Can you help me with plan/ progression?

[Mokeytree]

Looking for some advice from knowledgeable people in calisthenics or weight lifting.

I have been doing pretty much the same weight regime for a while, mostly it's only once a week which potentially is why the progress is slow.

The weights are a supplement to a sport so I am exercising similar muscles 4 times a week.

This is what I'm doing with the weights, reps and sets.
Singular arm overhead press 8kg 7reps, 3 set
Dips with feet on chair to make heavier 10 x 3
Squats 24kg (this is heaviest kettlebell I have I do have access to a mens barbell but when I tried it a long time a go I struggled with how unwieldy and big it was) 10 x 3
One arm Bent over row 20kg 7 x 3
Pull ups body weight 4 x 5

Supplementary core such as leg raises, planks etc

What I'm wondering is how often you'd expect to be able to up the weights on these. And what would be reasonablish goals. I think these are probably beginnerish levels even though I've been doing the weights for a while.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Forgot to say goal is for increased strength. So I think lower reps is better but not sure how low it should be.

Once a week does mean progress will be slower. If possible, it would be good to get in at least one other session during the week; two half hours with recovery in between tend to have more impact than one hour! Exercise snacking can be very powerful - a set of dips for example could be easily fitted in while you make a hot drink.

Your rate of progress will also depend on where you are in your strength training journey (beginners tend to make faster progress and I'm guessing you've been doing this for a while from the weights you're using). That said you should be feeling ready to increase weight at least a little on at least some of those after a month, and if you're not that suggests you're not getting enough stimulus to progress.

7-10 reps is a medium range and should be good if you're getting the level of effort right - it's good to be aware of how close to failure (i.e. unable to do another rep with good form) you are coming at the end of each set and use that as a guide for when to increase.

Barbells are tough for some people - I use them for deadlifts but right now my wrists and shoulders aren't flexible enough to manage a heavy enough weight to make squats challenging, so I use a hack squat machine at the gym. It's worth looking into how to make moves more challenging with the same weight by doing them onesided (you'll generally need to halve the weight to start off with!) or varying the tempo (e.g. moving slowly or doing a little extra dip at the bottom for 1.25 reps).

Thank you for your comments.
I will see if I can fit some more in after my sport sessions, maybe I could cut them quarter hour short and do one or two exercises. Maybe press ups and pull ups again one day and not sure for the other.

I do them all in one day currently as I have a day off mid week so I do a 3 hour session followed by the weights.

I could possibly try the squats with dumbbells at my hobby, that might work if they have 2 15kg dumbbells that would up the weight a little bit as I know 24kg is pretty low for squats and isn't at my max I just don't have anything heavier.

I am trying to keep a log as well so I know how long between upping weights. Certainly not upping them once a month currently.

Singular arm overhead press 8kg 7reps, 3 set
Dips with feet on chair to make heavier 10 x 3
Squats 24kg (this is heaviest kettlebell I have I do have access to a mens barbell but when I tried it a long time a go I struggled with how unwieldy and big it was) 10 x 3
One arm Bent over row 20kg 7 x 3
Pull ups body weight 4 x 5

I don't really understand the logic behind this routine. It only includes one compound lift and at a light weight (squats). The arm/upper body work is odd when you're not doing more variety and volume in legs and full body lifts.

Ideally, you should do some variety, and include more compound or all-body lifts - if you can't/don't want to do deadlifts, what about RDLs? starting with a light dumbbell (say the 8 k one). Ditto bench - you could use dumbbells rather than a barbell.

If you're doing the same exercises with the same weight, once a week, you won't really progress. You need to be getting to failure, or at least to feel you've only got 1 or 2 reps in reserve (RIR) by your last rep.

You could add resistance bands to develop squats into Spanish squats, so you're pushing time under tension. or work on one-legged squats (pistol squats) or RDLs balancing on one leg.

Also things like a Paloff press or a woodchopper = these train your core and oblique abs in dynamic ways. Similarly, bird dogs, and a really fun/hard version: the bird dog row. Also I find a hollow hold is far harder than a plank for ab strength.

What's the aim of this training routine? If it's to replicate your sport, then I'd say actually you need to supplement and do stuff which is NOT your sport so that you're challenging muscle memory and habitual patterns of movement.

What do you do for mobility, flexibility and balance?

Thanks for all the comments. I'll try and answer.

