Today’s topic is your ladders’ volume, or the total rep count.

Per Soviet weightlifting guidelines, 20-30 total reps per session with weights of 70% 1RM (~12RM) and heavier are optimal for strength training. Soviets’ max volume was around 50 reps. Tough with the barbell; very doable with kettlebells and bodyweight.

For an intermediate girevik or girevichka, a journey from (1, 2, 3) x 3 to (2, 3, 5) x 5 in the military press should take only a couple of months. During that time, the bell that started out as your 5-6RM becomes an 8-10RM as you get stronger.

How to make this progression reliable and sustainable is the topic for another newsletter.

Meanwhile, sign up for the Plan Strong™ seminar we teach online on November 7-8. Learn how to apply the best-in-class Soviet weightlifting system to kettlebell and barbell military presses, weighted pullups and pistols, and the three powerlifts for extraordinary results.