Micro loading vs rep addition

[Ben]

Hey everyone, 

In your experience, is it worth adding 1.25 per side on an exercise like overhead press or bench each time or would I be better off just trying to add reps and increasing weight by a larger amount when the reps get higher. 

I've always just added reps and increased load by 2.5 per side when smaller jumps were needed. I have 1.25 plates but haven't used them for a while. Just curious if anyone has had success with very small plates and also what percentage weight increase 1 rep roughly equates to.

[Kabhattacharya]

My experience

Micro loading works great in isolation movements, esp upper body

And sometimes on compound movements 

Now the fine print
In my experience using fractional plates IE 0.25kg, 0.5kg, 0.75kg, etc. worked very well on curls, lateral raises, etc. but if and only if I was on a progression spree - if I was trying to force progression with micro loading I’ve generally been better served by switching movements - or - changing rep ranges 
However if you’re getting stronger week to week micro loading really allows you to squeeze every ounce out of your set, because you’ll likely beat reps and by virtue of the additional half or 3/4 kilo add volume as well 
In effect it forces conservative progression that ends up being more sustainable - in some ways it allows the body to catch up to the demands placed on it - because let’s be honest the superlative  workouts where you’re crushing everything in your path are generally (for nattys) the exception not the norm - hence in my books being able to consistently operate towards the upper end of your rep range (or beyond) makes the AMRAP (assuming you’re taking the set to failure) a richer stimulus 
If I’m stuck on a rep count two sessions in a row - time to drop the movement - micro loading isn’t going to do anything magical
Not sure if that makes sense to anyone else than me, but there you go

[Scott Stevenson]

Thanks for that response, Kab!

Microloading for smaller muscle group exercises will essentially be no longer loading in some cases, b/c the the percentage change in load can be quite great when moving up a standard plate.  E.g., if doing cable side laterals on some side lateral machines, a 3 plate (selectorized) jump to a 4 plate is a 33% increase.     (You can pin a 5lb plate, but even that is a large jump, whereas a 1.25 lb plate is more reasonable.)

Some of this will be very individual, IMO:  Some favor the aggressive mindset the comes along with making larger jumps in weight, whereas others do better (e.g., in keeping execution / form in check) by micro loading and simply focusing on perfectly executed reps for an equal number of or perhaps 1 or more reps.  

This can vary by exercise, as well and tendencies / need to focus on a mind muscle connection when performing a given exercise a/o targeting a weak muscle group.

-S