Did you catch our Alpha Progression review? If not, we urge you to check it out because it covers all the essential information you need for the app. If you have seen it, you know how much we enjoy the app and recommend it to gym-goers.
Being familiar with the app and its features is beneficial, but you also need to know how it works and how to use it. To that end, let’s dive into today’s guide: how to use Alpha Progression.
What is Alpha Progression?
Here is a quick recap on the essential features of Alpha Progression: this flexible and versatile fitness app combines simple workout tracking with guidance. The result is an app that helps you make better training decisions and easily track your progress. Though it may seem like another workout-tracking app, Alpha Progression is the top-rated lifting app from Germany.
You can put together a training plan from scratch or use the most popular feature of Alpha Progression: the plan generator. After answering a few basic questions, the generator builds a workout routine optimized for you. Unfortunately, the generator is a Pro feature, but you get a free two-week trial to test the app and decide if it works for you. However, we got you covered – use our code “HOTELGYMS” here to get a 20% discount on the Pro version of Alpha Progression.
How to make the most of Alpha Progression
1. Set up multiple Gym Profiles
Creating your gym profile is the first step to getting started with Alpha Progression and making the most of the app. Similar to apps like Fitbod, a gym profile is where you add conditions to the app, allowing it to understand and guide you better.
You must answer several questions, and the app will use that data to present you with more relevant training, actionable advice, and more.
First, you must select your available equipment: gym bench, dumbbells, barbells, etc. The app has an extensive list of equipment, and you should mark the ones available to you.
You then must also select what exercises are always available. Doing so is beneficial for informing the app of the movements you can always do, regardless of circumstance.
The third thing you must review is what exercises should always be disabled. You should pick activities you simply hate doing, cause you pain, etc. For example, if pistol squats lead to knee pain, you can put them on the restricted list, and the app will not recommend the movement.
You can have more than one gym profile and switch between them when necessary. For example, you can set up a profile for when you are training at the local gym. But what happens when you are on the road? You can set a different profile for that scenario and switch to it when traveling or training in your home gym.
2. Pick the right Training Option
The second step to using Alpha Progression is to pick the right training option. As discussed above, you have three options:
- Plan generator (pro feature)
- Empty training plan
- Single workout
The plan generator is an excellent feature that provides an entire workout plan based on your gym profile. So even if you dislike some of the recommendations, you can make minor tweaks. We recommend testing the app for two weeks (for free) to determine if you enjoy the straightforward style and go from there. Alternatively, use the app’s free version to create an empty training plan. That option works well for more experienced trainees.
3. Strive for Progress
The app is called Alpha Progression, so striving for gradual improvements in your training performance is essential. A notable problem with most apps is that there is no emphasis on improvement. You have a generic training plan with some basic recommendations, but that is it. Alpha Progression doubles down on what matters: subjecting your muscles to greater loads and stress.
The app analyzes your performance and looks for trends to determine how you should approach each workout.
Of course, as with other fitness apps, you must start by finding the proper training weights and recording a few workouts. From there, the app will provide practical recommendations for progress: when to increase the weight and how many reps to do.
Alpha Progression not only supports progress; this is their priority and makes it stand out as the best weightlifting app.
4. Take Advantage of the extensive Exercise Library
Despite its straightforward style, Alpha Progression comes with several notable features found in more complex apps. One such example is the extensive exercise library. At the time of writing the guide, the app has over 450 exercises in its library, most of which have video instructions.
The feature makes the app more pleasant to use because it encourages you to experiment and try new movements. For example, if you do not enjoy a specific exercise, you can pick from the many options from the library, take some time to learn them, and get started.
5. Leverage the less popular Features
By now, you probably realize that Alpha Progression is far from a simple app that is only good for writing down your workouts. The app offers a unique take on weight training and improves the process in several unique ways. Two features you are not likely to find on other apps are:
- Reps in reserve (RIR)
- Deload weeks
Reps in reserve is a scale that monitors how much effort you put into your training. For example, a 1 RIR set would mean you have trained close to failure and could probably do one more rep before exhaustion. A 2 RIR set would mean you have left two reps in the tank. Alpha Progression allows you to track your reps in reserve to understand your training and effort better. For example:
- Week 1 – Bench press: 100 kilograms for 6, 6, 6, and 5 reps (Average RIR: 1)
- Week 6 – Bench press: 100 kilograms for 6, 6, 6, and 5 reps (Average RIR: 3)
You are technically not doing more work, but your RIR is up, which means you have to put less effort into your training, and you have likely made progress.
