Ascending sets with dumbbells

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi BBM team! I’m planning to add dumbbell exercise into my Time Crunch template. Of course for the ascending sets, the jumps in weight are too big to accurately hit RPE 6, 7, and 8 using weight selection alone. Would it make sense to use a rep range as a proxy for RPE progression instead?

For example:
• Set 1: 20 kg x 6 reps @6
• Set 2: 20 kg x 7 reps @7
• Set 3: 20 kg x 8 reps @8

Once I adapt to this range, I could progress like this:
• Set 1: 20 kg x 7 reps @6
• Set 2: 20 kg x 8 reps @7
• Set 3: 22 kg x 6 reps @8

Is this a valid approach? Or am I overthinking it, and for dumbbell exercises should I just use a different strategy instead of ascending sets?

2

I wouldn’t worry too much about hitting the RPE number exactly, and I’d prefer adding weight gradually to adding reps. That said, either way works.

If I were targetting ~ 22kg x 8 for my set @ PRE 8, I’d probably do 17.5 x 8, 20 x 8, then 22 x 8.

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