How to Use Lifting Numbers to Get Stronger

The Only Two Numbers You Need to Track to Get Stronger

To learn how to use lifting numbers to get stronger, you only need to track two things: the reps you perform and the weight you lift. The secret is a system called Double Progression, which gives you a simple rule that tells you exactly when to add 5 pounds to the bar. If you feel stuck, lifting the same weights for months, it’s because you're guessing. You're going by feel, and 'feel' is the enemy of progress. This system removes guessing forever.

Here’s how it works. Let's say your goal for the bench press is to build strength in the 5-8 rep range for 3 sets. You start with a weight you can handle for 3 sets of 5 reps, like 135 pounds.

• Week 1: You lift 135 lbs. Your sets look like this: 6 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps.
• Week 2: Your only goal is to beat that. You lift 135 lbs again: 7 reps, 6 reps, 6 reps. You succeeded.
• Week 3: You continue. 135 lbs: 8 reps, 7 reps, 6 reps.
• Week 4: You finally hit it. 135 lbs: 8 reps, 8 reps, 8 reps.

Now, and only now, have you *earned* the right to increase the weight. The next week, you add 5 pounds to the bar (140 lbs) and the process restarts, likely back down at 5 or 6 reps per set. This is the engine of strength. It’s not magic; it’s math. You are forcing your body to adapt by giving it a clear, progressive challenge. This is the fundamental difference between just exercising and actively training for strength.

Why Your Body Ignores Workouts Without a Plan

Your body is built for efficiency, which is a nice way of saying it's lazy. It will not build new, energy-expensive muscle tissue unless it is forced to. To get stronger, you must give your body a reason to adapt, and that reason is progressive overload. Using lifting numbers is how you apply this principle systematically. A workout without a plan is just random activity. Your body doesn't know what to adapt to, so it does nothing. This is why you can go to the gym for a year and have nothing to show for it.

The language your muscles understand is 'Total Volume'. The formula is simple: Sets x Reps x Weight = Total Volume.

Let's look at the Double Progression example from before with 135 pounds:

• Week 1 (6, 5, 5 reps): The total volume lifted was (6+5+5) x 135 lbs = 2,160 pounds.
• Week 4 (8, 8, 8 reps): The total volume lifted was (8+8+8) x 135 lbs = 3,240 pounds.

You increased the workload by over 1,000 pounds without adding a single plate to the bar. This increase in volume is the signal that forces adaptation. Then, when you move up to 140 pounds, your starting workout might look like this:

• Week 5 (6, 5, 5 reps): The total volume is (6+5+5) x 140 lbs = 2,240 pounds.

Even though the total volume is less than your peak at 135 pounds, the *intensity* (the actual weight on the bar) is higher. This presents a new, potent stimulus for strength gain. This methodical manipulation of volume and intensity is the core of every successful strength program in history. Without tracking your numbers, you are blind to this process.

That's the principle: force your body to adapt by systematically increasing volume or intensity. It's simple. But answer this: what did you bench press for reps and sets on the first Monday of last month? The exact numbers. If you can't recall it in 3 seconds, you're not training with a plan. You're just exercising and hoping for the best.

Stop guessing. Start getting stronger.

Track your lifts. See your strength grow week by week.

Your New 8-Week Plan: From Guessing to Progressing

This is the exact, step-by-step protocol to implement this system today. No more guesswork. Just follow the rules for the next 8 weeks and watch what happens.

Step 1: Choose Your Core Lifts and Rep Range

You don't need 20 different exercises. You need to get brutally strong on 4 to 6 key movements. These are your foundation. Pick one from each category:

• Upper Body Push: Bench Press or Overhead Press
• Upper Body Pull: Barbell Row or Pull-Ups
• Lower Body Squat: Barbell Back Squat or Goblet Squat
• Lower Body Hinge: Deadlift or Romanian Deadlift

Next, assign a rep range. For pure strength, use 3-5 reps. For a mix of strength and muscle size (which we recommend for most people), use 5-8 reps. For smaller, isolation exercises, you can use 8-12 reps. You will stick with these same exercises and rep ranges for the entire 8-12 week block.

Step 2: Find Your Starting Weight

This is where ego gets in the way and ruins progress before it starts. Your starting weight is NOT the heaviest you can possibly lift. It's the weight you can lift for 3 sets at the bottom of your chosen rep range. If your range is 5-8 reps, you need a weight you can confidently hit for 3 sets of 5. For an average man, a good starting bench press might be 115-135 pounds. For an average woman, it might be 55-75 pounds. When in doubt, start 10 pounds lighter than you think you should. A lighter start builds momentum; a heavier start leads to a plateau in 2 weeks.

