top Chasing Numbers: When to Actually Add Weight
One of the most common questions I get from athletes is, “When should I add weight?”
Let’s start with the simple part. For your accessory exercises—movements that don’t cause a ton of systemic fatigue—you should try to add weight whenever you can without sacrificing form. These lifts (single limb exercises, rows, lunges, DB or cable machine work, etc.) might not be the “main event,” but they play a huge role in driving progress. They’re the engine that supports your snatch, clean & jerk, and squats. Don’t overlook them. Pushing accessories a little heavier over time adds up.
The Main Lifts
For your snatch, clean & jerk, and squats, the approach is different. These lifts demand both strength and skill. You should spend a lot of time training in the 75–85% range, accumulating high-quality reps with great speed and technique. That’s where the real development happens.
Don’t stress about when you last PR’d or whether the bar weight is creeping up week to week. If you’re stacking clean, confident reps in that moderate-heavy range, you’re building both the physical and psychological foundation for bigger lifts later.
If all you ever do is chase heavy singles, you’re not giving yourself enough quality practice to actually build strength. Heavy singles let you display your current ability, but they don’t necessarily build it.
The Strength Builders
When it comes to your strength lifts—squats, presses, pulls—volume is what builds strength. Lots of sets in the 3–8 rep range develop the neuromuscular and hypertrophic adaptations that lay the foundation for future power. If you're in the lower rep ranges, just make sure you're doing enough sets.
Heavy weights for low reps and few sets just don’t provide enough time under tension or technical practice to drive those adaptations. Volume is where strength is earned.
After several training phases (anywhere from 4–16 weeks, depending on your coach’s plan), that’s when it makes sense to push heavier and realize the strength you’ve been building.
For Youth Athletes
For young athletes, the goal early on isn’t building maximum strength—it’s learning how to move well. Start with moderate reps in the 5–8 range to allow them to learn the lift. It's enough reps for them to get good practice without fatigue interfering with their technique. At this stage, we’re developing skill and coordination, not chasing load.
Once the athlete can consistently execute proper technique on command (talking about strength lifts here, olympic lifts take longer), the next key is simple: reps. Young athletes need a lot of repetition to make strength training “stick.”
Strength for kids is like learning to ride a bike. At first, the movement is wobbly and inconsistent. Over time, as their coordination improves, the wobble goes away—and that’s when we can safely start to add weight.
A progression I really like for younger athletes looks like this: Week 1: 5x5 Week 2: 5x7 Week 3: 5x7 Week 4: Increase by 1–3kg and start again at 5x5
This approach builds skill, confidence, and early strength in a safe, structured way.
Best of luck with your training today!