What do I do when a repetition fails mid-week?

Repeat the week at the same load. The failed repetition means muscle, tendon and bone have not caught up, and skipping that repeat week is one of the standard failure modes.

How big should the weekly kilogram step be?

1 to 2 kg, the smallest plate step you own. The step stays small because tendons and bone tissue require considerably longer to adapt than muscle tissue.

Should I stretch right before squat, bench press or deadlift?

No — static stretching induces strength loss and should therefore probably not be performed right before strength training.

How do I know I am overtraining rather than just tired?

Watch for unexplained underperformance for about 2 weeks even after adequate rest, often with an elevated morning resting heart rate. Five weeks of rest appreciably improve both performance and mood state.

80–100%of 1RM for strength sets

2×/weeksessions per muscle group

7–9 hnightly sleep for adults 18–64

1–5repetitions per set

Weekly strength progression

4 Muscle Men — Strength Training Progression | 4musclemen.com

Add load only when every repetition of a tested set still moves cleanly, and keep the step small enough that the next week repeats the same standard. The method below ties three things together: the kilogram step, the percent of one-repetition maximum you are working at, and a short recovery check you run before the session starts.

4musclemen.com
Progressive overload, load by goal, recovery check
Increase squat, bench press and deadlift week to week without overtraining.

Ordered steps

Weekly progression index

1–5repetitions per setRepetition range that builds strength most efficiently at 80% to 100% of one-repetition maximum.

4–6weeks to a deloadRepeat the tested baseline every four to six weeks before stepping up again.

24–72hours to peak sorenessDelayed onset muscle soreness peaks in this window after unaccustomed exercise and is gone by seven days.

Load and repetitions by goal

Percent of one-repetition maximum against repetitions per set, by training goal.
Goal	Load as percent of 1RM	Repetitions per set	Sessions per muscle group per week
Strength	80% to 100%	1 to 5	2
Muscle size (heavy)	Any load close to failure	Close to failure	2
Muscle size (moderate)	15 to 20RM	15 to 20	2
Endurance	Below 60%	15 or more	2
Light work (NSCA label)	Below 60%	15 or more	2
Deload week	Reduced from baseline	Baseline repetitions at lower load	2
Baseline test	Weight for 8 clean repetitions	8	1

Percent of one-repetition maximum against repetitions per set, by training goal.

How the weekly step works

Test a baseline of 8 repetitions, add 1 to 2 kg only while all repetitions stay clean, and repeat the week when a repetition fails.

Start from a measured baseline rather than a guess: press 8 repetitions at 50 kg, and move to 52 kg once those 8 repetitions are manageable. The step is the smallest plate increment you own, 1 to 2 kg, so the standard of a clean repetition does not change between weeks.

A failed repetition sends you back to the same load for another week rather than forward. The repeat week is not a setback; it is the point at which muscle, tendon and bone catch up with each other.

Every four to six weeks, run a deload: keep the movement pattern, cut the load, and let the accumulated fatigue clear before the next block of steps.

Week 1 — set the baseline: 8 clean repetitions at a weight you finish without form breakdown.
Week 2 — add the smallest step, 1 to 2 kg, and repeat 8 clean repetitions.
Week 3 — repeat the week unchanged if any repetition failed; otherwise take the next step.
Weeks 4 to 6 — deload before the next block, then re-test the baseline.

Terms used on this page

One-repetition maximum (1RM): The heaviest load you can move for a single repetition; intensity is normally expressed as a percentage of this figure.
Intensity: The percentage of maximal capacity you are working at, usually written as a percentage of 1RM.
Volume: The number of repetitions multiplied by the resistance moved, counted across a session or a week.
Progressive overload: Adding load from a measured baseline in the smallest step that keeps every repetition clean.
Supercompensation: A four-period cycle — initial fitness, training, recovery, supercompensation — in which fitness rises only when the next session lands in the final period.

Common objections, answered

What do I do when a repetition fails mid-week?: Repeat the week at the same load. The failed repetition means muscle, tendon and bone have not caught up, and skipping that repeat week is one of the standard failure modes.
How big should the weekly kilogram step be?: 1 to 2 kg, the smallest plate step you own. The step stays small because tendons and bone tissue require considerably longer to adapt than muscle tissue.
Should I stretch right before squat, bench press or deadlift?: No — static stretching induces strength loss and should therefore probably not be performed right before strength training.
How do I know I am overtraining rather than just tired?: Watch for unexplained underperformance for about 2 weeks even after adequate rest, often with an elevated morning resting heart rate. Five weeks of rest appreciably improve both performance and mood state.

How this page was built

The procedure is assembled from published strength and conditioning ranges, sleep research, and the standard supercompensation model. Every figure on the page carries its unit, and every step carries the failure mode it is meant to prevent.

Sources

Ranges and windows cited here come from published strength and conditioning guidance and sleep research.