What is progressive overload?
Why is progressive overload important? As the old sayings go; If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten! and; If nothing changes, nothing changes!
Why is progressive overload important?
Progressive overload is the concept of gradually increasing the exercise demand on your body to achieve continued improvement. Your body is amazing. It adapts to the physical demands that are placed on it, and this is why an exercise becomes easier the more it is done.
For example, someone who has never completed a push up may find doing a single push up very difficult. Completing a single push up every second day, they would find it easier to complete two push ups, and so on.
Progressive overload is essential in order to continue becoming fitter, stronger and to improve in your training.
Achieving “overload” during exercise can be done in four main ways:
- Increase the load, i.e. complete the exercise using more resistance or a heavier weight.
- Increase the quantity, add more repetitions or additional sets.
- Decrease the rest time between sets, or decrease rest by supersetting (alternating without rest) with another exercise.
- Modify the exercise to make it more difficult. e.g. Adding a jump to your squats, making them plyometric squats.
As your workout becomes easier to complete, up the ante! You will enjoy the progress and benefits!
