Share on Pinterest Show Progressive overload is when you gradually increase the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in your strength training routine. This challenges your body and allows your musculoskeletal system to get stronger. Although progressive overload is usually used in strength training, the same idea can be applied to any type of exercise, including cardiovascular endurance exercises like running. By changing up your workouts and adding additional tension to your muscles, you can avoid plateauing, which is when your body adapts to the type of exercise you’re doing. With progressive overload, you may notice you feel fitter and stronger. Here’s why progressive overload is important for your training regimen. Doing the same workouts over and over or using the same amount of weight every time you strength train can lead to your body plateauing. You may be able to easily lift weight that once was challenging, and you likely don’t notice any soreness — or any progress being made. While a plateau can be seen as a positive sign that means you’ve made some gains in your fitness journey, it also signals that it’s time to mix things up. Progressive overload benefits your training because you’ll avoid a plateau. By changing or progressing in your workouts, you’ll keep your muscles challenged and you’ll get stronger. For example, in the first month of strength training, you might perform 10 repetitions at one weight. Then, the next month, you’d perform 12 reps of the exercise. Or maybe you’d stick to 10 reps but increase the weight you’re using instead. A 2011 study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology tested a progressive overload regimen. The researchers observed 83 people over a period of 12 weeks as they performed a series of arm strengthening exercises. Researchers found progressive overload — gradually increasing the weight and number of repetitions of exercises — to be effective for increasing bicep strength and muscle growth in both men and women. One drawback of progressive overload training is that it must be done gradually. It can be dangerous to increase the load or frequency of your training too quickly, which can lead to injury. You may not notice changes as immediately with this type of training as with others. But it’s the safest way to progress. Working with a certified personal trainer (either in a gym or online) who can customize a progressive training routine for you is the most effective and safest way to meet your fitness goals. You can add progressive overload to your training routine in different ways. This depends on your fitness level and types of workouts you do. Below are general examples of progressive overload. Increase volume
Increase weight used
Increase mileage in running
A certified personal trainer can create a plan that’s customized to your goals. Adding additional stress to your muscles allows them to break down, rebuild, and get stronger. One way to do this is to lift heavier, which means increasing the weight you’re lifting. You should be comfortable lifting a weight for 10–12 repetitions before you move on to a heavier weight. You should also master the exercise and make sure you have good form before you move up in weight. When you’re ready to lift heavier, look for a weight that you can lift for about 10 repetitions — but the last 2 or 3 reps should be a challenge. If you’re doing multiple sets, give yourself plenty of time to rest in between. You should also take 1 or 2 days off in between lifting to give your body time to recover. 2. Increase endurance (length of workouts)In order to increase endurance, you need to increase the length of your workouts. While strength training, for example, you can do a higher number of reps with a lower weight. Increase the number of repetitions only after you’ve spent a few weeks mastering an exercise. A certified personal trainer can also create a plan to help you with endurance. For cardiovascular endurance, you can increase the length of your cardio exercise sessions. Do this gradually. For example, run or cycle an additional 20 minutes every few weeks. Allow your body plenty of recovery time after putting additional strain on it. Rest for 2 or 3 days before your next cardio workout. 3. Increase tempoIncreasing the tempo — or intensity — of your workouts can help you get stronger and fitter. You can do this by working out at a quicker pace or with less rest time in between sets. Try increasing the tempo by using a lighter weight but lifting at a quicker pace. If you aren’t able to increase the tempo easily, switch to a lighter weight that you can comfortably lift for multiple sets of 10–15 reps. 4. Increase repsIncreasing the number of repetitions puts more demand on your muscles. This can make them stronger over time. For each exercise, try increasing from 2 sets of 10 reps one month to 2 sets of 12 reps the next month. You can also switch to 3 sets instead of performing only 2 sets. Progressive overload training should be done only after you’ve mastered an exercise with proper form. You should’ve also been doing the same routine for at least 2 weeks — ideally a month — before you start to train harder. Working with a certified personal trainer in the gym or online can help you meet your goals. They can create a personalized plan to guide you on how to progressively overload safely. Always give your body time off to rest between workouts. Stop training or scale back the intensity if you feel very sore or injured.
If you are trying to build strength, build muscle, and improve your endurance, advancing your weight training over time is key to seeing progress and avoiding a plateau. This concept is known as the principle of progression. The principle of progression in endurance training holds that there is an optimal level of overload—increased stress on your muscles—that should be achieved, as well as an optimal time frame for this overload to occur.
