Field notes
Practical writing on training, recovery, and progressive overload. Most posts come with a small calculator you can use in 30 seconds; the standalone versions live in the free training tools.
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How to track volume by muscle group (the five-second method)
Hard sets per muscle per week, half credit for assisting muscles, nine broad groups, one consistent window. The method plus an estimator.
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MEV, MAV, and MRV: the volume landmarks in plain English
What the four volume landmarks mean, what the evidence supports and what it does not, and starter weekly set ranges with a calculator.
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A beginner's first mesocycle: a 6-week training block
Three full-body days, rep targets instead of max percentages, double progression, and a rehearsal deload. Free block planner included.
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How to track RIR without overthinking every set
Whole numbers, a three-second rating habit, a calibration set every few weeks, and why logging every working set keeps the trend honest.
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1RM vs RIR: when each is the right autoregulation tool
A 1RM measures how strong you are; RIR measures how hard a set is today. Use the estimate to track the trend and RIR to pick the day's load.
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Autoregulation training: adjusting workouts to daily readiness
Autoregulation means adjusting load, sets, and session length to how you are performing today. How to steer with RPE and RIR, the sandbagging trap, and a calculator that turns an effort target into a working weight.
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What is a mesocycle? How to structure a training block
A mesocycle is a 4 to 6 week training block that ramps volume and effort, then ends in a deload. How blocks work, how long to run one, plus a free planner.
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6 signs you need a deload week (and what to do)
Stalled lifts, easy weights grinding, achy joints, wrecked sleep: the six signs you need a deload week, what each one means, and how to act on it.
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Progressive overload, explained without a textbook
Progressive overload is doing more over time: more weight, reps, or sets. The levers that drive it, how fast to add, why it stalls, and a calculator to check a session.
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When does Anneal deload? An autoregulation app, explained
The eight signals Anneal watches, the seven that can fire a deload suggestion, and exactly what happens to your working weights when one does.
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Double progression: the no-spreadsheet way to add weight
Double progression tells you when to add reps and when to add weight, using nothing but your rep range. How the method works, a worked example, and where it stalls.
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How to know when to deload (without guessing or a coach)
The signals that tell you a block is done, how to read them yourself, and how Anneal watches all eight for you so the call stops being a guess.
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How often should I deload? A cadence by training age
How often you deload depends on training age, goal, and recovery. A defensible cadence by experience level, and the signals that override the calendar.
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RIR Explained: A Practical Guide
Reps in Reserve (RIR) is how many reps you have left before failure. Learn the 0-4 scale, how it maps to RPE, and how tracking RIR can signal when a deload is coming.
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What is a deload week, and how do you know it's time?
A deload week is a planned recovery week that keeps your training compounding across months. What it is, when to schedule one, and a calculator to check if you're due.