Second, we have deload weeks: scheduled periods of less intense training designed to promote active recovery and help with long-term progression. Unfortunately, even if you take days off from the gym, training stress accumulates and can increase the risk of overuse injuries and overtraining.
Spending up to a week doing light training is a great way to dissipate the built-up stress, recover well, bust through performance plateaus, and reduce the injury risk. Alpha Progression does a fantastic job of telling you when to have deload weeks and what kind of training to do during that time.
A practical way to have a deload week is to reduce your work (training sets) and lower the weights you lift. Have less challenging workouts, focus on proper form, feel your muscles engaging on each repetition, and resume regular training once you are done.
6. Use Alpha Progression when traveling
Like other apps on the market, such as Fitbod, Alpha Progression is incredibly useful and works seamlessly in various situations. Thanks to the gym profiles feature, you can switch between pre-selected settings based on your circumstances. As soon as you download the app and make a profile, the app asks you to create a gym profile. Doing so provides valuable information that makes the app more useful and personalized.
For example, you can set one gym profile for when you are at home and working out at the gym down the street. Then, you can select all the equipment you have access to, fill in your preferences, and get started. A second gym profile can be for when you are traveling. Again, you can select the equipment you have access to (if any) and pick what exercises you want to do or keep out of your training program.
Switching between individual profiles takes a single tap on the screen. You get access to helpful training advice and effective training programs on the road, in a hotel gym, and anywhere else.
Weight Training for Women (and how Alpha Progression can help)
For the longest time, women used to be petrified of lifting weights because of the myth that it would transform them into hulking beasts. Of course, we now know much better, and more women are getting interested in weight training to improve their appearance and health.
Lifting weights is a fantastic way to add shape to your body, develop your physical capacity, and become more independent in your daily life. In addition, weight training promotes fat loss and helps women maintain their lean tissue. As a result, women can more easily achieve the lean and athletic physique they desire. Here are a selections of reasons why weight training is incredible for women, regardless of age:
It develops Muscle Tone
The most notable benefit of weight training is muscle growth. Lifting weights adds shape to your body and make you look fitter and more athletic.
It promotes healthy Weight Loss
Many women go down the traditional weight loss route: plenty of cardio in combination with a restrictive diet. The approach can lead to quick weight loss, but it is not ideal because it causes excessive muscle breakdown.
In contrast, combining a healthy diet with weight training leads to more fat loss, allowing women to retain their muscle. As a result, they can more easily achieve their goals and build lean and athletic bodies.
It makes you Stronger
The next huge benefit of weight training for women is that it leads to physical strength and independence. Just as lifting weight develops muscle, it builds strength, making activities like carrying groceries, walking up flights of stairs, and playing with your kids much easier.
Plus, thanks to great apps like Alpha Progression, it is easier to start than ever. You do not need a personal trainer or regular access to a gym for effective workouts. Instead, apps provide all the guidance you need to have fun, challenging, and practical sessions.
Final Words
Logging your workouts is incredibly valuable. Collecting training data is a great way to see if you are moving in the right direction or if you should make changes to see improvements. The problem is that logging your training and making good training-related decisions is not always simple or obvious. As a result, you might train hard, stay consistent, and fail to see the desired results.
Alpha Progression is one of the best apps on the market precisely because it handles both issues gracefully. First, the app makes it effortless to log your workouts and look at past data. Second, the app does a fantastic job of providing training recommendations and customized plans, ensuring the best possible workout approach. Even if you travel all the time and visit gyms in multiple cities, Alpha Progression allows you to stay on track thanks to its gym profile feature.
FAQs
How much does Alpha Progression cost?
The monthly cost is $9.99, but you also have an annual option of only $59.99. Using the promotion code “HOTELGYMS” here secures you a 20% discount and reduces the cost to only $48 a year.
How can I pick the right training frequency?
One of the first questions Alpha Progression asks is how often you would like to train. You should pick a frequency you can sustain and fit into your lifestyle. Most beginners should start with two to three weekly workouts, and more advanced trainees can lift up to five days per week. However, only the most advanced people should consider 6-day splits.
What should I do once my deload ends?
As discussed in the article above, Alpha Progression comes with a feature most other apps do not have: deload weeks. Therefore, the recommended way to proceed after your deload is to get a new training plan via the plan generator. Doing so will allow you to proceed with your training and experiment with new exercises.
Can I use Alpha Progression without internet access?
The beauty of Alpha Progression is that you can access most of its features even if you find yourself without internet access.
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