The progression principle says that there is a perfect level of overload between increasing too slow and too rapidly. Of course, if you are happy with strength training only a few times a week with little variance in weight, duration, and muscles worked, it's OK not to follow the principle of progression. The principle of progression is the idea that as your body adapts to your exercise routine, you have to increase the intensity to continue to see enhanced fitness. This can mean gradually increasing the weight, duration, or intensity of your weight training in order to see growth. The principle of progression applies to weight training and endurance, and can be accomplished through increased resistance, frequency, and duration. The overload principle says that the intensity with which an exercise is done must be high enough above the individual’s normal range for any desired physiological adaptation (muscle growth) to occur.
Put simply, if you want to see results when lifting weights, you have to lift more weight than your muscles can physically handle at the time. The only way your body physically changes and grows is if the muscles are taxed to the point where they must grow stronger to lift that weight. When the muscle fibers are taxed in this manner, it causes micro-tears in the fibers. When you rest, these repair themselves and grow back stronger than before. The overload process causes the muscle fibers to grow stronger (and sometimes bigger) in order to handle the additional weight. Progression is a natural part of any exercise routine. Runners push themselves to run farther and swimmers dare themselves to swim faster, just as people lifting weights may want to be able to lift heavier or longer. It's important to regularly make headway on your strength goals by following the principles of progression and overload. If you stagnate at a set weight, eventually, your muscles won't break down and build back up stronger—they'll simply maintain their strength. Progression is a key aspect of overload. Often, people do the same workouts over and over again, which results in a level of familiarity that can slow physical progress. In order to properly overload the body, progression is key.
Once an exercise starts to feel easy, it's time to up the ante so you're regularly overloading your muscles and adapting. It is also important not to always work at high intensities, which could lead to overtraining. Sometimes progressing is as simple as changing the exercise you're doing to something different. There are different types of progression you can employ to advance your workout, including exercise frequency, intensity, and duration. How often you work out can depend on a number of factors. Two to three days per week is the recommended frequency for full-body strength training. If you start off lifting weights just once a week, you can progress by upping it to two or three. If you split your strength workout between the upper and lower body, you might try incorporating an additional day for each. Intensity is how hard you work out during a session. Variables that affect intensity can include the type of exercise, number of sets and reps, and amount of weight you lift. You can adapt the intensity of your workout to your strength goals. As a beginner, start off with lighter weights, more reps, and fewer sets. As you advance, you might start using heavier weights with fewer reps per set or a higher number of sets with a modest amount of repetitions in each. The duration of your workout is also malleable. If you are doing a full-body weight lifting session, it may take you longer to complete your desired number of sets and reps for each muscle group. Split or targeted workouts, on the other hand, may take less time. You can try working out for longer with similar weights to what your body has adjusted to, or add more weight and work out for a shorter period of time. When your workout becomes easy or you feel like you could keep going after completing your desired sets and reps, it may be time to change it up. An effective way to progress is to hit your target reps and sets for an exercise, then increase the weight by a small amount the next time you perform the exercise. For example, if you do three sets of eight reps at 60 pounds successfully, up the weight to 65 pounds on a subsequent attempt. It's unlikely you will be able to hit the new target each time. If you only do six or seven reps after increasing the weight, that is still considered a success. Your goal should be to outperform your previous try even slightly. Even though it might not be consistent, a little progress is still progress. Targeting similar muscle groups with different exercises is also an effective way to build strength. For example, if you are working your triceps, try including skull crushers, tricep dips, and other tricep exercises in your routine instead of sticking to just one. The progression principle instructs that the overload process should not be increased too quickly, or improvement is unlikely to occur. Progression should be small and incremental. Overload that is increased too rapidly can result in injury issues or muscle damage. For example, jumping from 50 pounds to 100 pounds in one session is too much for the body to handle. Instead, stick to small increases. Exercising above the target zone is counterproductive and can be dangerous—potentially resulting in injuries. You shouldn't expect to increase your weight or reps at every workout or even every week. Building muscle takes time. But if you've been lifting the same for a few weeks or months, it might be time to switch it up. While consistency is crucial when weight training, you shouldn't attempt to train hard all the time. Pushing yourself too hard too often will lead to overtraining, which can be both physically and mentally draining. Overtraining is when a person believes that the harder and longer they lift weights, the better they'll get. On the contrary, continual stress on the body and its joints, as well as constant overload, can potentially result in exhaustion and injury. The body needs ample time to recover between sessions. Be sure to incorporate regular rest days throughout your week to give your body a break. If you still want to move, try including stretching sessions or yoga on these days. Progression in weight training takes time. When you first start a new workout or set a new strength goal, it can be hard not to move too fast or demand too much of your body from the start. It's important to have patience and remind yourself that you can only progress as quickly as your body will let you. As you challenge your body in healthy, productive ways, remember to practice good form and listen to your body, taking rest days as needed. |