Linear Progression

Starting a training program

Perfect if you’re committing to your first long-term training program, or getting back to training after an absence, the linear progression program is founded on a fundamental principle of strength training - progressive overload.

Simply put, if you lift more weight than you did in the previous session, you’re going to get stronger.

But that’s not all. The linear progression program also makes optimal use of ‘novice gains’ - rapid advancements experienced by athletes who are starting out, with progression that can be sustained at a significant rate for many weeks. It’s something of a sweet spot that can often be overlooked by people who go in guns blazing, set on a program aimed at athletes who have been training for years. Spend a few weeks (or better yet, a few months) on this program and you’ll likely experience the greatest gains in strength that you’ll ever undergo. Just make sure you’re also eating right, and getting enough rest. This is when improvement really happens.

Starting a Rep.Eat.Repeat. program

Using Rep.Eat.Repeat. you can start off on the right foot with two routines that rotate through fundamental compound lifts - the squat, deadlift, bench press, shoulder press, barbell row and pull up. Add one or two supplementary exercises if there’s something in particular that you’d like to focus on, but these compound lifts should be your bread and butter as they illicit the greatest stress to your system, resulting in hormonal responses that just aren’t replicated by single-joint, isolated lifts. Make sure your technique for these movements is rock solid and that you’re also making the most of R.E.R.’s calculated warm-up sets to avoid injury.

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Start small, even with no weight on the bars, as you go into your first workout. You’ll find that you might be able to pile on 10 or 20kg for the first couple of weeks and 5kg each session after a month or so. Sets will then be calculated on the improvements you’ve been making. If you added 5kg to your bench press in your last session you should try to do that again, and while the going’s good just keep moving forward. Go to settings to make sure the program step minimums match those at your gym - if you’ve got dumbbells available in 2kg advancements (10kg, 12kg, 14kg, 16kg…) then set dumbbells at 2.

Your body will adapt quickly so long as you provide the reason - a steady progression in weight lifted each workout, and the means - adequate rest and fuel. Unfortunately it won’t last forever and eventually gains will trail off or hit a wall. (Okay, so it’s not completely linear progression but it’s the closest we’ll ever get) At this point it’s time to move on to undulating progression, or go for the popular 5x5 program. But make the most of these precious weeks and you’ll create a foundation to build on for years to come.