Progressive overload is a strength training strategy where you gradually make your workouts more challenging. It means slowly increasing the stress on your muscles and nervous system to keep improving your strength and fitness. More scientifically, progressive overload is the act of gradually increasing the stress placed upon the muscles and nervous system.
Why is Progressive Overload Training Important?
Progressive overload is key to getting stronger over time. This means you gradually increase the weight, intensity, or number of reps in your workouts. If you don’t do this, your strength and muscle growth will stop improving. To keep making progress, you need to keep challenging your body a bit more each time you work out.
Benefits of Progressive Overload
Gradually increasing the stress on your muscles has several clear benefits:
Strength Increase: Helps you become stronger over time.
Muscle Hypertrophy: Promotes muscle growth.
Prevents Strength Plateau: Avoids stagnation in your progress.
Prevents Monotony: Keeps workouts interesting and keeps you motivated.
Examples of Progressive Overload Training
You can add progressive overload to your training routine in different ways, depending on your fitness level and the types of workouts you do. Below are general examples of progressive overload.
Increase Volume
Week 1: Perform 10 squats, with or without weight.
Week 3: Perform 12 squats, with or without weight.
Week 5: Perform 15 squats, with or without weight.
Increase Weight Used
Week 1: Perform bicep curls with 10 Kg weights.
Week 4: Perform bicep curls with 12 Kg weights.
Week 8: Perform bicep curls with 15 Kg weights.
Increase Mileage in Running
Week 1: Run 20 minutes at a light to moderate pace, 2 days per week.
Week 3: Run 30 minutes at a light to moderate pace, 2 days per week.
Week 5: Run 40 minutes at a light to moderate pace, 3 days per week.
Detailed Guidelines for Progressive Overload
Increase Weight Used
Adding extra stress to your muscles helps them break down, rebuild, and grow stronger. One effective way to do this is by lifting heavier weights. Here’s how to do it properly:
Current Weight Mastery: Before increasing weight, ensure you can comfortably lift your current weight for 10–12 repetitions with good form.
Increasing Weight: When you’re ready, choose a weight you can lift for about 10 repetitions, with the last 2 or 3 reps being challenging.
Proper Rest: If doing multiple sets, take sufficient rest between sets.
Recovery Time: Allow 1 or 2 days of rest between lifting sessions to let your body recover.
Increase Volume
Increasing the number of repetitions puts more demand on your muscles, making 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.
How to Suggest Loads
Find Baseline
Weight Lifted: Note the weight lifted in every set.
Reps and Sets: Track the number of repetitions and sets.
Example:
Assume you are doing 12 reps of barbell squat with 15 kg. Increase by the smallest available weights (ex. 2.5kg) and do 10 reps. In the subsequent week, increase to 12 reps.
If you can lift this comfortably, then in the following week add weight and start with 8 reps. Use this strategy to build your way up to 12 reps again.
How Do We Figure Out Weight Increments Across Gyms?
Different gyms have varying weight increments (e.g., 5 to 7.5 kg, 5 to 10 kg). Adjust your increments based on the available weights in your gym.
Calculate Overall Volume
Calculate the total volume of your workout (sets/day/week/month) and increase by a certain percentage.
Use the getpresent.fit App
The getpresent.fit app helps you track the weight you've lifted across workouts. This is important for you to understand how to progressively overload in your training.
Since it's available for free, we highly recommend trying it out!
When to Program Deload Week?
A deload week is a week with reduced volume (by 30-40%) to allow your body and mind to recover. Deload weeks are only applicable if the client is consistently hitting 4-5 workouts per week for 4-6 weeks. The need for a deload week also depends on the loads lifted by the person.
By following these guidelines, you can effectively implement progressive overload into your training routine, ensuring continuous improvement and avoiding plateaus in your strength and fitness journey.
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