Posts by Coach Marc Santos
What Does it Mean to Increase Total Reps?
What Does it Mean to Increase Total Reps? https://upliftstrength.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TOTAL-REPS-CAPTIONS.mp4 You may see instructions for an exercise to increase total reps. This can be as straightforward as adding one or two reps per set, or even as subtle as adding just one rep for any given set, for instance. So let’s say you perform three…
Read MoreExpanding Your Range of Motion: A Simple Way to Boost Strength and Muscle Growth
Expanding Your Range of Motion: A Simple Way to Boost Strength and Muscle Growth When it comes to progressive overload in strength training, most of us think of lifting heavier weights or doing more reps. But there’s another highly effective, often underestimated method to challenge your muscles: increasing the range of motion (ROM) during exercises.…
Read MoreUnderstanding Technical Failure: The Key to Safe and Effective Workouts
Understanding Technical Failure: The Key to Safe and Effective Workouts When it comes to strength training, we often hear about pushing to “failure” to maximize gains. But here’s the thing—there’s more than one type of failure in the gym, and understanding the difference can mean the difference between progress and plateau, or worse, injury. Enter…
Read MoreThe 6 Essential Strength Movements for Health and Longevity
The 6 Essential Strength Movements for Health and Longevity When it comes to strength training, simplicity often beats complexity. The foundation of any effective workout routine consists of six essential movements: Pressing, Pulling, Squatting, Hinging, Lunging, and Core work. These fundamental exercises are not just for athletes or bodybuilders—they’re crucial for everyone looking to maintain…
Read MoreWhat is an Honest Fail During Exercise?
What is an Honest Fail During Exercise? You may see in your instructions that an exercise is “OK to fail.” In this post, I want to discuss what that means and how we utilize it in our training. Failing, for our purposes, refers to a concept I call “honest failing” or an “honest fail.”…
Read MoreWhat is a Deload?
What is a Deload? A de-load is a training strategy used to ensure your body adequately recovers from the cumulative effects of workouts over time. If you’ve been training at moderate to high intensities for a period, you likely need a break to allow your body to adapt and recover. Deloads are typically implemented…
Read MoreWhat is Target Set?
What is a Target Set? (slides are best viewed on your phone) A target set is a performance indicator that informs us when we may need to increase the load or change our training strategy. It also ensures that you are using sufficient loads to create a stimulus. We use “target sets” in conjunction…
Read MoreWhat is “RIR”- Reps in Reserve?
What is “RIR” – Reps in Reserve? Reps in Reserve (RIR) is a form of autoregulation similar to Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). RIR tends to be more advanced since it requires some training experience with a specific exercise. It is generally more accurate for gauging the intensity of an exercise set, as it…
Read MoreWhat Are “Swap Options”?
How to Swap Exercises There will be times during your training when you may be unable to perform an exercise due to lack of equipment, space, or other constraints. In these situations, we have swap options available. Swap options are exercises that belong to the same strength movement category, target similar muscle groups, and…
Read MorePercentage of 1 Rep Max is Not Enough?
It is common practice for personal trainers and strength coaches to use the percentage of 1RM to prescribe load of for sets and reps. The problem with this is the amount of work an individual can do at a given percent of 1RM varies…greatly. In order to counteract this, an autoregulation system such as…
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