Progressive Overload
Alrighty folks! Here we are, at the end of this video series. If you’ve watched all of the previous videos you should already have a few ideas on some quick and simple adjustments you can make to get even more out of your training. We are going to wrap this video series up with a nice and pretty little bow called Progressive Overload.
I always tell my clients, if I could oversimplify and dumb down everything I needed to teach you into two words, it would be “Progressive Overload”.
Now if I were to say that to just anybody, it’s very easy to misinterpret that into thinking you simply need to focus on increasing the weight over time. But my hope is that after watching this series of videos on the different Program Design Variables, you’re now better positioned to interpret it in a more productive manner.
As the name implies, Progressive Overload means that week by week we want to be seeing gradual and quantifiable improvements to make sure that you’re still moving in the right direction. But remember, that improvement doesn’t have to come from only the load. You have all of these variables to play with:
- Reps
- Sets
- Tempo
- Rest
- Load
It helps to remember that all the variables we’ve covered in our videos have a direct and indirect influence on each other. A few of the applications of this to keep in mind that will help you make more educated decisions going forward:
Sets/Reps/TUT/Rest will be determined by the load: How heavy you lift will need to be respectful of the other variables
As the number of reps go down, load / intensity and number of sets go up: If you train in the lower rep ranges, the weights need to get heavier
As the load / intensity goes up, rest tends to go up too: The more neural based a set is, the more rest you need to properly recover
The intensity and reps you choose will determine what training effect you’re working for: Heavier (3-5 reps) Strength, Middle (8-12) Hypertrophy, Higher (12+) Strength Endurance
Now, what does all of that mean for how we make sure we’re still pushing ourselves slightly more week after week? What can I pay attention to apart from just the load? You can focus on things like:
- Total Volume (Sets / Reps)
- Tempo or Time Under Tension (TUT)
- Technique
- Rest (How you feel at the end of the RI)
- Recovery (How you’re sleeping, potential soreness, how you’re feeling the next session, etc.)
While the idea of constantly lifting heavier is sexy, it’s not always what needs your focus. If you sacrifice Quality of movement for Strength, at some point you’ll plateau and potentially lose both.
As long as you focus on improving at least one of these things every week, you’ll keep progressing whatever it is that you’re working on.
I hope you all enjoyed these videos and learned something new. If you have any questions about any of the material we’ve covered please feel free to reach out to me or submit it in the comments section. My goal is to educate and empower people to reach their own goals and in a way that is most efficient for them. If you need clarification on any of these subjects, I’d be more than happy to help out.
Whether you have questions or not, I hope you enjoyed the content. I hope you now have the know-how to get a little bit more out of your training, and I hope your workouts only get better from here on out.
Asad Sayal
Share This Post
Join personal trainer Asad Sayal, as he looks at essential factors to consider when designing your workout. From reps to rest periods, Asad explores how taking these variables into account, and using them in unison with each other can help you reach your goals quicker, avoid plateauing and progress your fitness journey.
Asad answers this not-so-straightforward question by defining what exactly a rep is, introducing rep ranges and how you can use this method to optimize and progress in your workouts. He also touches on the relationship between reps and load.
Did you know that the order in which you perform your sets is critical to your performance? Asad explores how to organize your sets in a certain sequence, in terms of intensity and difficulty, to get the best results and avoid injury.
Asad reviews the various types of sets that exist and which you should use depending on your workout type and goals. He discusses straight sets, supersets, tri-sets and circuits.
Setting a tempo for your workout is one of the most overlooked variables. Asad defines what setting a tempo for your workout really entails, and how you can use it to make the exercises you already know, feel completely new.
Did you know you can change how an exercise feels and what it does to your body just by varying the tempo? Discover how altering the tempo can produce a different kind of result and can bring about potential weaknesses and imbalances.
Rest and recovery are commonly misunderstood and misused. Asad explores common mistakes in regards to rest periods and different considerations that need to be made to ensure you are getting the biggest return on your effort.
Asad reviews general guidelines you can implement into your training, to ensure you are getting optimal rest. He discusses how the amount of rest is dependent on what your goal is at that time, and how you're performing the exercise.
Asad defines load and how it directly relates to the other variables covered thus far: reps, sets, tempo and rest. He highlights the value of thinking beyond just the amount of weight you lift in any given exercise.
Have you ever been stuck on a certain weight and can’t seem to go heavier? Does this mean you’ve reached the ceiling to your strength? Asad explores how you can combine variables, like tempo and reps, to avoid plateauing and increase the weight in your exercises.
To sum up this series, Asad recaps all the variables you should consider when designing a training program. He defines progressive overload and emphasizes the importance of the variables covered in this series and how to use them in synchrony with one another.