Finding weight and rep maxes

🧠 Why Focus on Increasing Weight?

While there are many ways to apply progressive overload, increasing weight over time is one of the most direct and research-backed ways to build strength and muscle.

But to make it work, you have to plan and track it carefully. 

💡 The Strategy: Low Rep Range + Training to True Failure

To build strength and muscle efficiently, you’ll want to train most of your working sets in the 6–10 rep range, and consistently push to true failure—the point where you physically cannot complete another rep with good form.

Here’s what happens when you do this:

• Your muscles are placed under maximum tension

• Your body adapts by getting stronger

• Eventually, the weight feels easier, and you’re able to go beyond the planned rep count

🎯 That’s your signal—it’s time to increase weight.

This brings you back down to 6–8 reps, where you start the cycle again, continually progressing.

🔍 But How Do You Know What Weight to Use?

You need to find your rep max—the amount of weight that brings you to true failure within your goal rep range.

Here’s a step-by-step process to help you find it:

🔢 How to Determine Your Rep Max (for Any Movement)

1. Start with a weight you’re comfortable with.
   Choose something you’ve used before, where you feel confident but challenged.

2. Do a full set to absolute failure.
   Don’t stop at your usual rep range—go until you literally can’t do another rep with proper form.

3. Count how many reps you got.
   Compare this to your target rep range (6–10).

4. Adjust weight up or down.
   If you went past 10 reps, increase the weight.
   If you failed too early (before 6), reduce it slightly.

5. Repeat as needed (process of elimination).
   Do 1–2 more test sets with small adjustments until the weight takes you to failure at 6–10 reps.

6. Once you find it, track it.
   This is your starting point for that exercise. Stay here until it feels “too easy.”

7. When the weight feels light, test again.
   If you're hitting 12+ reps and not hitting failure, it's time to increase weight again and restart the process.

🔁 This Cycle Never Stops:

• Find your working weight

• Train to failure in the 6–10 rep range

• Get stronger and exceed the range

• Add weight and repeat

This cycle, when done correctly, guarantees long-term strength and muscle growth.

🧠 Key Takeaway

Increasing weight is one of the most powerful ways to build muscle—but only if you do it with intention.
Learn your limits, train to failure, and increase weight when it no longer pushes you. That’s how you grow.

✅ Action Step:

Choose one compound lift (like a squat, deadlift, or press) and go through the rep max testing process this week.
Find your working weight for the 6–10 rep range and write it down.