I don't really understand the logic behind this routine. It only includes one compound lift and at a light weight (squats).
The light weight is like I say the heaviest one I have and also I did have to do some gradual knee strengthening anyway due to an injury. I did after Unas comments go test out deadlifts with my barbell and do 3 sets of 5 at 40kg which worked fine. So I could keep working on those potentially.

The arm/upper body work is odd when you're not doing more variety and volume in legs and full body lifts.
It is quite an upper body focused sport.

Ideally, you should do some variety, and include more compound or all-body lifts - if you can't/don't want to do deadlifts, what about RDLs? starting with a light dumbbell (say the 8 k one). Ditto bench - you could use dumbbells rather than a barbell.
I don't have a bench.

If you're doing the same exercises with the same weight, once a week, you won't really progress. You need to be getting to failure, or at least to feel you've only got 1 or 2 reps in reserve (RIR) by your last rep.

Many of these are to failure, certainly the pull ups, rows and press are. They have increased but pretty slowly.

You could add resistance bands to develop squats into Spanish squats, so you're pushing time under tension. or work on one-legged squats (pistol squats) or RDLs balancing on one leg.
Pistol squats are quite a way off. But I will look at Spanish squats thank you.

Also things like a Paloff press or a woodchopper = these train your core and oblique abs in dynamic ways. Similarly, bird dogs, and a really fun/hard version: the bird dog row. Also I find a hollow hold is far harder than a plank for ab strength.

I will look those up thank you. I can hold a decent hollow hold for a decent length of time but don't train them.

What's the aim of this training routine? If it's to replicate your sport, then I'd say actually you need to supplement and do stuff which is NOT your sport so that you're challenging muscle memory and habitual patterns of movement.

The aim is to get stronger for my sport, so stronger back and lats and forearms and posterior chain. I also do the press as an antagonist to try and avoid injury

What do you do for mobility, flexibility and balance?
I do mobility work in my warm ups and probably once a week outside of that. Flexibility similar once a week. Balance I guess is hit a little during my sport but I don't specifically do anything right now although used to do lots of yoga.

I will have a think about your comments to see what I could do differently. Like I say I have already looked at potentially adding deadlifts.

Oh also I can do bench after my hobby so could do it in a short workout after my hobby potentially if I cut that short. This is one of the things I'm thinking about.
The above routine takes me about an hour and a half I think but then I could potentially add in two extra 15 minutes work outs and a half hour one but don't know how best to split things up.

Looked up palloff press abd woodchoppers and they do look like fun potential additions.
Bird dogs I have done in previous routines but are not in my current one. I tend to rotate around different core routines which have these kind of bodyweight exercises.
Bird dog rows look like a good way to step things up.

Think I may try something along the lines of the following:
Day 1:
Deadlift
Chair dips
Overhead press
Pull ups

Day 2 in the small gym:
Squats
Bench press

Day 3:
Rows
Press ups

Leave my core, mobility etc the same as it is currently as don't want too many new things at once to learn and really concentrate on form.
This plan means I'd need to learn deadlift, back squat and bench press and I figure that's quite a lot of new things.

I think it seems maybe moving the deadlift and squat to body weight could be something to work on. I also want to increase my sets on pull ups maybe to 7 sets, before doing fewer sets but with added weight rather than just body weight.

Hopefully I can fit in the two extra sessions that are relatively short after training by increasing efficiency.

Is your sport climbing?

Yes

That’s my main sport too. Have you had a look at the Lattice YT channel?

I’m in a similar position too, where I want to push my grade and feel that weights will help.
The only thing I’m consistent at is going climbing at the wall.

I am random with other stuff like hangboard, weights and stretching

Have you looked at Caroline Girvan, especially her Iron series

Yes I have watched a few of the lattice videos and hoopers beta etc. In fact I think it was from them I got my original routine.
I think as you say consistency is the real issue. With limited time I'll always prioritise actual climbing rather than the supplementary extras.

Thanks for the recommendation but I think her stuff is a bit more geared to growing muscles whilst I'm looking for strength gains. And there looks to be a lot of leg/glute work which is not really what I'm looking for. And also I think potentially her workouts would result in being too tired for performing in my sport.
I have looked at her workouts before but not sure they are the right fit. Also time wise I think I really am looking at one longish session and two very short ones really.

@Screenager if you find anything useful please do let me know.
I find climbing specific plans are either aimed at total beginners who can't do a single pull up or very strong men who are doing weighted one armers with not much imbetween.