The Benefits of Progressive Overload
MoMo Productions / Getty Images
Medically reviewed by Raynetta Samuels PT, DPT, CLT
Progressive overload is the process of gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts to increase your muscle size, strength, and endurance. And though progressive overload can be applied to a variety of different exercises, most progression models involve increasing the weight and time of resistance training.
Typically, people have a variety different goals when it comes to progressive overload. Some people choose to build muscle mass while others focus on increasing endurance or improving the tone of their muscles.
Progressive overload is also a good option to keep your workouts fresh and challenging and can even help you avoid reaching a plateau. Here's what you need to know about progressive overload including how it works, its benefits, and sample workouts.
How Does Progressive Overload Work?
When incorporating progressive overload into a training regimen, many people follow the "principle of progressive overload." This principle indicates that in order to allow for gradual adaptation of your muscles, your increases in weight, intensity, repetitions, or time should be kept within 10% or less each week. Doing so, also minimizes your risk of injury.
Progressive overload is effective because the additional stress you put on your muscles causes them to work harder. It also will lead your body to use as much muscle fiber as possible to complete an exercise. While most people use progressive overload for resistance training, it also can be used in running, walking, and other types of exercises.
Depending on your goals, you can implement progressive overload by increasing the weight you are lifting, the speed at which you are doing exercises, the number of repetitions you are doing, or the time you spend exercising. Most people schedule their progressions every two to four weeks, but there are times when your goals will dictate progressions sooner. Some people may even engage in overload weekly.
Timing of Progressive Overload
Remember not to incorporate progressive overload into your workout until you can do the exercise with little effort using proper form. Likewise, adding weight, intensity, or another method shouldn't cause you to compromise on proper form.
Benefits of Progressive Overload
One of the biggest benefits of progressive overload, is to keep improving physically. If you do not occasionally increase the number of reps you're doing or the weight you are lifting, you will reach a plateau. This means that your body has adapted to your workout and your workouts could become stagnant or less effective.
Progressive overload also can cause muscle growth, increase muscle endurance, and improve strength. In fact, one study found that over an eight-week training program, the people in the study saw an increase in muscle size between 6.7% to 12.9%. They also were stronger and able to do more repetitions.
What's more, progressive overload can help prevent boredom and keep your exercise routine exciting. Getting bored while working out can lead you to stop exercising or to dread your regular workouts. But by using progressive overload, you can keep them interesting—and challenging.
Progressive Overload Methods
There are numerous ways to incorporate progressive overload into your workout routine. Here are some of the more popular approaches:
Increasing repetitions: With this method, you increase the number of repetitions you do of a specific exercise or exercises.
Boosting volume: People who choose to boost the volume of their workout will increase the number of sets they are doing. For instance, if they are doing three sets of exercises, they might try to add a fourth.
Adding more weight: Increasing the load or weight you are using is perhaps one of the most common methods of progressive overload. Just go slow to avoid injury.
Reducing rest: People who use this approach might decrease their rest period in order to move through their workout more quickly. In other words, if they have a two-minute rest between sets, they might shorten this to a one-and-a-half minute rest.
Increasing frequency: Another way to implement progressive overload into your workout is to increase how often you are training a particular muscle group. People also may use this approach so that they can spread out their training volume while decreasing the time spent training.
Escalating intensity: With this method, you might choose to keep doing your repetitions until you can do no more. This point of momentary failure could be effective for some people.
Pumping up the speed: Another way implement progressive overload is to change the speed at which you are doing each exercise. You may choose to speed up the repetitions, or you may choose to do one set of reps at maximum speed and do the next set of reps at three-quarter speed.
Adding variety: Sometimes adding variety is the best way to keep working out interesting. Look for exercises that will challenge you without risking injury.
Related: How Often Should You Work Out?
Workout Plans for Progressive Overload
When using the progressive overload principle in your workout, it's important to look at what you are currently doing and decide how you might want to change that workout using one of the methods of progressive overload. The American College of Sports Medicine also recommends applying the FITT-VP principle.
This principle includes frequency (how often), intensity (how hard), time (how long), type (mode of exercise), volume (total amount of exercise), and progression (how is the program advanced). With this principle in mind, here are two examples for using progressive overload in resistance training and in cardio workouts.
Resistance Training
When considering how to adjust your resistance training workout, you could potentially change the resistance or weight, the number of repetitions, or the frequency of the current workout.
For instance, let's assume you are doing a workout using 10 pound weights and you are doing 12 kettlebell swings, 12 dumbbell curls, 12 overhead presses, and 12 lateral raises. Each exercise is followed by a 90 second rest and you are doing this set three times. Here are some ways to use progressive overload to change this workout:
Increase the weight by 5 pounds and use 15 pound weights instead of 10 pounds. If you want, you also could decrease the number of reps from 12 to 10 or less.
Change up your sets or reps by doing 15 reps instead of 12 or four sets instead of three.
Add variety to your sets by adding another exercise to the set.
Adjust the difficulty of your workout by shortening the rest period or trying to perform the exercises at a quicker pace (while still maintaining proper form.)
Related: The Best Way to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle
Cardio Workouts
When considering how to adjust your cardio workout, you could potentially change the frequency, intensity, or the time in order to progress your exercise volume. Before doing so, though, check with a healthcare provider to ensure that you do not put yourself at risk for cardiac events, especially if you are already at risk.
Let's assume you can complete a one mile run without any issues. Here are some ways you could use the progressive overload principle for this workout:
Increase the distance that you are running by one-quarter mile. (If you are running on an outdoor track, this would mean completing five laps instead of four.)
Boost the speed of your workout by running at a faster pace (or sprinting) for one-quarter of a mile. Rest for two minutes and then repeat. You would repeat this four times or for one mile.
Add variety to your workout by varying the speeds at which you complete each lap (or one-quarter mile) of a one mile run.
Related: How Much Exercise Do I Need?
Risks of Progressive Overload
For progressive overload to be effective, it's important to establish a balance between the time spent working out and the time spent resting or recovering. If you overload too much or do not allow enough time for recovery, you could experience a number of uncomfortable symptoms. This can not only lead to injuries but also can impact your performance. In the end, this can even cause you to stop working out altogether.
The addictive nature of exercise also can become an issue with progressive overload. For instance, the effects of endorphins, dopamine, and other mood-altering impacts can cause some people to engage in frequent training without adequate rest.
To prevent injury or overtraining, follow the 10% principle and do not increase your training parameters more than 10% at a time. You also should vary your workouts with extended periods of rest or cross-training. Ideally, you should rest for at least 24 to 72 hours depending on the intensity of your workouts.
Also, pay attention to your body. If you feel wiped out, sore, or fatigued, you are probably doing too much too soon. Instead, you should feel like you could do more at the end of your workout. Likewise, prioritize sleep, nutrition, and hydration to help support your efforts.
A Quick Review
Progressive overload is a workout principle where people increase their intensity, frequency, weight, or volume of exercise in order to keep improving and avoid reaching a plateau. This approach can lead to improved exercise performance, increased muscle size and strength, and a reduction in boredom. If you plan to implement progressive overload, it is important to go slow and follow the 10% principle. You also should talk to a healthcare provider to ensure increasing your exercise levels is right for you.
For more Health.com news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Health.com.
