Key performance indicators

Your key performance indicators (KPIs) and weekly change are shown at the top of your dashboard. The indicators shown depend on the training period you are currently in.

BW

This is your weekly average Body Weight. This is a good number to watch during a bulk or cut.

BF

This is your weekly average Body Fat percentage. A convenient way to measure this is with a BIA device. It sends an electrical current through your body and since current will move through muscle easier than body fat it is able to provide a decent estimate of body fat. It is, however, sensitive to hydration status. So it’s best to take a measurement at the same time of day, in the same way, each time. Empirical results suggest maximum strength to body weight occurs at around 14% body fat in men and 20-21% in women. Lower levels of body fat may improve aesthetics but will also progressively decrease strength as body fat drops further.

FFMI

This is your Fat-Free Mass Index, which is similar to body mass index (BMI) in that it is an estimate of your body thickness. This number is your lean mass divided by the square of your height. So double-check your height on the setup page and verify it is correct. This number can be very useful for determining what type of training will be most beneficial to you specifically.

In general:

If your FFMI is under 21.7 for men and 17.8 for women you would benefit from prioritizing gaining muscle mass more than strength. Prep 0 PPL is the first type of training you should try. If that doesn’t work for you, try Prep 0 Full Body, Prep 1, and Prep 2 (in that order). You can gain muscle mass in any training period but this order works for most people.
If your FFMI is above 24.3 for men and 20.2 for women you should probably spend most of your time in Prep 2.
If your FFMI is in the middle at around 23 for men and 19 for women, your options are also around the midpoint, meaning they’re all about equally likely to be effective for you. So pick the one you like and do that.

SBD

This is your current sum of Squat, Bench, and Deadlift 1RMs (or estimates of 1RMs). This number reflects your absolute strength. This is a good number to watch during a bulk or cut.

DOTS

This is your current relative strength index. SBD is a good KPI to watch but changes in body weight can complicate the interpretation of SBD changes. DOTS corrects for differences in your weight over time and also lets you compare your strength with people in different weight classes.

AWL

This is your 30-day Average Weight Lifted (AWL) for competition and basic exercises (SBD + variations). This number is strongly correlated with 1RM results. Try to push this number higher over time and you will test with higher 1RMs. It’s that simple. Pro Tip: Exercise selection is one way you can help control this number. For example, variations with a slow tempo have a lower AWL than variations with a partial range of motion. Therefore, consider periodizing your selection of basic exercise variations. Try slow tempos in Prep 1. These help sharpen up your technique. Then try some partial ROM variations in Prep 2. These help build your confidence in handling near-max weights as you approach 1RM testing.

NL

This is the sum of reps over 50% of 1RM, also known as the Number of Lifts. It is used to account for SBD volume only and it counts across a rolling 30-day period for competition and basic exercises only (SBD + variations). So reps you do for squats count towards your NL but leg press reps do not. This number tells you how much volume or practice you’re getting with the main lifts. 1000 NL is a good number to strive for during Prep 2. It will be lower during prior periods.

Strongest Lift

Some lift variations have known relationships between 1RMs. For example, a 2-second paused bench press is typically about 94% of your competition bench press. If your 2-second paused bench is actually 96% of your comp bench, that’s higher than expected and so it would be considered relatively strong. Meanwhile, your board press is typically around 110% of your competition bench press. So if your board press is 106% then it is relatively weak. This means that even though your board press uses more weight, it is weaker than your 2-second paused bench. Your strongest lift is the one you outperform the most, which might not be the one that uses the most weight.

Weakest Lift

Your weakest lift works in reverse of your strongest. So this lift is the one you underperform the most with.

The first thing to consider about this is the data the app is looking at may have come from doing this exercise on an easy day. In that case, it will have a low estimate. So it’s good to verify a weakness with intentional tests. Try it again and see if the weakness remains. If so, you found a legitimate area that needs improvement.

A legitimate weakness is your weakest link in the chain. If you spend some time focusing on getting this lift stronger, there’s a good chance it’ll carry over to your comp lift. Prep 1 is a great time to focus on bringing these lifts up. When you see one of your weakest lifts come up in training, try a little harder during that workout to push your estimated 1RM for it up a bit higher. Hopefully, that will remove your weakest lift from the list and replace it with something else. Repeat this process for each weak lift.