Tracking progress and fixing plateaus
What to track and how often, a 7-step plateau checklist, and realistic muscle gain for natural lifters.
Track four things (training log, bodyweight trend, waist and photos) and change one variable at a time when progress stalls for 2–3 weeks. The app's Me › Weekly report does most of this for you.
| What to track | How often | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Every set: weight × reps × RIR | Every session | Shows whether overload is happening |
| Bodyweight (morning, after the toilet) | Daily; compare weekly averages | Daily numbers swing 1–2 kg from water and salt |
| Waist at the navel | Weekly | Waist rising fast on a bulk = too much fat |
| Arms, chest, thighs | Every 4 weeks | Confirms muscle gain |
| Photos (same light, pose, time) | Every 4 weeks | The mirror is unreliable day to day |
Plateau checklist (work top to bottom)
- Are you actually adding reps or weight? If not, use double progression strictly.
- Eating enough? On a bulk, weight should rise about 0.25–0.5% a week; if it's flat, add 150–200 kcal.
- Sleeping 7+ hours?
- Training hard enough? Are sets really 1–3 RIR, not 5?
- Volume: too little (under 10 sets) → add 2–4 sets per muscle; too much (aching, going backwards) → deload, then cut sets by about 20%.
- Swap exercises that have stalled for 6+ weeks for a similar variation (e.g. barbell bench → incline dumbbell).
- On a cut, stalls are expected; consider a 1–2 week diet break at maintenance.
Realistic natural muscle gain
A widely used coaching estimate (Lyle McDonald's model) for men training well: year 1 about 9–11 kg, year 2 about 4.5–5.5 kg, year 3 about 2–3 kg, then about 1 kg a year. It is a rough guide, not a guarantee; age, genetics, diet and training all change it. Anyone promising much more is selling something.
Evidence behind this chapter
- Lyle McDonald, 'What's my genetic muscular potential?' (coaching model, not a study)
- Helms et al., The Muscle & Strength Pyramids
Fact-checked and updated 2026-10-26. General education, not medical advice.