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Progressive Overload

Writer: Lewis RobinsonLewis Robinson

If you're aiming for Progressive Overload at the gym, avoid relying on the speculative advice of Fitness Influencers...


Most of what they say is complete nonsense.


Allegedly....


"If you can do a weight for 8-10 Reps, then Drop the Reps to 6-8 and lift Heavier until you can do 8-10 Reps before dropping and repeating"


"And you should be doing this every week..."


🚨🚨 This is not telling EVERYTHING about how Progressive Overload works 🚨🚨


How much progress can you actually make just by adding more weight and adjusting the number of reps?


Must it reach a stage where a person has no option but to Bicep Curl a Moped or Dead lift a Car?...


Overload occurs when the body is subjected to greater demands than before.

This will happen within 1-2 weeks of beginning a new training program as the body starts adapting to the changes.


However, contrary to what influencers claim, there's more to it than simply adjusting the reps and weight every week.


Other Factors include.....


  1. Changing Training Days & Rest Days

  2. Adding NEW Exercises

  3. Changing your 1RPM % and correlating it with the correct increase in Sets and Repetitions to suit your goals (Look back at my previous Post on 'Rep Ranges are a Thing')

  4. Reducing Rest Periods - (In line with your training goals)

  5. Increasing/Decreasing Training Days

  6. Adding, Increasing or Decreasing Cardio Sessions

  7. Changing HR Training Zones


This will result in adaptation as you move beyond Weeks 2 and 3, and you will begin to increase in strength. This is also accomplished by maintaining the SAME training routine for a minimum of 6 weeks, which challenges other theories suggesting you should alter your routine every gym visit to keep your muscles guessing.


By Week 6, it's time to revisit the above Factors and reassess your next steps, as you might encounter a Plateau and risk entering the Reversibility stage, where you begin to lose progress, which is undesirable.


Always have a clear objective and design your training according to whether you aim to enhance fitness, conditioning, lose fat or weight, increase power, or achieve hypertrophy.


Good Luck....





 
 
 

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