I like to plan my progress either for whole workout programs or for specific exercises for some weeks at the time. I also like to start with a bit high rep/low weight, while decreasing reps and steadily increasing the estimated 1RM.
I messed around a lot with Excel to make different "rep/set schemes" and calculated weights. After experimenting a bit, I ended up making a little web based tool for this: https://www.gymcalc.no
It is NOT a workout tracker or full program builder, but a generic rep/weight progression planner for a single exercise, where you can:
- Set weight progression method (linear, power, step-based, percentage-based) - Choose progression target (working weight or estimated 1RM) - Set rep progression (constant, cyclic, interpolated) - Distribute set weights (same, RM-adjusted, percentage-based) - Add deloads and pre/post sets - Pick RM formula used for any calculations - Save, load and export workouts
So you could define complex routines like: - Over 12 workouts - Go from estimated 1RM of 80kg to 95kg - Increase weight slower towards the end of the workout - The first workout is 3x10 reps, and the last workout is 3x5 (interpolated in between) - Build up the weight across the sets so that you do 90%,95%,100% over the 3 sets
Then get the generated weights in a table - optionally rounded to a specific weight.
Or simpler: - Over N weeks - Increase linearly from 30kg to 40kg - but only every 2 workouts - Use fixed reps and sets as 3x10
You can also say use cyclic rep schemes so that: - 1st workout = 3x10, 2nd workout = 3x8, 3rd workout = 3x6, then repeat, but increase the estimated 1RM every workout
Or you could specify: - Start with 80kg, first increase is 2.5kg, last increase is 0.5kg, and end weight is 100kg
Any many more possibilities:)