Small Changes are Big Changes

Seemingly small improvements lead to large changes in training volume.

There are many different ways to gauge training progress. In terms of resistance training, many people default to how much weight they use. While this is certainly reasonable, it may lead the individual to thinking they’ve made less progress than they actually have.

For example, consider an athlete starting a new phase with a DB Goblet 1-Leg Squat. Week 1 they do 3 sets of 8 with a 50lb dumbbell. Week 2 they climb 5lbs each for set 2 and set 3. Week 3 they add a 4th set at 55lbs.

In 3 weeks of training, the athlete may think “I went from 50 to 60lbs”, which feels like a small jump. Alternatively, when viewing the training from a total volume perspective (load * sets * reps)…

➡ Week 1: (50*8)+(50*8)+(50*x8)=1200
➡ Week 3: (50*8)+(55*8)+(60*8)+(55*x8)=1760

…they’ve actually increased their total training volume by 47% in that time span.

Depending on the client and the goal, progress can mean different things. Total training volume is an easy thing to track and an often overlooked way of communicating substantial training progress. Look for wins!

Feel free to post any comments/questions below. If you found this helpful, please share/re-post it so others can benefit.

To your success,

Kevin Neeld
SpeedTrainingforHockey.com
HockeyTransformation.com
OptimizingAdaptation.com

P.S. If you’re interested in year-round comprehensive hockey-specific training programs for players at different ages, check out Ultimate Hockey Transformation.

Enter your first name and email below to sign up for my FREE Sports Performance and Hockey Training Newsletter!