LiftPal · Tools
Add weight or add reps?
Check your latest working sets and choose a concrete next step. This progression calculator uses your rep range and the weight increments you have available.
Your next step
What comes after 10 / 9 / 8?
Enter your sets to get a decision with a reason and, where useful, a concrete set sequence to try next time.
How double progression works
First, add reps at the same weight within a target range. When all working sets reach the top with some reserve, increase the weight and start lower in the range again.
- Example: your plan calls for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. After 10 / 9 / 8, one next target could be 10 / 10 / 8.
- At 10 / 10 / 10 with at least one rep in reserve, the tool suggests a weight increase. At 0 RIR, it keeps the current weight.
- The same exercise, equipment, similar rest periods and consistent range of motion make sessions easier to compare.
- These rules help organise a training decision. They do not predict the reps you will manage next time. Bodyweight exercises, sets with different loads and prescribed strength programs may need a different progression rule.
Common questions
Do I have to progress every session?
No. One more rep is a possible next target. Several sessions at the same weight are common too. Judge your progress over weeks and note unusually short rests, fatigue or changes in equipment.
Which rep range should I enter?
Use the range in your training plan. The editable example uses 8 to 10. A strength program may use lower reps; your exercises and goals determine which range fits.
Has this exact rule been validated in research?
Increasing weight and increasing reps are both studied ways to progress. Plotkin and colleagues compared them over eight weeks in 43 trained adults. Our specific decisions, single additional rep and 10% review mark are practical planning rules, not an algorithm validated by that study.