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When you follow a program in Kilo, the app handles the math for you. Each session shows up with a target weight and rep count already filled in, based on what you did last time. This article explains how those targets are chosen, the difference between the two progression styles, and what happens when you fail reps or hit a deload week.

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What you’ll learn

  • How starting weights are set on your first session
  • How LINEAR progression decides when to add weight
  • How DOUBLE progression uses rep ranges before adding weight
  • How deloads work after repeated misses
  • How progression hints appear on your Garmin watch

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First session: you pick the weight

The very first time you do an exercise in a program, Kilo doesn’t have any history to base a suggestion on. You’ll see:
  • On phone: an empty weight field with the message Set your starting weight for this exercise.
  • On watch: the hint Set starting weight.
Pick a weight you can complete the prescribed reps with. It should be challenging but not a true max. From the next session onwards, Kilo will progress this for you.
It’s better to start a little light. Linear and double progression both rely on you being able to keep adding work over time, and starting too heavy stalls quickly.

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The two progression styles

Used by classic strength programs (5x5, Novice 3x5, etc.). The exercise has a single rep target — for example, 5 reps × 5 sets.The rule: if you hit the target reps on every set, weight goes up next session.

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Weight increments

The amount added on each progression varies by exercise type, so dumbbells and machines don’t jump as aggressively as the big barbell lifts.
Increments use your Display Unit setting from the Settings screen. Switch between kg and lbs there and progression adapts automatically.

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What counts and what doesn’t

  • Working sets only. Warmup sets are excluded from progression evaluation, so a light warmup at 50% won’t reset your numbers.
  • Drop sets and failure sets are excluded from rep-target evaluation.
  • Program deload weeks are skipped. Some programs include a built-in deload week. During those weeks, progression doesn’t update. You complete the prescribed light session and pick back up the following week.
  • Auto-deload after stalls still applies even on LINEAR programs. Three failed sessions at the same weight triggers an automatic 10% drop.

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Watch progression hints

When you send a program session to your Garmin watch, each exercise shows a short hint card with the same suggestion you’d see on the phone: The hint colour-codes the suggestion type so you can read it at a glance mid-set.

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Swapped exercises track their own progression

If you swap an exercise before activating the program, the replacement starts its own progression history. The first session on the swapped exercise will ask you to set a starting weight, and from there it follows the same rules as any other exercise. See Swap Exercises in a Program for how swapping works.

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Quick fixes

Check that the sets you completed weren’t marked as warmup or drop sets. Only working sets count.
Make sure your watch app is up to date. The hint formatter on phone and watch share the same engine, so a mismatch usually means an outdated watch app.
You can. The pre-fill is a suggestion, not a lock. Edit the weight on any set and Kilo will use what you actually logged for next session’s calculation.
That’s the rep-reset behaviour kicking in. It means you cleared the top of the rep range last session and the weight just went up. Reps will climb back up over the next few sessions.
Auto-deload drops to 90% rounded down to the exercise’s increment. If you’d rather stay closer to your previous load, override the weight on the first set.