u/Worldly-Squirrel-682

36F here. I’ve been strength training regularly again after a months-long bout of inconsistency. Naturally, my strength has dipped, but over the last few weeks, I've started seeing progress.

I’m curious how you all approach progressive overload. Specifically:

1. Movement Progression: Do you prioritize increasing reps, adding sets, or jumping to heavier weights first? Does your approach change based on the lift (e.g., DB bench press vs. barbell deadlifts)?
2. Set Structure: What do your sets/reps actually look like? My app suggests a "pyramid" (12, 10, 8, 6), but friends suggest keeping reps consistent across all sets. I also recently read about "top sets" (doing your heaviest set first). What has worked best for you?

Goal: Build muscle for a long-term active lifestyle, improve running performance, and slight fat loss. (Intermediate level).