Start with a fair comparison
Imagine two squat sessions. In both, you lift 80 kg for five reps. The first set leaves no reps in reserve; the second leaves about two. The load chart is flat, but the second set may show that the same work is becoming more manageable.
Effort is an estimate, so one set is not enough to establish a trend. Repeated comparable sessions give you a better basis for deciding whether to increase the load. Ultimate Lift keeps reps, effort and notes alongside the weight so you can make that comparison.
- Use the same movement variation.
- Compare reps as well as load.
- Check RPE or RIR if you recorded it.
- Read any notes about technique, rest or discomfort.
Keep an estimate in perspective
Estimated one-repetition maximum, or e1RM, converts a recorded set into an estimate of a single-rep load. It can help compare sets with different rep counts, but it is not a tested maximum.
The website’s sample squat history uses the Epley formula. A set of 72.5 kg for five reps gives an estimate of about 84.6 kg. That calculation does not tell you whether the fifth rep was comfortable, a grind or performed with different technique.
When an estimate rises, open the set behind it. Check whether the conditions make it a useful comparison before changing your next target.
Read more than one session
A lighter session may be part of the plan. A hard session may follow poor sleep or a change in exercise order. A note written at the time is often more useful than trying to remember several weeks later.
Look for a pattern across comparable sessions. Use the programme, set details and your own judgement to decide when to change the load.
Explore the examples
Product and reference examples described in this article are linked below. Sample training histories are illustrative.