"As many as you can" vs Progressing to Next Level#1627

In the routine, it says to do as many as you can each set, but gives progressions in terms of N sets of M. My first set is always a lot higher than each successive set, often double the reps of the set after it.

Progressing from Incline Pushups is 3 sets of 40, but at the rate I’m going, by the time by 3rd set gets to 40, thus allowing me to progress, my first set might be 80 or more!

Should I stop my sets at 40 and progress when each of the three sets maxes out at 40, or should I allow myself to keep going, possibly not progressing until the combined total of the three sets is 170+?

Hey. This is Chrys, one of the trainers at Hybrid.

What you’re seeing is really common—your first set is high because you’re fresh, but fatigue drops your numbers on the following sets. When the app says “3 sets of 40,” it usually means consistent capacity across all sets, not just hitting a monster first set. The idea is that once you can reliably do 40 reps in set one, set two, and set three, then you’ve truly outgrown that progression.

So instead of capping your first set at 40, go ahead and push it as far as you can. That gives you a true picture of your strength and endurance. Just don’t count progression until your lowest set—the third one—catches up to 40. That way, when you move up, you know your baseline is solid across the board.