Knowledge base/How Mitta decides
Why a lift target can go down
In short
A target goes down when you miss the bottom of the rep range in two sessions in a row. Mitta then takes about 10% off the weight, rounds it to a weight step, and sets the target at the bottom of the range. The idea is to get clean reps again and build back up, instead of repeating a weight that has not worked twice.
Cody de LeeuwLast checked 27 October 2026 · 4 min read
When does a target go down?
Every exercise in your plan has a rep range, for example 6 to 8. The bottom of that range is the lowest number of reps that still counts as a good set. Mitta looks at two sessions with that exercise:
- Last session: your weakest set at your heaviest weight.
- The session before: your weakest work set.
If both were below the bottom of the range, the next target is lower. One miss is not enough. After one miss you get the bottom of the range at the same weight, and a second chance.
Only work sets count, not warm-ups. The rule is part of double progression. The lift target article shows all the rules together.
How much lighter, and what happens next?
The weight goes down by 10%. Mitta then rounds it to the weight step of that exercise (2.5 kg unless the exercise says otherwise), and the reps go to the bottom of the range.
| Session | What you did | Next target | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82.5 kg, 6 · 5 · 5 | 82.5 kg × 6 | Below the range once (range 6 to 8). Same weight, bottom of the range. |
| 2 | 82.5 kg, 5 · 5 · 4 | 75 kg × 6 | Below the range twice in a row. 10% off 82.5 kg is 74.25, rounded to a 2.5 kg step: 75 kg. |
| 3 | 75 kg, 6 · 6 · 6 | 75 kg × 7 | Back in the range. Normal rules again: one more rep. |
From session 3 on, nothing special happens. The weight goes up again by the usual rule, when every set reaches the top of the range. If you are still below the range at the lower weight, the rule applies again and takes another 10% off.
Why is a lower weight the better target?
Two sessions under the range means the weight is more than you can handle for now, whatever the reason: a bad run of sleep, a busy month, or a jump that was a bit too big. The reason does not matter for the rule. What matters is that more of the same weight is unlikely to work.
A lighter weight gives you full-range reps, a clear number to beat, and a first session where you can get back to the bottom of the range or above. From there the weight goes up in small steps again. It is a short step back, not a failure.
This is how coaches often handle a stall, but it is a rule of thumb. The 10% and the two sessions in a row are Mitta's choice, not something a study has tested.
What does not count as a miss?
- Light weeks. Sessions in a light week of a training block (Pro) are left out. They do not count as your last session, so a light week cannot trigger a lower target. How training blocks work
- Lighter days after the check-in. If you train lighter after the check-in, the reps in your target never go below the bottom of the range, so following it does not count as a miss. How the check-in changes your session
- Pain. If you flagged pain of moderate or more on a set, a different rule applies: about 10% lighter, at the bottom of the range, with other exercises on offer. If it keeps happening, talk to a healthcare professional. How the pain flag works
If you reached the top of the range on every set, the weight goes up, whatever the session before looked like.
Does this work differently for beginners?
Beginners go up from the middle of the range instead of the top. That faster rule switches off when, in your last 6 sessions with the exercise, you were twice below the bottom of the range. After that you follow plain double progression, with reps first. How your experience level changes your plan
The 10% cut itself is the same for every level.
Expert opinion evidence
This is a coaching rule, not a tested one. The two-session trigger and the 10% cut are Mitta's own choices. No study shows that exactly this rule gives better results. How we rate evidence
How Mitta does it
A step back, with the reason shown.
When a target goes down, Mitta says why. Tap Why? and you see the rule and your own reps, so a lower number is never a mystery.
- Two sessions, not oneOne miss gets the bottom of the range at the same weight.
- About 10% lighterRounded to the weight step of the exercise.
- Back at the bottomThe reps go to the bottom of your range, then you build up again.
- Light weeks never countOnly normal sessions are used.
Know why the number changed.
Mitta shows the reason behind every target, up or down. Free to start, in the web app for invited testers.
Questions about
Why a lift target can go down
Why did my target go down after only a small miss?
It takes two sessions in a row where your weakest set was below the bottom of the range. Tap Why? next to the target to see the reps Mitta used.
Can I keep the old weight?
Yes. A target is a suggestion. Whatever you log becomes the starting point for the next one.
Does a lower target mean I lost strength?
Not necessarily. The rule only sees two sessions under the range. It cannot tell the cause, so it does not guess.
Does the AI coach decide this?
No. It is a fixed rule in the app. The coach can explain it, but it does not change it.
Sources
Written by Cody de Leeuw. First published 27 October 2026, last checked 27 October 2026. This article is general information, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Tell me