A progression rule turns your last session into your next targets, so you don’t have to work out the numbers yourself. Here is exactly what each rule does.
What counts as “last time”
When you start a routine, each rule looks at the most recent workout that had that exercise in it. That can be any workout, not only the same routine. Warm-up sets are ignored, so only your working sets decide the next target.
If you’ve never done the exercise, there’s nothing to go on yet, so you get the targets you wrote in the routine.
Add weight
The rule takes the heaviest weight from your working sets last time and checks whether every set reached the routine’s target reps.
- If you hit every rep, it suggests that weight plus your increment. At the default, that’s 5 lb or 2.5 kg more.
- If any set fell short, it suggests the same weight again, so you can finish the job before moving up.
For example, with a target of 5 reps and a 5 lb step: last time you did 185 for 5, 5 and 5, so next time it suggests 190.
Add reps, then weight
Add reps, then weight, as it looks in the routine editor.
This rule climbs through a rep range at the same weight, then adds weight and starts the range again. It uses the lowest rep count from your working sets last time.
- If that’s below the top of the range, it keeps the weight and suggests one more rep, staying within the range.
- Once every set reaches the top of the range, it adds your increment and drops you back to the bottom.
For example, with a range of 8 to 12: last time your lowest set was 9 reps, so it suggests 10. Once every set reaches 12, it adds weight and suggests 8.
Add time and Add distance
For timed exercises, the rule takes your longest set last time and adds your step, 5 seconds by default. For distance, it takes your longest and adds your step, 10 meters by default.
What the rules don’t change
Suggestions fill in when you start the routine. The routine itself doesn’t change, so your original targets are always there if you clear the rule.
Bodyweight exercises with nothing added don’t get weight suggestions, because there’s no added weight to build on.
Rules only apply to lifting blocks: Sets, Superset and Circuit. Conditioning and cardio blocks keep the targets you set.
