Are Self-Selected Sets Better Than Pre-Selected?
Self-selected sets aren't clearly better than pre-selected ones for building muscle, but research on autoregulation suggests letting athletes adjust load and volume to their daily readiness produces strength gains at least equal to—and possibly slightly greater than—rigidly pre-selected loads, while hypertrophy tends to be similar either way. In short: autoregulation is a useful tool for keeping training intensity appropriate day to day, not a magic bullet.
Key Takeaways
- Autoregulation lets the workout adjust to you. Self-selected (autoregulated) loads flex with how you feel that day, rather than locking you into a number set weeks in advance.
- Strength may get a small edge. The research reviewed suggests autoregulated loading can match or modestly outperform pre-selected loading for strength.
- Hypertrophy is roughly a wash. Muscle-growth outcomes were broadly similar between the two approaches.
- It's a tool, not a rule. Autoregulation is most useful when readiness varies—travel, poor sleep, stress—so you train hard when fresh and back off when you're not.
Want the full discussion? Tune in to this episode of the Garage Gym Athlete podcast.
Episode 145 of The Garage Gym Athlete Podcast is up!
Are Self-Selected Sets Better Than Pre-Selected?
This week all the bros are on the podcast. Jerred, Joe, Kyle, and Trampis are going over a study about auto-regulation. The guys talk about when is it good to auto-regulate your sets and how you can utilize this in your training! This week's topic is a book review on Life Force by Tony Robbins. The coaches give their likes, dislikes, and barbell ratings on the book. Lastly, this week's Meet Yourself Saturday workout is the Hard to Kill 5-Miler! Will you get "killed" on this tough workout?!
What the research says
The episode is built around a systematic review and meta-analysis on load and volume autoregulation (linked below). Autoregulation means adjusting the weight you lift or the number of sets you do based on real-time feedback—how a warm-up set feels, a rating of perceived exertion (RPE), or barbell velocity—rather than following a number you decided on in advance.
The review compared autoregulated training against traditional, pre-selected (fixed) loading. The broad takeaway: autoregulation produced strength outcomes that were at least as good as fixed loading and may carry a small advantage for strength, while differences in muscle growth were minimal. The practical reason is simple—when you autoregulate, you train heavier on days you're capable of more and pull back when you're under-recovered, so the working intensity stays in a productive range more of the time.
How to autoregulate your sets
- Use RPE or reps-in-reserve to pick a load that leaves the planned number of reps in the tank, instead of forcing a fixed weight.
- Let a warm-up "feeler" set inform the day's working weight—nudge up when it moves fast, hold or drop when it grinds.
- Apply it selectively, especially when sleep, stress, or travel make your readiness unpredictable.
If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Garage Gym Athlete podcast either on Stitcher, iTunes, or Google Play by using the link below:
IN THIS 66-MINUTE EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
- Regulating vs. Self Selected Sets
- Auto-Regulation
- What is Garage Gym Athlete
- Hard to Kill 5-Miler
- Life Force by Tony Robbins
- Tips For MYS
- Updates and Announcements
- And A LOT MORE!!
Diving Deeper…
If you want to go a little bit deeper on this episode, here are some links for you:
Study of the Week
Garage Gym Athlete Workout of the Week
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "autoregulation" mean in strength training?
Autoregulation is adjusting your training load or volume in real time based on feedback like perceived exertion (RPE), reps in reserve, or bar speed—rather than following a fixed weight planned in advance. It lets the session match your readiness on a given day.
Are self-selected sets better than pre-selected sets?
The research discussed in this episode suggests autoregulated, self-selected loading is at least as effective as pre-selected loading for strength—and may have a small edge—while muscle-growth results are similar. Either approach can work; autoregulation simply adds flexibility.
Who benefits most from autoregulating their training?
Athletes whose day-to-day readiness varies a lot—from inconsistent sleep, stress, or travel—tend to gain the most, because autoregulation keeps the working intensity appropriate instead of forcing a heavy day when you're under-recovered.
Related reading from Garage Gym Athlete
- Choosing Your Own Weight Can Lead To Greater Strength
- Is It Better To Do Strength First Or Hypertrophy?
- Will An Internal or External Focus Lead to More Reps?
Want programming that builds this kind of autoregulation in for you? Become a Garage Gym Athlete and train alongside our community.
Be sure to listen to this week’s episode:
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Thanks for listening to the podcast, and if you have any questions be sure to add it to the comments below!
To becoming better!
Jerred
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