Thread: progressive overload

Size does not necessarily equal strength. There is a lot to be said about myofibrillar hypertrophy contributing to overall strength, though, you're right. More filaments = more potential to generate force, but theres a lot more going on in terms of strength gains than increased muscle size. Hypertrophy isn't 100% essential by any means.

You've got increasing efficiency of movement patterns via improved technique, neural efficiency of maximal motor unit recruitment during those movement patterns, adaptation of specific energy systems like ATP/P-Cr, not to mention adaptation of surrounding structures like bones/tendons/ligaments that all contribute to pushing heavy weights.

If you're in the mentality of "gotta beat last week" then you just need to step back and look at the bigger picture. You're not always going to be able to do that. Everybody has good days and bad days. Keeping a training log is absolutely mandatory for this reason - just because the last session, or even the last three sessions, have seen you either staying the same or going backwards, the overall trend over the last few months may be going upwards.

Nothing to do with training is linear - there are peaks and troughs. As one biometer or exercise improves you can bet your ass one is going the other way. This is natural, and i'd say completely necessary. Everything can't keep consistently go up in a straight line all the time - especially if you've been training for any appreciable length of time.

This is where well-periodized programs really come into their own. Scheduled deloads or rest weeks, scheduled ramping up and backing off of training variables, but all with an overall upward slant. Get a program that allows you to account for this. Reduce your training maxes. Reduce the weights you're using and do some intensive technique or ROM work for a few weeks. At the most basic level - "change it up".

So yeah, your idea for an 80% and 30% shift during your training program probably will work if its drastically different from your regular training. One thing i would drop asap is about 90% of your failure sets. This is a sure fire way to teach your body to protect itself and not LET you get stronger.

Variation and overload are the key. If you go to failure every time how is this stimulus any different even when you change the load? The failure state is the same, it will still elicit the same genetic responses. Your body doesn't know or care what weight caused the failure.