Simple Progressive Overload
We need to define what Progress Means
I preach on Progressive Overload every week, and practically every day.
And for good reason, it is the most overlooked practical concept in mainstream fitness; if you do not understand how to objectively progress your exercises in order to improve your performance, your results from exercise are likely to be mediocre at best. Strength and muscle growth are an intentional process.
This said, I have seen many, many mistaken definitions given of progressive overload.
Some examples
-Performing an exercise with better technique is progressive overload (technique is obviously important, but its not by itself a driver of growth)
-Shortening your rest periods is progressive overload (almost all the research at this point indicates short rest periods being WORSE for strength and muscle gains)
-Doing more sets is progressive overload (you could do more sets and never grow, law of diminishing returns, and sets need to be of a necessary intensity)
-Performing an exercise with slower eccentric or slower reps is progressive overload (in 80 years of scientific research there is still NO clear guidelines on the optimal tempo of a rep for muscle growth beyond having control of the weight. Whether you do a 3 count eccentric of 10 second rep seems to make no objective difference aside from one taking much longer)
-Increasing time under tension is progressive overload (does not mean anything if the weights are too light to stimulate growth)
NONE OF THESE ARE PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD
These are variables that can be manipulated to change to performance of a training session, but that are secondary to the actual Stimulus.
PO is the result of ONE condition: increased mechanical tension. The weights need to be getting heavier
This requires increasing reps (to progress submaximal strength), and then increasing weight (increased maximal strength)
Better technique is not progressive overload. Slower reps are not progressive overload. Shorter rest periods are not progressive overload.
You could do all these things and more, but if the weights NEVER get heavier, your muscle growth is going to stagnate.
Key Principle: Muscle is an adaptive response to lifting
Muscle is an adaptation to mechanical stress. You place your muscles under mechanical tension, repeatedly, over many months and many years, and systematically increase the weights you use, you will GROW. Muscles will grow.
This adaptation, like all adaptations, is SPECIFIC.
SAID PRINCIPLE
Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands
This is one of the most established principles in exercise science. What we practice is what we improve at.
So if want to say, sprint faster, we need to practice running fast.
If we want to run far, we need to practice running far.
If we want to be able to swim, we need to practice…swimming.
As axiomatic as this may seem, this principles is convoluted when it comes to muscle growth
Bigger muscles can handle more tension/weight. Thats why the muscles grew in the first place.
Assuming form is standardized (meaning we lift with reasonably good technique) and stimulus is sufficient (FYI, anywhere from TWO to TWENTY sets a week can lead to growth, all that matters is the consistency and finding your particular volume benchmark), growth is the specific adaptation to the imposed demands of heavy mechanical tension
There are only TWO pathways to progressing Heavy Mechanical Tension
You can increase the number of repetitions with a given weight. As the number of reps you are capable performing increases, the relative intensity of effort required to lift that weight declines, which then leads to
You can increase the weight, which increases the intensity of effort required hereby repeating the process
You can add reps
You can add weight
That is it.