A key factor that is missed when building a training session is HOW to progress properly within a training block. I see this not only in the lifestyle client space but also in powerlifting and bodybuilding. Powerlifters are amazing at progressing their main lifts, but what about their accessories or primers? All exercises within a workout can be progressed within a block in some fashion, and how/when to do so depends on your goals, training age, etc.
For the sake of this article, I want to provide you with an example of how to progress a full-body workout over a six-week period properly. This workout progression style could benefit the average gym-goer or even someone trying to put on mass and gain strength. It’s all about what you put into it!
MORE 4-Week, 3-Day Hypertrophy and Strength Block
But first, let’s define training progression and its purpose. Progressive overload is when you gradually increase the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in your strength training routine. The purpose of this is to increase strength, muscle size, and performance over time. Progressive overload is required to see optimal results. Period. New lifters may be able to get away with throwing weight around willy nilly, but the more advanced you become, the more strategic your training must be to see results.
Within this full-body training progression, there are a few things I am going to manipulate over the six weeks.
Changing Variables
- Sets
- Reps
- Weight
- Tempo
What is important to understand is WHEN to use these variables. For example, changing tempo MIGHT not actually make sense in Week 2 of a block, but it would actually make more sense starting Week 3. You have to always think, “Where can I go from here?” And in most cases, we can’t always increase weight every single week. Most people need to toggle between variables within a block.
6-Week Block Progression
Granted, there is more than one way to skin a cat, but a general perspective I take when progressing a six-week block is this:
Week 1: Foundational Week - RPE 7
This week, the client “feels it out.” Using the RPE scale to gauge, and then we can progress from there.
Week 2: Increase Reps and/or Sets Using Week 1 Weights – RPE 8
Week 3: Increase Weights and/or Tempo – RPE 8-9
Week 4: Increase Sets and/or Reps Using Previous Week 3 Weights – RPE 8-9
Week 5: Increase Weights and/or Tempo – RPE 9
Week 6: Increase Sets and/or Reps Using Previous Week 5 Weights – RPE 9-10
Execute Week 6 with the most intensity. A deload can follow this week before starting a new block. Weight and overall volume should be high enough to hit RPE 9-10. You can also toggle weight/rep progression differently if you want to end your block with weight increases versus reps/sets.
Full Body Training Sample
(The below omits a dynamic warm-up, but do that in some capacity before jumping in.)
Week 1: (Foundational Week - RPE 7)
A1: 2x10 Hip Circle Clam Shells
A2: 2x10 Banded Good Morning
A3: 2x20 sec ea side Leg Abducted Side Plank
B: 3x6-8 Trap Bar Deadlift
C1: 3x8 ea side Bulgarian Split Squat
C2: 3x8 Barbell Pull-Up
D1: 3x10 Single Arm DB Floor Press
D2: 3x10 Seated DB Overhead Press
E: 3xTurf Length Seated Prowler® Pull & Push (pull the Prowler® towards you with a rope in a seated position, then push it back to the end of the turf. That is one rep.)
