What is progressive overload?According to a 2002 article Current Sports Medicine Reports (opens in new tab)the term refers to a type of resistance training that works by gradually increasing the amount of pressure you put on your body.
In the fitness world, to increase the pressure you put on your body, you just have to do more.you increase your weight adjustable dumbbells (opens in new tab)increase the number of reps, or increase the intensity of the exercise.
But how does this form of strength training work until you add progressive overload to your workout routine? What is the science behind it? Is there any research showing it works? And how to increase resistance gradually and safely?
Read on to find out how progressive overload training can help you. We’ve done the research, checked the science and enlisted the help of fitness experts to give you the advice you need.
What is progressive overloading and how does it work?
To achieve progressive overload, you can gradually increase the amount of stress you put on your body by increasing the duration, repetitions, frequency, and/or increasing the weight you lift.You can apply this training principle to Aerobic (opens in new tab) and anaerobic forms of exercise, such as running.
As with most forms of training, as you get fitter and stronger, your muscles adapt to the resistance placed on them – as described above Cold Spring Harbor Medical Perspective (opens in new tab). That’s because when you lift weights, you cause “trauma” to your muscle fibers. As a result, the cells surrounding the fibers weave the damaged fibers together, strengthening them. This is called muscle hypertrophy.
But why is this a good thing?As Fallon Morgan, Head Coach tactical athlete (opens in new tab) That said, progressive overload helps break down muscle fibers again (and again and again), increasing muscle mass, which in turn helps push your musculoskeletal system to new extremes.
“If you need to increase the difficulty of your training, progressive overload is the perfect solution because your body has adapted to the resistance of the exercise and no longer experiences the huge benefits that exercise once provided,” says Morgan.
What are the benefits of progressive overloading?
according to American Council on Exercise (opens in new tab), doing the same exercise over and over again can cause your body to plateau.an article in NSCA’s Journal of Performance Training (opens in new tab) “The principle of progressive overload suggests that progressively higher-than-normal demands are placed on the muscle tissue being exercised.” This allows training adaptation to occur, the article adds, “without overload, the body does not adapt.”
One (opens in new tab)2017 research published in sports drugs (opens in new tab) Summary: “The principle of progressive overload must be adhered to, where individuals continually increase muscle size through resistance training.”
How fast should you “progressively overload”?
according to American College of Sports Medicine (opens in new tab), the progression of your progressive overload will depend on your level of resistance training. For novices (with no resistance training experience or years of training), reviews state that they should complete a maximum of 8-12 repetitions per week for two to three days.
And for individuals with six months or more of continuous resistance training experience, it is recommended that they complete 1 to 12 repetitions per week for a maximum of 3 to 5 days, with “final emphasis on heavy loads.”
It’s important to stick to this, and according to Morgan, drastically increasing the weight or frequency of training can be “very dangerous and lead to sustained injury.” “While the results won’t be immediate, as your fitness level gradually improves, it’s important to stick with it and be patient with the process,” he said.
Before you start a progressive overload exercise, Morgan recommends that you make sure you’re mastering the exercise properly, while doing it in the proper form to prevent injury and prevent extra stress on your body.
Simple Progressive Overload Plan
When it comes to progressive overload programs, there is no one size fits all. It depends on your fitness level and whether you have strength training before. In general, however, for resistance training, Morgan recommends:
week 1
Two to three sets of 8-9 bicep curls, squats, and deadlifts.
week 2
Three to four sets of 8-9 bicep curls, squats, and deadlifts.
week 3
Three to four sets of 9-10 bicep curls, squats, and deadlifts.
week 4
Four to five sets of 10-12 bicep curls, squats, and deadlifts.
For those looking for a cardio progressive overload workout, Morgan says:
week 1
Run at a moderate pace for 15 minutes 2 days a week.
week 2
Run at a moderate pace for 25 minutes 2 days a week.
week 3
Run at a moderate pace for 30 minutes 3 days a week.
week 4
Run at a moderate pace for 30-40 minutes 3 days a week.
What weight should you start with?
As with most forms of fitness, slow and steady is best. Morgan says you should start with a small weight of 5lb-10lb and build up over time.
“While the initial weight may not seem like much, once you start progressive overload, you’ll notice that the exercise will become more challenging, especially as you continue to build up reps and sets,” says Morgan.
Then, when you’re ready to step up your strength training, American College of Sports Medicine (opens in new tab) It is recommended that “the load should be increased by 2%-10% when the individual can perform one or two repetitions more than the current workload is required.”
bibliography:
Kraemer, WJ, Ratamess, NA & French, DN Resistance training for fitness and performance. Curr Sports Med Rep 1, 165–171 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11932-002-0017-7
Hughes, DC, Ellefsen, S., & Baar, K. (2018). Adapt to endurance and strength training. Cold Spring Harbor Medical Perspectives, 8(6), a029769. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a029769
Dankel, SJ, Mattocks, KT, Jessee, MB, etc. Frequency: A neglected resistance training variable that induces muscle hypertrophy? Sports Medicine 47, 799–805 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0640-8
American College of Sports Medicine (2009). American College of Sports Medicine Stance. A Progressive Model of Resistance Training in Healthy Adults. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, 41(3), 687-708. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670
American College of Sports Medicine (2009). American College of Sports Medicine Stance. A Progressive Model of Resistance Training in Healthy Adults. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, 41(3), 687-708. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670
