Increasing Weight in Waterbury Method

spawn · Post by **spawn** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 5:07 pm

I'm planning to start Waterbury Method and it says increase weight %2.5 every week. Is that means if I can lift 70 kg (~155 lbs) on bench press should I increase weight to ~72 kg (~159 lbs) next week? Isn't that too light?

vamp · Post by **vamp** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:36 pm

why is it too light? Every one is different and by increasing at smaller incriments your body is more likely to gain strength faster hence why a professional like Chad Waterbury would have a 2.5 percent increase instead of more. also you are more likely to hit a plateau faster at a higher increase each week.

Cheers

Christopheel · Post by **Christopheel** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 5:23 am

It's perfect, wait few months when adding that 5 pounds will be hard as hell, then you will be happy it's only 5 pounds ...

Progressive Overload is the key,

spawn · Post by **spawn** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:37 pm

Thanks for the replies gents. I just wanted to get rid of curiosity.

gurunathpdesai · Post by **gurunathpdesai** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:16 am

Hey, I think you guys (vamp & christo) make a lot of sense. But in gym, we have weights in the increments of 2.5 kg. Right now I am squatting 50 kg on the bar, i.e. 70 kg. But the minimum weight that I can add is 5 kg (2.5 kg on each side).

The problem is much bigger in rows & presses.

What to do in such a case?

Christopheel · Post by **Christopheel** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:09 am

gurunathpdesai wrote:Hey, I think you guys (vamp & christo) make a lot of sense. But in gym, we have weights in the increments of 2.5 kg. Right now I am squatting 50 kg on the bar, i.e. 70 kg. But the minimum weight that I can add is 5 kg (2.5 kg on each side).

The problem is much bigger in rows & presses.

What to do in such a case?

Increase the volume at least every workout,

let's say :

70KG Squat on 3x10 ? or something similar. You can try 80-85KG on 10x3. Then if you plateau on 10x3 (due to the fact that you can only jump by 5KG) just add a rep every sets, change your rep/set schema etc.

Personally I would stick to 10x3 and add a rep to a workout, and then the other add weights. etc.

Workout 1 on Squat 10x3 70KG
Workout 2 on Squat 10x4 70KG
Workout 3 on Squat 10x3 75KG

Or something similar, depending on your rate of strength growth.

gurunathpdesai · Post by **gurunathpdesai** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:17 am

Thanks Christo,

I think I almost did that from gut feeling. I squatted 60 kg 3x10 on first, 3x12 on second & 3x15 on third workout (each workout once a week). Then shifted to 70 kg. I should have done a 65 kg in between. I will do this henceforth.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:44 pm

i'd have you do a similar set up:

session 1 - 6 x 3
2 - 7 x 3
3 - 8 x 3
4 - 9 x 3
5 - 10 x 3
increase wt and start again

gurunathpdesai · Post by **gurunathpdesai** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:28 pm

Thanks Swanso.

Christopheel · Post by **Christopheel** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:44 am

swanso5 wrote:i'd have you do a similar set up:

session 1 - 6 x 3
2 - 7 x 3
3 - 8 x 3
4 - 9 x 3
5 - 10 x 3
increase wt and start again

A good idea too. Tough you would do it over 5 workout ! ?

5lbs is usually the 1-2% increment per workout so 5KG maybe 2-3session.

Well the choice belongs to gurun. Depends on your rate of improvement.

vamp · Post by **vamp** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:00 am

Personally I would try christopheels way for the first 5 kg and swanso's for the next 5 kg and keep switching between the 2 ways. Your body may respond better by keeping it this confused.

Cheers

Christopheel · Post by **Christopheel** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:37 pm

vamp wrote:Personally I would try christopheels way for the first 5 kg and swanso's for the next 5 kg and keep switching between the 2 ways. Your body may respond better by keeping it this confused.

Cheers

muscle confusion is a myth I believe ...

tough, both mine and swanso way are a good choice

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:15 pm

doing 2 rep edtra with the same wt might not be enough to cause enough stimualtion to lift more wt for 1 less rep the next session is all....this wasy your basiacally guaranteed not to fail on any of them

Christopheel · Post by **Christopheel** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:04 am

swanso5 wrote:doing 2 rep edtra with the same wt might not be enough to cause enough stimualtion to lift more wt for 1 less rep the next session is all....this wasy your basiacally guaranteed not to fail on any of them

True.

For me it as work many times tough maybe not for everyone.