RPE Training vs Progressive Overload 

smartest(and strongest) dude in the game

I liked this video: I have never used the RPE style of training. I have used Progressive overload for over 30 years. The biggest issue i have seen with people trying to use progressive overload, is they do not understand the different forms of progression. Weight.. Trying to add to much weight or not adding weight and just doing the same thing week after week. Reps.. When you cannot increase the weight, work on adding more reps. One more rep is increasing overload. Sets.. Most people are doing 3 sets per exercise. Ok cool, now try doing 4 sets or 5 sets.. Rest times.. You are taking 5 minute rests between sets.. How about lowering that to 2- 3 minutes and getting the same reps. Also when you cannot Increase your overload the reasons why are, Not enough sleep, Not focusing on your goal, Not eating correctly, Not drinking enough water.

I leave the microcycle the same week by week and do RPE 7 week 1, RPE 8 week 2, RPE 9/10 week 3, then RPE 6 week 4 (deload). All I do is add 3-5% to all the working weights each cycle. I have been hitting PRs like crazy keeping it simple like this. Every 3/4 months I will switch up the structure of my microcycle by increasing/decreasing volume/exercise selection/frequency and it's all brand new again. Been following this method for a year and half. I've learned a lot about what does and doesnt work for me this way. My microcycles are getting better and better. That 3-5% adds up quick.

Very well explained, thank you

Underrated info

Really really good

What do you think of the approach to increase RPEs within a mesocycle, e.g. first week, 5@6 and the last week 5@10? Where are its applications and its benefits and flaws?

So good.

Thank you for all this info

So if I got it correctly, what you're saying is that adaptation to a training stimulus doesn't happen week to week (or two weeks to two weeks, or even training cycle to training cycle), and that repeating the same microcycle is often the way to go, as you can still "milk out" progress without changing anything, and I agree with that as I've seen it happen many times myself, but here's the question: how do you know when to DO change the stimulus? In what instances do you think trainees will actually benefit from changing the stimulus more often? Also, since volume (and the increase of it over time) seems to be a key driver for hypertrophy&strength, how do you know you're not better off just increasing the volume more often? I get that this is a very individual-dependant question, but I wonder what are your thoughts on this. Thanks for the great content as always, Mike.

That was great.

The messages pass by pretty quickly and I couldn't read them through without pausing. Just a note.

Awesome video! Loved all the info. But, the camera really made it harder to focus on what you were saying.

Slow but consistent route 👌👌

Camera auto focus at RPE 9.5.

Very simple - RPE goes down and reps go up for volume blocks. RPE goes up and reps go down for intensity blocks. That will elicit progressive overload if done linearly.