Progressive overload is training that gradually increases the intensity of training sessions in weekly increments to avoid plateauing in muscle growth and strength gains. Plateauing occurs when a lifter reaches a point where their exercise program is no longer effective, and progress stalls as the body has adapted to this type of exercise and is no longer challenging the body. A decrease in loading has been shown to cause muscular atrophy, which is the loss of muscle growth and a drop in strength levels.
Progressive overload occurs when the lifter introduces more stress to the body by adding weight (increasing the intensity), increasing the number of repetitions/sets, or increasing training frequency. However, the most common formula for PO is increasing intensity and reducing volume (more weight, fewer reps over time).
Progressive overload is a resistance training exercise program design principle that typically relies on increasing load to increase neuromuscular demand to facilitate further adaptations. However, little attention has been given to another way of increasing demand—increasing the number of repetitions. The principle of progressive overload is crucial in strength training, which aims to enhance strength performance and hypertrophy gains continuously. When appropriately implemented, progressive overload training leads to what sports theorists call 'Supercompensation'.
Supercompensation
This leads to Supercompensation, an adaptive response from the body to a training program. By training intensely (phase one—overreaching) with high stress levels and then taking sufficient adequate recovery (phase two), the body then experiences a physiological adaptation to both phases called supercompensation (phase three).
Supercompensation with progress overload training is an increase in strength and muscle size resulting from the significant toll on the body from training at a level it was not suited to withstand.
The increase in muscle size and strength results from a physiological adaptation process, whereby the muscle builds itself in anticipation of the next challenge to withstand similar or greater stress. The body is, therefore, better able to adapt to handle similar stress in the future.
Think of it as a way of tricking the predictable and responsive human body into becoming suitable to withstand the next challenge based on previous training sessions in phase one, as seen below.
The final phase is a decline in fitness called Detraining. This happens if the lifter lifts too much weight too soon after super compensation to start their next training session. In this phase, your baseline performance stays the same or declines, leading to a loss of strength and muscle mass.
Progressive Overload in Practice
Progressive overload is the gradual, trackable, and calculated increase of stress on the body to warrant a goal-orientated adaptation; this could be increased strength, muscle size, and/or endurance. To keep stimulating growth and change and avoid plateaus in training, progressively overloading the body is a requirement!
Overload isn’t just adding weight to the bar each training session; it can be numerous factors such as;
Rest intervals (decrease the length or frequency of each session)
repetitions and sets (increase or decrease the overall training volume each session)
Time under tension on the concentric, eccentric or isometric range
frequency of training (how many sessions per week, or frequency you train a specific exercise movement)
The objective is to look at progressive overload as positive stress and how to add more stress to one’s training program without injury or fatigue burnout. These positive stresses act as a stimulus for strength and muscle size gains; however, they are to be implemented gradually using a well-managed, calculated, scalable and trackable programming method.
It’s important to note that the body is very good at adapting to new stresses. Therefore, you need to be two steps ahead regarding your programming. Lazy programmes whereby you perform the same old stuff lead to plateaus and zero progress. PO is essential for weight training for Bodybuilding, Olympic Weightlifting, or Powerlifting.
PO is deliberately progressive and strategic; your workout plan is fixed and set out clearly for each training session. There are even metrics to apply to ensure you can adapt your program in a calculated way for each training session, such as the Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale (RPE). Nothing is left to chance or guesswork! If this is the case, you’ll almost certainly burn out and fatigue quickly and even incur injuries. PLAN PLAN PLAN!!
Progressive Overload Examples
Progressive Overload Using Intensity and Volume.
The below pertains to how much weight is added to each training session. A simple linear progression would be to increase the weight by 5-10% every training session. The example below is a four-week PO programme that involves increasing each training session's intensity (weight lifted) while keeping the training volume (reps and sets) the same.
Week 1: 5x5 @70%
Week 2: 5x5@75%
Week 3: 5x5@80%
Week 4: 5x5@85%
Alternatively, you can increase the intensity (weight lifted) and decrease or increase the volume (number of sets or reps) each session:
Increase intensity - decrease volume
Week 1: 6x5 @75%
Week 2: 5x5@80%
Week 3: 4x5@85%
Week 4: 3x5@ 87%
Increase the volume and intensity 1.
