The non-linear nature of linear progression

Small numbers, big percentages

I did 24 repetitions compared to 16 repetitions last week.

I did 50 percent more repetitions compared to last week.

And I will not be able to sustain that pace.

At some point, things will plateau and progress will become much harder.

I will have to switch out moves. Pick a harder variant for fewer reps. Pick a easer variant for more reps.

But I work on the simple premise, that progress comes in violent spurts interspersed with periods of plateau.

I started the one-arm progression in August 2023. Made progress till January 2024. Then plateaued for 3 months. Progress started again and went smoothly till October 2024. Then plateaued for 7 months. Started again in May 2025 and it’s been an awesome 3 months.

The takeaway here is stick with it, be patient, don’t expect linear progress. Be willing to take a step back to be able to leap forward. This applies to getting stronger, acquiring new skill or fat loss.