# Progressive Overload II - question

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/progressive-overload-ii-question/18057>\
**Category:** Training Q&A \[Moderated\]\
**Tags:** training, rpe, volume, programming\
**Created:** [June 3, 2025, 2:29pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/progressive-overload-ii-question/18057 "2025-06-03T14:29:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![techdanielss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@techdanielss](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/techdanielss)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 2:29pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/progressive-overload-ii-question/18057/1 "2025-06-03T14:29:13Z")

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Hello!

Before I ask the question, I want to thank you for sharing such useful information recently on this podcast. I’m learning a lot with this podcast and this community. Now, while listening to recent podcast “Progressive Overload II”, one thing left me confused about programming. As I know, progressive overload is defined as increase in performance that should be matched with an increase in training stimulus to maintain desired training stress. Does that mean I should wait for increase in performance and then increase weekly sets per muscle group? Or when I’m programming ahead of time (so before I will run through that program) , I might plan to increase weekly sets per muscle group, but only if fatigue levels, session RPE, and recovery markers like DOMS show that I’m tolerating the current stimulus well. From the beginning and until now, I always programmed using second way, but now I’m confused.

I hope you will reply and again thanks for sharing useful info!

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 2:35pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/progressive-overload-ii-question/18057/2 "2025-06-03T14:35:16Z")

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I do not think increased weekly sets is a great choice for progressive overload for strength or hypertrophy compared to increasing weight, reps per set (with the same or heavier load), and/or increased velocity.

May I ask, what are you confused about? We don’t really advocate for changing # of sets as progressive overload, but rather using that to adjust training load if needed.

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**Author:** ![techdanielss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@techdanielss](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/techdanielss)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/progressive-overload-ii-question/18057/3 "2025-06-03T16:22:37Z")

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That makes sense.

I was confused about programming. The question was: “Should I program weeks ahead of running through that program (so for example: program 7 weeks-powerbuilding. Weekly increase in volume, RPE with condition I can tolerate it. At the end of the week I take a look at generated fatigue, DOMS, stress etc) or, if I make a program of just one week (find amount stimulusI can tolerate) and when that amount of stimulus stops working I increase it until it completely stops working due to fatigue.

Does this make sense? Again, I programmed using first strategy all the time, but I recently saw some people using second strategy.

Thanks for reply!

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 3:27pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/progressive-overload-ii-question/18057/4 "2025-06-04T15:27:52Z")

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I think identifying a programming strategy and then running it is my preference. That said, I do favor a slow on ramp to volume targets, e.g. adding sets week over week for 1-3 weeks in some applications.

It may be beneficial to check out our [powerbuilding](https://www.barbellmedicine.com/training-programs/powerbuilding/) templates to see how they’re programmed.

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**Author:** ![techdanielss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@techdanielss](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/techdanielss)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/progressive-overload-ii-question/18057/5 "2025-06-04T17:20:44Z")

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Well said, I will keep that in mind.

Cheers.