While the term “progressive overload” might sound like fitness jargon, it is actually one of the most fundamental principles of any effective strength or resistance training program. It is the gradual increase of stress placed on the body during exercise, and it is crucial for building stronger muscles, and improving strength, endurance, and overall fitness.

To progressively overload effectively, it involves systematically increasing the demands on your musculoskeletal system to continuously make gains in muscle size, strength, and endurance. You can accomplish this through several ways depending on your fitness goals and capabilities, including increasing the amount of weight you lift, the number of repetitions or sets you complete, or the intensity and volume of your workouts over time. 

In order for muscles to grow, the muscle fibers must be challenged beyond their current capacity. Without increasing the stimulus, your muscles will adapt to the existing workload and growth will be halted. Progressive overload provides the necessary stimulus for hypertrophy by continuously challenging muscle fibers to adapt and grow stronger. 

We all want strength gains, right? Well, regularly increasing the resistance or complexity of exercises forces the neuromuscular system to adapt, which improves your ability to generate force. This adaptation is critical for anyone trying to increase their max strength or improve their athletic performance. You don’t necessarily need to lift heavy weights to build bigger muscles, but it sure doesn’t hurt. 

Without continuous progression, your body becomes efficient at handling your current workout routine, which can lead to performance plateaus. We don’t want that. Progressive overloading can prevent that from happening. Introducing incremental overload helps break through those stagnation points and keeps you progressing. 

Progressive overloading can also help with adherence to your workout plans. We all know that motivation comes and goes. However, if you can see and feel your progress by lifting heavier weights, completing more reps or sets, and recovering faster, this can be highly motivating and help you get back to the gym the next day. 

The key is to make small, consistent changes rather than large jumps, which could lead to injury. Progressive overload is the backbone of any effective training program. Whether your goal is to build muscle, gain strength, or improve endurance, applying progressive overload ensures continued improvement and guards against stagnation. 

Subscribe for more fitness content! 

References

Kraemer, W. J., & Ratamess, N. A. (2004). Fundamentals of resistance training: Progression and exercise prescription. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 36(4), 674–688. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000121945.36635.61

Ratamess, N. A., Alvar, B. A., Evetoch, T. K., Housh, T. J., Kibler, W. B., Kraemer, W. J., & Triplett, N. T. (2009). Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41(3), 687–708. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670

Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), 2857–2872. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3

Stone, M. H., Stone, M. E., & Sands, W. A. (2007). Principles and practice of resistance training. Human Kinetics.