How can you measure progress without testing your 1RMs? How do you best deal with plateaus in your training? And what do we think about low-volume, high-intensity training for muscle hypertrophy?

The first mailbag of the year is here, and it’s a good one!

Read the timestamps below for every listener question we answered.

Timestamps:

• 01:45 - What’s your best tip to mentally handle periods without progress (in both strength and physique) for intermediate lifters?
• 08:00 - What are the most overlooked features in the StrengthLog app that you would like more people to know about?
• 14:10 - My current bench press PR is 135kg, but last week I had a great workout and did 10x10 with 100 kg in under 45 minutes. How much do you think I can bench press now if I shoot for a new PR?
• 19:45 - How would your training be different if you got paid for being in the gym?
• 23:40 - How can I measure progress without testing my one rep max?
• 27:15 - Is cuing straight wrists during the bench press misunderstood, over-, or underrated? Personally, I’ve recently had much greater success with a slight bend in my wrists.
• 31:25 - If you could choose one (and only one) behavior that would immediately be eliminated from public gyms, what would that be?
• 34:40 - The 80/20 rule! What are the major things to focus on when it comes to exercise frequency, volume, intensity, recovery, and diet that you should think of, and what are the things that people focus on that only have a small effect in relation to the effort?
• 41:10 - If you could remove one rule or thing from powerlifting, what would it be? I personally would remove the "press" signal. Or deadlifts.
• 47:10 - Thoughts on low-volume, high-intensity training for muscle hypertrophy?

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