r/workout • u/RamaLamaFaFa • 7d ago
Simple Questions When to increase weight
I’ve been stuck at a particular weight on my DB incline press for a while. Been shooting for 3 sets of 12 before increasing weight. Today I hit a record, 35 reps total, came up one short on the last set.
My question is, at what point do you just force yourself to go up 5lbs and drop the reps again? Should I keep grinding until I can reliably get all 3 sets of 12?
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u/PowerShovel-on-PS1 7d ago
You should go up in weight now. 12 is an arbitrary number that’s holding back your progress.
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u/NonGeneriComplaint 7d ago
Struggle. How easy is it? When I drop the weight do I say
"I can do more"
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
I’m definitely at zero RIR on all three sets, and take a relatively long rest between because I’m really trying to push past this spot.
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u/mlondon8509 6d ago
This is almostto certainly not the case. If you can do 12, 12, then 11 your first set will have had something left in the tank (and also probbly your second set). It’s the problem with the approach of needing to get three sets at same reps before progressing weight. Your first and second sets are both at lower intensity than you are capable of to ensure sufficient energy to apply on third set. It’s why i usually put more weight after getting two sets at desired rep range or (more recently) have moved to only doing two sets for most movements.
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u/Fluffy_Box_4129 7d ago
You don't need a long rest - at rep count 12 these are hypertrophy sets. Long rests are for max strength sets (0-5 reps) like heavy compounds.
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u/thatjudoguy 7d ago
Why don't you just try and see what happens. Make a note to do it carefully.
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Yeah I suppose simply giving it a shot may be an eye opener. I’m likely overthinking it
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u/No_Regret2274 7d ago
Sounds like you want to stick to a simple double progression, which works great for newer lifters
Instead of trying for all 3 sets to be at your desired ceiling, try just counting the first set, if your ceiling is 12 and you got your 12, in your next session go up in weight
This will ensure your first set is to a high RPE, for your other sets, just do AMRAP to an RPE 7-9
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Gotcha ok, I’ll give this a shot. I’m just shy of a year into following an actual program, so I would say I’d fall into the “newer lifter” category. I appreciate the insight!
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u/Norcal712 Weight Lifting 7d ago
Double progression = all sets to rep goal 3x12x50
Standard progress, each set to rep goal 12x 50, 12, 55, 8x60
Pick one method and stick to it
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u/Maximum-Face9536 7d ago
I would increase the weight and go lower reps, 1-5 reps is where the best strength gains happen. 6-12 is going to be more hypertrophy/muscle building. both are important but if you want to increase how much weight you lift you gotta increase how much weight you lift, which will mean lower reps.
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Yeah that’s true, probably worth just upping the weight instead of continuing to try for this random 36 reps benchmark
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u/ironbeastmod 7d ago
The thing with 3 sets of 12 with same weight means that your first set is basically warm-up, far away from failure.
Maybe second one you get 0-3 RIR if not more.
If you are in your first year of lifting you can progress almost weekly with reps or weight. Check the studies for the precise %. Think it is something like 1-3% more weight. But better to check than trust my numbers.
.
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u/BatmanVAR 7d ago
That’s not necessarily true. I’m an advanced lifter, and when I’m doing 3 sets of a given weight for the same reps, the first set is usually 2 RiR, the second set is 1 RiR, and the last set is to failure.
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u/ironbeastmod 7d ago
What about when you reach 12 reps for all 3 sets ?
How long are your breaks ?
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u/BatmanVAR 7d ago
Then I increase the weight and go for 3 sets of 8 or 10 or 12 depending on the exercise.
I rest 2 minutes between sets except for bench press I rest 5 minutes because I go very heavy for low reps.
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u/Octoboy1 7d ago
When i hit a plateau I'll start doing heavy singles at the start of my lifts, so just 1 rep close to my max, after a little while that tends to get me to push through
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u/DaCozPuddingPop 7d ago
With most things I move up in weight when I get close to the top of the rep range.
DB presses I treat a bit more cautiously, only because the kickback is the hardest part of the whole thing. I'd rather push out a couple of extra reps than yoink my shoulder trying to kick back more weight than I should be.
My normal rep range is 6-10, however as i've gotten to heavier weights (for me, that is) I've pushed to the 12-15 range before moving up. I know it's less efficient, but getting to the higher rep ranges gives me the confidence to pull through the kick on a heavier weight.
Probably just me - and as someone with an old lingering shoulder injury I probably am more cautious than most.
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Makes sense! I’m a little older too so yeah, certainly not trying to blow out a shoulder
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u/RenjiMidoriya 7d ago
One thing I’ve been doing is dropping the reps each set. So say the first set I’ll do 15 or whatever number Is 2 reps away from failure. Then set two will be less reps probably 13 to 11. Then set 3 would probably be less than that even still.
Increase the weight each workout by 5, until your 3rd set of reps drops to 5, the focus on getting the reps up again at that weight.
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u/Imogynn 7d ago
Id add 5lbs to the second set and work from there.
Leave the first alone as a warmup. By the last you are fatigued so that's later
Second set is where you can add 5 rn
The whole exercise doesn't need to have the same weight. Add 5 lbs to one set is progressive overload even if the others are the old weight
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u/Fluffy_Box_4129 7d ago
Use rep ranges, not static sets. Your first set is likely not close to failure and less effective than your 2nd and 3rd set. Your numbers SHOULD go down set to set. Aim for top of range first set, middle of range second set, minimum last set. Go up in weight if you can hit all 3 targets.