Week 2: (Manipulate Reps/Sets – RPE 8)
A1: 3x10 Hip Circle Clam Shells
A2: 3x10 Banded Good Morning
A3: 3x20 sec ea side Leg Abducted Side Plank
B: 3x8-10 Trap Bar Deadlift
C1: 3x10 ea side Bulgarian Split Squat
C2: 3x10 Barbell Pull-Up
D1: 3x12 Single Arm DB Floor Press
D2: 3x12 Seated DB Overhead Press
E: 4xTurf Length Seated Prowler® Pull & Push
Week 3: (Manipulate Weight or Tempo – RPE 8-9)
A1: 3x10 Hip Circle Clam Shells (hold for 2 counts at contraction)
A2: 3x10 Banded Good Morning
A3: 3x20 sec ea side Leg Abducted Side Plank
B: 3x6-8 Trap Bar Deadlift – add 10-20lbs
C1: 3x10 ea side Bulgarian Split Squat (hold for 1 count at the bottom)
C2: 3x10 Barbell Pull-Up (hold for 1 count at contraction)
D1: 3x10 Single Arm DB Floor Press - add 5-10lbs
D2: 3x10 Seated DB Overhead Press - add 5-10lbs
E: 4xTurf Length Seated Prowler Pull & Push - add 10-20lbs
Week 4: (Manipulate Reps/Sets – RPE 8-9)
A1: 3x12 Hip Circle Clam Shells (hold for 2 counts at contraction)
A2: 3x12 Band Over & Backs
A3: 3x30 sec ea side Leg Abducted Side Plank
B: 3x8-10 Trap Bar Deadlift – use weight from last week
C1: 3x12 ea side Bulgarian Split Squat (hold for 1 count at the bottom)
C2: 3x12 Barbell Pull-Up (hold for 1 count at contraction)
D1: 3x12 Single Arm DB Floor Press – use weight from last week
D2: 3x12 Seated DB Overhead Press – use weight from last week
E: 5xTurf Length Seated Prowler® Pull & Push - use weight from last week
Week 5: (Manipulate Weight or Tempo – RPE 9)
A1: 3x12 Hip Circle Clam Shells (hold for 3 counts at contraction)
A2: 3x12 Banded Good Morning (pause for 1 count at the bottom)
A3: 3x30 sec ea side Leg Abducted Side Plank
B: 3x6-8 Trap Bar Deadlift – add 10-20lbs
C1: 3x12 ea side Bulgarian Split Squat (hold for 1 count at the bottom, - add 5-10lbs)
C2: 3x8 Barbell Pull Up (hold for 1 count at contraction, 3 second eccentric)
D1: 3x8-10 Single Arm DB Floor Press - add 5-10lbs
D2: 3x8-10 Seated DB Overhead Press - add 5-10lbs
E: 5xTurf Length Seated Prowler® Pull & Push – add 10-20lbs
Week 6: (Manipulate Reps/Sets – RPE 9-10)
A1: 3x15 Hip Circle Clam Shells (hold for 3 counts at contraction)
A2: 3x15 Banded Good Morning (pause for 1 count at the bottom)
A3: 3x45 sec ea side Leg Abducted Side Plank
B: 3x8-12 Trap Bar Deadlift – use weight from last week
C1: 3x15 ea side Bulgarian Split Squat (hold for 1 count at the bottom)
C2: 3x10 Barbell Pull-Up (hold for 1 count at contraction, 3 second eccentric)
D1: 3x10-12 Single Arm DB Floor Press – use weight from last week
D2: 3x10-12 Seated DB Overhead Press – use weight from last week
E: 6xTurf Length Seated Prowler® Pull & Push – use weight from last week
Progression Caveats
- This progression can be manipulated a million ways and be effective.
- The weight will vary largely from person to person. I work with women so anywhere from a five- to twenty-pound increase on most things is common.
- Same goes for tempo work and reps/sets. Again I work with mainly women so volume will typically be higher in my programming.
- If you are within a rep/set progression week but the weight you are using is not allowing you to hit the prescribed RPE—obviously increase weight a bit. Give yourself room to finish the whole block but also pay attention to intensity weekly. This layout is just an example—it will most likely need tweaking depending on how you execute.
But when progressing like this, take notes week to week and make changes based on what you actually did and how you felt. Again pay attention to RPE. If your Week 1 was really an RPE 5-6, then Week 2 might need to be more aggressive so by Week 6 you are actually hitting that RPE 9-10.
I hope this sheds some light on progressing exercises outside of a main movement. Sometimes we can get stuck doing the same reps, with the same weight, with the same tempo on accessories leaving a lot left over in terms of potential. Its easy just to focus on the bigger lifts we work on, but by properly progressing our accessories we can in turn, become stronger overall.
Alycia Israel is a nationally qualified NPC figure and bikini competitor and raw powerlifter. She has a master’s degree in exercise physiology, is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist, and an ISSN-certified sports nutritionist. As the former personal training coordinator at Ohio State University for seven years, she currently owns and operates Alycia's Barbell, an online training and nutrition business that helps clients lose fat for life or jump on the competitive bodybuilding stage. She can be contacted at alyciafit@gmail.com.
