Velocity-Based Training scales load to how you’re moving that day. A bar-speed device sets “velocity zones” and enforces velocity-loss cutoffs; if reps slow beyond a threshold, you drop load or end the set. In MTI’s July Geek Cycle we ran two VBT styles—RAT-6 with velocity autoregulation and a set-velocity protocol—over 4 weeks. All four athletes improved Back Squat 1RM, but the training friction was real: lifters reported having “more in the tank,” velocity thresholds cut sessions short, and single-rep sessions stretched past 75 minutes. Full Geek Cycle Results found HERE
VBT is also now common in college and pro weight rooms, which explains its appeal. But our interest here is narrow: strength only, using Back Squat 1RM. When we line up the same short windows (≈3–5 weeks) and compare the percentage increase in Back Squat 1RM, VBT didn’t beat MTI’s straightforward percentage-based progressions.
Below is the comparison—Back Squat 1RM % change only, with duration and participants for context. Each study title links to the MTI write-up.
| Study | Duration | Participants | Back Squat 1RM – Avg % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| July Geek Cycle – VBT | 4.0 wks | 4 | +4.50%. |
| Apex mini-study (RAT-6, %-based) | 3.5 wks | 5 | +5.66% (table average). |
| Big 36 (%-based) | 3.0 wks | 8 | +12.08%. |
| Density vs Super Squat (%-based) | 3.5 wks | 59 (completed) | Density: +8.8%; Super Squat: +6.1%. |
| Max Effort Strength + Aerobic Base (%-based) | 4.0 wks | 4 | +4.97%. |
| Strength + Loaded Uphill Endurance (%-based) | 4.0 wks | 2 | +11.3% (16.0% & 6.6%) |
| 45+ 1RM-based multi-modal (%-based) | 5.0 wks | 3 | +12.17%. |
| Part-Time SWAT Assessment Plan (%-based) | 4.0 wks | 8 | +15.77% (table average) |
What this shows is straightforward. In the same short windows, percentage-based progressions equaled or outperformed VBT for Back Squat 1RM. VBT adds unneeded complications to programming: you’re either running an app through the whole session or constantly checking the device between sets to read velocities—on top of velocity-loss rules that can cap useful work and extend session length. If the goal is a simple back-squat 1RM increase over a few weeks, the extra layers don’t pay off.
For clarity: this article is not a global verdict on VBT. Bar-speed feedback can be useful when the training target is speed or power. But for max strength in the back squat over short cycles, our mini-study results and the comparison above point to a simple conclusion: the percentage-based approach is the efficient choice right now.