Hey Alex, I recently posted this comment on your last Q&A:

"Hey Alex, I just purchased NE, and without even beginning to train with it yet, I can already tell it was WELL worth the money! So my question was, how do I progressively overload when rotating exercises, and switching from intensity to volume days? I'd love for you to break it all down. Thanks!"

So to better ask this question, when rotating the variations and changing the accomodating resistance in an exercise, to avercome the biological law of accomodation, how do I achieve progressive overload? Thanks!

So could you do this with Squat & Bench one day, then Deadlift and Overhead the next. Then do that over the course of two weeks? Because it sounds weird to me to only work on one lift over the course of the two weeks.

I already know the more advanced goals as I have NE, but seeing as you're the only one around who seems to be doing these movements, what are intermediate standards for the strict barbell shrug, neck curl, neck extension? Just to clarify I mean intermediate standards, not advanced, intermediate meaning like 135 OHP, 225 Bench, 315 Squat, and 405 Deadlift. I am thinking 225 barbell shrug, 45 lbs for high reps neck curl and 35 lbs high reps neck extension? Anyway, want to hear your thoughts on this.

Hello Alessandro,

To answer your question, progress is automatically ensured through proper management of volume/intensity and correct exercise rotation. Every time you introduce a new movement or return to an old one, PRs will be broken. I'd say 9/10 times you will make progress 100% automatic. Progressive overload is easy to achieve in this way, and if you're confused just leave the sets/reps the same but rotate the exercises. Then return to your starting exercises and you should see an increase in strength. If not, rotate better movements or adjust the volume and intensity. In sum, progression is automatic. Hope this helps!

@BlackAcid

Pretty much the same thing, it's fine to do. Just pay attention to recovery and don't over-abuse the high intensity cardio. Your body will let you know if this is the correct path.

Hey Bamico,

Yes you can absolutely train that way if you choose to. The thing is the exercise selection is high, so you can add accessory presses which closely resemble the classical lifts. It's your choice how you want to train, it's 100% customizable. It can be bench followed by a vertical or horizontal press one workout, and the next the flip. Doesn't really matter my man, just calibrate to what you want to build most.

@ swattersquatter8

In chapter 5 there is a strength standards chart, some of those lifts are included. You may refer to it if you choose to. Hope this helps.

Now I have a mild fracture in my right distal tuft of my pinky and I'm taking medication for it. The doctor said that I can't work out for 3 weeks til they check it again and give me the go ahead to work out again. Now I was wondering how would Naturally Enhanced 2x a week will contribute to making gains again? Will it be faster than normal because of my days to recover and the concurrent periodization? With the muscle memory, how long will it take me to get back to my current level of strength. Also I know I'm supposed to rotate every 3 weeks as a novice but for the volume, how much should I tone it down?

Thanks for clarrifying Alex!

Hey Alex I know you say there is no cap on the volume day as there is only one. But there must be cap, no? You couldnt just do 20x20, 30x30, 40x40, 50x50 etc. without wasting time and not being effective at all... Just because it burns doesnt mean its working. I would think that 100 - 200 TOTAL reps depending on the exercise (compound or isolation) would be the cap no? Nevertheless you cant just do 10x10 on all compounds as it would burn you to the ground wouldnt it? But what do you think the weekly total reps for volume day should be on upper body movements (compound and isolation)? (Obviously I wouldnt do 10x10 deadlifts with 135 lol). I know, i know, paralysis by analysis... xD. Im just thinking of doin like 100 total reps on all compounds an doing 50 total reps on all isolations, seeing as Ill probably do two isolation movements for every compounds (same total reps if you think about it) with varying reps and sets to not bore me. What do you think?

As far as recovery is concerned, it should be great coming back from this problem since it's only twice a week. In terms of how fast the gains will be, yes muscle memory will take care of you but perhaps you'd be better off doing a 2 week frequency bulk for the fastest progress possible. I discuss how to do this in this video. Once you milk those gains, resume concurrent periodization and you'll be good to go. At any rate don't worry too much about regaining the strength, it will 100% come back.

For your last question, the volume can be toned down by easily 50% or more. In other words, there is no need to do 10x10. 5x10 or even a simple 3x10 per exercise is satisfcatory. Keep the sets/reps basic, and the exercise rotation simple. You'll always make gains this way. Hope this helps!

My pleasure Alessandro! If you have any other questions, I'll be glad to help again :)

The cap is when you aren't able to recover anymore. This will require experimentation on your part. But yes, technically you can do 20x20 on an exercise. If doing this, I'd lower the sets for the subsequent movements :P

I would agree with you though, that 100-200 reps is more than enough for most people. I usually leave it at 100.

For weekly volume it depends how strong you are, if I do 8x3 at 50% of my 1RM the workload will be way higher than a novice. I wouldn't worry about this too much, as long as you have general volume guidelines that you stick to and have no problems recovering, you will be good to go. I like your idea of 100 on compounds and 50 on isolations. Try that out and let me know how it works out for ya! And yes rotating the sets/reps as well, that is perfect :)

Hey Alex do you know the reason why squats and deadlifts don't go down as drastically as bench and overhead press even if you don't train for at least a month?

I'm not talking about indirectly working the muscles that you use to squat and deadlift, I'm talking about no training at all. I noticed the last time I was on a break from the gym, the squats and deadlifts didn't go down a whole lot.

Can't explain the scientific reasons behind that happening, but I've heard many other people report the same thing. Legs and back are very big and strong areas and it takes time to lose strength/size there. Wheras with the bench and OHP, weight is very proportional to weight gain and if you don't practice the movements you can lose some performance pretty quickly. I think you have to consider the general strength aspect plus the fact that bench/ohp are generally more difficult to increase.

Hello alex. Thanks for answering my previous question. I have another one for you. I just want to clear something up. In the upper lower template, on lower days there is a vertical pull listed. That would be pullup/Lat pulldown variations, right? Also, should i go light on those so that my back muscles arent too beat up on the upper day following, or is it just not a problem?

Hello alex. Thanks for answering my previous question. I have another one for you. I just want to clear something up. In the upper lower template, on lower days there is a vertical pull listed. That would be pullup/Lat pulldown variations, right? Also, should i go light on those so that my back muscles arent too beat up on the upper day following, or is it just not a problem?

Also, can pushups be incorporated within program? If they can, could i weight them with bands?