Progression is required to increase muscle mass (as well as other things)

I noticed that I am getting used to doing Bulgarian split squats with 15 lb cable weights in each hand in the gym. I thought maybe it’s too easy. The first set was pretty hard, but I think I’m getting used to it and more efficient.

I feel good now doing wall supported handstands for a total time more than 60 seconds. I must progress on it, and the way to do it is to increase the time at this point, the total time. Increasing total time is easier than increasing a single rep time. I pulled off 40 seconds but it was pushing it. Then, I fell the next day coming out of a 40 second hold so I backtracked to 60 seconds of total time, and doing 20-30 seconds per rep. However, that’s pretty easy but I don’t want to jump back up to 40 seconds just yet. So next: 90 seconds of total time, and ultimately 120 seconds of total time when I feel ready. Then, I can test a single rep time between 40 and 60 seconds.

In the same vein, I have multiple other exercises I should progress with. I’ve been doing this exercise routine for 3 weeks and I’m feeling good about all exercises.

Several key exercises I can improve with progression: face pulls: I did 35 lb. I can push up next time to 40 lb. I need to be able to do it controlled though for 4-8 reps. I can easily pull of 10 with 35 lb. I will continue to flex hard like Jeff Cavalier suggests in his video of face pull technique.

Decline pushups: The difference between elevated on knees and elevated on feet (unbent waist) is substantial I can fairly easily do 10 reps on the knees on the chair. I need to move to middle of the shins maybe.

Nordic curls: These are still too difficult to do without a bent waist, but I need to flex hard, and clinch my hands, as Jeff Nippard suggests, to encourage full muscle activation throughout the body on the movement.

The leg balance is going fairly well. I can exceed 30 seconds some times in a single try. There’s less calf fatigue, so I am progressing. I can, like the handstands, up the total time to 90 seconds, possibly.