Step 3: Execute Double Progression Weekly

Your mission for each workout is simple: add one more rep. That's it. You are not trying to add weight to the bar yet. Your goal is to own the current weight completely. If last week you did 6, 5, 5 reps, this week you are fighting for 6, 6, 5. Or maybe you have a great day and hit 7, 6, 5. Any rep increase on any set is a win. Log it. This small, consistent effort is what builds unstoppable momentum.

Step 4: The 'Add Weight' Rule

Once you can successfully complete all of your sets at the top of your rep range (e.g., 3 sets of 8 reps), you have graduated. You have earned the right to increase the load. In your next session for that exercise, add the smallest increment possible. For barbell lifts, this is 5 pounds (a 2.5-pound plate on each side). For dumbbell lifts, it's typically 5 pounds. Then, the cycle repeats. With the new, heavier weight, you will likely be back at the bottom of your rep range, fighting for 5 or 6 reps again. This is progress.

If you get stuck and can't add a single rep for two consecutive weeks, it's time for a deload. For one week, reduce the weight on that lift by 40-50% and do your reps. This promotes recovery and will often allow you to break through the plateau the following week.

Week 1 Will Feel Too Easy. That's How You Know It's Working.

Here is what to expect, because the right path often feels wrong at first. Your ego will tell you this is too slow or too easy. Your ego is wrong.

Weeks 1-2: The Momentum Phase

If you chose your starting weights correctly, these first two weeks will feel almost too easy. You will leave the gym feeling like you could have done more. This is intentional. You are grooving the movement patterns, building confidence, and creating a runway for future progress. The biggest mistake you can make is adding weight too soon. Trust the system.

Weeks 3-4: The Challenge Zone

The weights will start to feel heavy. The last rep of your last set will become a real grind. This is where the mental battle begins. You will see your logged reps climbing steadily each week-6, then 7, then 8. Seeing this data is incredibly motivating. You have proof that you are getting stronger.

Weeks 5-8: The Payoff

By now, you should have added at least 5 pounds to one or two of your core lifts. Progress will feel slower, and that's perfectly normal. Instead of adding a rep to every set, you might only add one total rep to your workout for that exercise. A 5-pound increase on your bench press or squat every 4-8 weeks is a fantastic rate of progress for anyone who is no longer a raw beginner. This is sustainable, long-term strength.

A warning sign that something is wrong is if your reps go *down* for two weeks in a row, or you feel perpetually sore and tired. This is your body telling you that you are under-recovering. Check your sleep and nutrition, and consider taking a deload week.

That's the system. Track your core lifts, apply the Double Progression rule, and add 5 lbs when you earn it. It's a simple loop: Log, Progress, Repeat. But that means for every workout, you need to know exactly what you did last time for that same exercise. Most people try to keep this in their head. Most people forget by the time they walk back into the gym.

Weeks of progress. All in one place.

Every workout logged. Proof you're getting stronger.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often to Increase Weight

Only increase the weight after you successfully complete all prescribed sets at the top end of your chosen rep range. For a beginner, this might happen every 2-4 weeks per lift. For an intermediate lifter, this might slow to every 4-8 weeks. Patience is key.

Tracking for Isolation Exercises

Yes, the same Double Progression principle works perfectly for exercises like bicep curls or tricep pushdowns. Simply use a higher rep range, such as 10-15 reps. Once you can do 3 sets of 15, increase the weight by the smallest available increment.

The Role of RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion)

RPE, a scale of 1-10 measuring how hard a set feels, is a great tool for advanced lifters to auto-regulate their training. However, for beginners and intermediates, it adds a layer of subjective guesswork. Master the objective numbers of reps and weight for 6-12 months first.

What if I Miss a Workout

If you miss a single workout, don't worry. Just perform that workout the next time you are in the gym. If you miss a full week, it's wise to repeat your last completed week of training. This ensures you don't jump ahead while slightly de-trained, which can lead to injury.

Digital Tracking vs. a Notebook

A pen and paper notebook absolutely works and is better than nothing. A digital app, however, is superior because it removes friction. It automatically shows you what you did last time, calculates your volume, and visualizes your progress on a graph, providing powerful motivation.