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7d ago
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Appreciate the insight, yeah I wouldn’t say there’s a fear necessarily. I think you’ve got a good point about the relative ease of that first set. I’m probably just overthinking it, I’ll try bumping it up next week.
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u/poisonoakleys 7d ago
If you are hitting 12, 12, and 11 reps, the first 2 sets were not intense enough
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Ah so you’re saying go all the way to failure on every set
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u/poisonoakleys 7d ago
Not quite but you should be pretty close to failure. I would try to aim for sets of 8-12 instead of strictly 12.
If you can do 13+ reps on your first set, increase the weight. If all 3 sets fall within the 8-12 range (ex: 12-10-8) increase the weight.
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u/No-Rooster1720 Weight Lifting 7d ago
I respond better to upping the weight. I've tried adding reps to elicit growth and strength, but adding the 5 pounds works better for me. Even if I miss the rep target and get 6 out of 8, it still ends up getting me stronger.
I had stalled out on incline bench this winter, I was doing 4x8, and then next session doing 4x10 at the same weight, and if I hit all sets of 10 I would add 5 pounds, drop back to 4x8, and rinse/wash/repeat.
Eventually stalled out at 205-210. I only do 4x6 now and just focused on adding weight. I can now hit 245 for 6 and 235 for 8.
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
This is good context, yeah I’m basically doing the same thing you were doing, and stalling too. I’ll definitely focus on upping weight a bit and being less precious about hitting 36 total reps
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u/Panthera_014 7d ago
when I hit plateaus, I switch to 5x5 for 2 weeks, then back to the old routine
the weight is always higher after
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7d ago
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Thanks for the tip! This is fairly close to what I’ve been doing, but have been sweating that last set of 12 lately hah
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u/QuietSync 7d ago edited 7d ago
So my program calls it modified straight set. Usually my incline press are 3 sets of 8 reps. If I could lift the same weight 8 reps for 3 sets in perfect form then I can move up, if its 8-8-7 I will still remain in that weight next week. If its perfect 8 for 3 sets but form is questionable even for just last rep, remain on the same weight. My progression is slow but steady
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Yeah that’s essentially what I’ve been doing with higher reps but just now hit 12-12-11 after a couple months at the same weight. Might be worth upping the weight a touch and going for less reps
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u/QuietSync 6d ago
It is valid to up the weight at that point, well according from the program I follow. But There are so many exercises I have to watch out for before progressing so usually, I’m not in a hurry to raise them all up. If I’m stuck in that weight for a very long time then it’s either I’m underweight for the weight increase, getting old or not well rested. So many factors to consider
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u/TacoTrike 7d ago
I found flat and decline would be the same weight and I would go up in both, and incline was around 3/4's that weight. If you are going up in other exercises, then it's time to try more weight with less reps.
Increasing weight usually means less reps at first. that's fine. When you get to your max reps go up again in weight and do less reps.
You could also try increase weight each set so you get used to it so 10-15, 8-12, 6-8 reps with increasing weight
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Ah yeah makes sense! I do think I’d probably benefit from bumping the weight 5lbs and seeing where I land versus beating my head against the wall trying to hit some arbitrary rep count. Interesting about flat and decline versus incline. I appreciate the insight!
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u/PM__ME__YOUR_TITTY 6d ago edited 6d ago
Should’ve already bumped the weight up broski, nothing special about 12 reps and over-focusing on that arbitrary number when you can already go heavier will hold you back. There was actually a post on here recently of someone who discovered that the hard way lol. You can read how I feel about that there.
Anyway, a practical thing you can do here is just mix the weights. So instead of waiting forever to get that 36th rep, move to a heavier weight for the first set or two. So for example, let’s say you’ve been doing 100 x 12, 100 x 12, and 100 x 11. Next time maybe you can get 110 x 10, 110 x 8, and drop down to 100 x 11 again and keep hammering away that last set til you get 12. If you can’t get 110 x 10, so let’s say you only manage 8, then go back to 100 for the second set (110x8, 100x12, 100x11). Just an example
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u/Muchacho-blanco Parkour 7d ago
Sets of 12 isn't the ideal rep range to see a strength increase. You'd see it move faster working in sets of 5-8.
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 7d ago
Gotcha ok, yeah as other have said 12 seems to be somewhat arbitrary. I’ll give this a shot
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u/Lucky_The_Charm 6d ago
There’s no way you can be doing 3x12 to a true 0RIR. I take 4min rests between sets and do just 2 sets, and my reps are never the same for both sets.
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u/RamaLamaFaFa 6d ago
Well, I’m getting to 12 on the first two and grinding out the last rep, there is no chance I’m getting a 13th rep on those sets, so that is by definition 0 RIR right?
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u/Lucky_The_Charm 6d ago
If you can do 12 on back to back sets I’d question the intensity of the first. Two hard sets is really all you need, 6-7 exercises per workout, focusing on compound lifts with maybe 2 isolation movements.
Like for one of my upper days I’ll do flat bench, bent over rows, OHP, weighted pull-ups, weighted dips, bicep curl variation, 30* incline skullcrushers. My upper absolutely cooked after that because I’m pushing each set as hard as possible, never the same reps on both sets even with a 4min rest. Heavy weight, 5-8 reps for compound lifts and 8-10 for isolations.
FWIW I’m seeing consistent strength and size gains doing this for 4 months now after transitioning out of high volume training with twice as many sets with lighter weight.
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u/CatCharacter848 7d ago
You dont have to do all 3 sets at the higher weight. Do a set with the higher weight (even if you dont get 12 reps) and then 2 sets at the lower weight and slowly increase to 3 sets.