands increase in resistance by the following colours:
|
Lightest |
Heaviest |
|---|
| Yellow | Red | Green | Blue | Black |