Week 1 :3x5 @70%
Week 2: 4x5@75%
Week 3: 5x5@80%
Week 4: 6x5@ 85%
However, you can keep the intensity consistent throughout the programme and increase each training session's volume (number of sets or reps) to create a progressive overload. For example:
Week 1: 4x5 @ 75%
Week 2: 4x6 @ 75%
Week 3: 4x7 @ 75%
Week 4: 4x8 @ 75%
Week 1: 4x5 @ 75%
Week 2: 5x5 @ 75%
Week 3: 6x5 @ 75%
Week 4: 7x5 @ 75%
Progressively Overloading using Pyramid Training.
Lifters can approach this by ascending (increasing) or descending (decreasing) Pyramid Training. Ascending Pyramid training involves reducing the number of repetitions per set and increasing the load of each set. For example, if it was for the Cable Pulley Row:
1st set: 40kg x 12 reps
2nd Set: 50kg x 10 reps
3rd Set: 55kg x 8 reps
4th Set: 60 x 6 reps
Descending Pyramid Training is the opposite; you start with heavier loads and lower repetitions and gradually reduce the load and increase the repetitions, such as:
1st set: 60kg x 6 reps
2nd Set: 55kg x 8 reps
3rd Set: 50kg x 10 reps
4th Set: 40kg x 12 reps
Usually, you aim to keep the rest between each set consistent at 60 seconds for ascending and descending pyramid training.
Progressive Overloading using Negative Training.
Negative training is a more advanced type of training used primarily in bodybuilding. I apply this form of training. The Negative part of a lift is the eccentric movement of the lift, the lowering and stretching of the resistance. The tempo is generally between 3 and 8 seconds, depending on the lift and training program.
You can change progressive overload in one of two ways: increasing the load while maintaining the same negative stretch tempo each training session or maintaining the same load but increasing the negative tempo each session. For example:
Increase the volume (number of reps per set) whilst maintaining the same tempo:
Week 1: 3x4 @ 6 second tempo
Week 2: 3x5 @ 6 second tempo
Week 3: 3x6 @ 6 Second tempo
Week 4: 3x7 @ 6 second tempo
Increase the Tempo whilst maintaining the same training volume (sets and reps):
Week 1: 3x4 @ 4 second tempo
Week 2: 3x4 @ 6 second tempo
Week 3: 3x4 @ 8 Second tempo
Week 4: 3x4 @ 10 second tempo
More advanced methods could be to focus on varying the repetitions per set and tempo for each exercise, such as:
Increase the Tempo per set
1st Set: 4 reps @ 4 seconds
2nd Set: 4 reps @ 5 seconds
3rd Set: 4 reps @ 6 seconds
4th set: 4 Reps @7-8 seconds
Increase the Reps per set
1st Set: 3 reps @ 6 seconds
2nd Set: 4 reps @ 6 seconds
3rd Set: 5 reps @ 6 seconds
4th set: 6 Reps @ 6 seconds
Increase the Tempo AND Reps each set
1st Set: 3 reps @ 4 seconds
2nd Set: 4 reps @ 5 seconds
3rd Set: 5 reps @ 6 seconds
4th set: 6 Reps @7-8 seconds
Progressive Overloading using Dropsets.Â
This is a more advanced metabolic form of training, called pump-training, focusing more on volume and training each set to failure whilst lowering the load with little to no rest intervals between sets, normally 0-10 seconds rest between each set. For example, with the Leg Extensions:
1st Set: 80kg x 6 reps
2nd Set: 70kg x 8 reps
3rd Set: 60kg x 10 reps
4th Set: 50kg x 12 reps
5th Set: 40kg x 15+ reps to absolute muscular failure (concentric, negative and isometric)
The above is an example of PO by increasing the number of repetitions per set while reducing the training volume, with little to no rest between each drop set. What makes this different from pyramid training? Well, with drop sets, you take little to no rest, just long enough to reduce the weight. You also seek to perform each set to failure, implementing a few partials if needed.
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