Understanding progression & regression
As much as training is about making progress, it can also be just as much about holding back (to also progress).
In this article, we’ll go through our progression / regression model - an invaluable tool for you and your clients.
Progression is broadly defined as increasing demand incrementally, and regression is decreasing demand. Following a progression / regression model allows you to know when to take a structured approach and avoid over-training.
There are 4 reasons we apply a progression / regression model to exercise selection, when working to achieve a goal.
1. The SAID principle
SAID stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand. It means your body will adapt to the stimulus you provide.
As a trainer, you need to know the 3 main target adaptations in training for strength:
Intramuscular coordination: In other words, how effective a muscle is at producing force. This is usually targeted by using loads over 85% of our 1 Rep Max (1RM).
Inter-muscular coordination: How effective a muscle's force production is via the timing and order of muscular contractions. This is usually targeted by using loads between 40%-70%. It is important to note that overlap exists across the full spectrum and in particular from 70%-85%.
Hypertrophy: This is the increasing cross-sectional area of the muscle. It is targeted with loads at 40%-80% provided that proximity of failure is reached.
Next, let’s look at the 4 main movement types:
Prime: The lift you want to improve.
Accessory: Lifts that closely mimic the prime lift with great carryover while reducing the level of fatigue. These include SSB squats, close grip bench, RDL etc.
Compound: Multi-joint movements not directly connected to the main lifts. For example a walking lunge, DB press, GHR etc.
Isolation: Single joint movements not directly connected to the main lifts. Leg extension, pec fly, lying hamstring curl etc.
Finally, you need to know why you would use each type of exercise.
Prime: While you may use low loads in a prime lift, most often the goal is to train intramuscular coordination. You do this with the intent to express or prepare for expressing strength.
Accessory & Compound: These lifts elicit less systemic fatigue and as a result we can build more volume in them. It’s plausible to use loads of 40%-90% but most often should sit in the 60%-85% range. This creates a spread of positive outcomes across all three adaptation targets.
Isolation: You are here to drive hypertrophy through exercise. With conscious application, you can consider other variables like muscle function and use positions that may help with stability and/or connective tissue health. Mostly though, size is the prize!
All these factors are influenced by the lifter’s experience, goals, phase of training, and primary goal outcomes. You can progress or regress a movement based on your knowledge of your client, their abilities and their goals. Turn the dial up or down to suit the target outcome.
Knowing why you’ve selected an exercise will impact how you chose to progress and regress it.
2. Skill acquisition / deficiency
If ‘technique’ is the ability to perform a rep within the agreed parameters, then ‘skill’ is the ability to do it effectively, consistently and under a load.
Doing an exercise when your client doesn’t have the proper skill may be a waste of time and energy. This is where you might regress the exercise - this way, the skill can be built and improved, while simultaneously working toward their goal.
Get the skill right and you can start considering progression. This might be to increase the objective load, reduce subjective difficulty, or to drive a more specific pattern to provide carry over to the goal outcome.
Getting progression / regression right in skill acquisition can remove anywhere from weeks, to months of unnecessary “technique work”.
3. Strength deficiency
You will see strength deficiencies either at a specific load, or accumulating as fatigue builds up.
If it’s at a specific load, you will see the lifter breakdown at a certain weight and stage of movement, despite perfect execution up until that point. This is often a good time to use regression.
Building fatigue is a bit trickier. If as the reps and sets go on, you see a breakdown develop in the pattern, it may be due to a weakness in that specific part of the movement. If there are multiple or inconsistent issues in the movement, it might be from reaching the limit of mental capacity or endurance.
If you find you can’t correct a rep with your client, it is probably a weakness. If the issue is corrected but another one pops up, you're probably looking at fatigue. In this case, you can treat this regression as you would a skill deficiency.
4. Dysfunction / Pain
Dysfunction or pain fall outside the scope of personal trainers.
For these issues, it is best to work with allied health professionals to create a plan for recovery. With their advice, you can also implement the progression / regression model to work around and try to improve the issue.
A consistent issue of movement that you see in every rep will likely be a dysfunction. Dysfunctions like this will also often cause pain. Some coaches will have the experience necessary to intervene, but make sure you stay in your (legal) lane. Err on the side of caution and reach out to an allied health professional like a physiotherapist, to see what is best for your client.
Once you’re used to working with progression and regression, you can reactively apply the right approach to develop your client’s abilities while avoiding serious injury.
