Understanding Progressive Overload

- Progressive overload refers to the gradual transfer of stress to your muscles at a specific time during your workout.
- The theory of additional overload is based on the idea that in order for your nervous system to become more powerful and adaptable they want to be exposed to a stimulus that is this additional than they are used to this can be increase the weight you lift, the number of reps you do, or the intensity of your workout routine .
- By constantly challenging your muscle tissue with high resistance you can stimulate new muscle growth and improve the strength and length of existing ones
- However, it is important to recognize that revolutionary overload must be applied in a slow, controlled manner to allow overtraining or injury to go away.
Designing Your Workout Routine

Having given you an understanding of what progressive overload is, it is now time for you to create your workout plan. It is crucial to design a proper workout routine to apply progressive overload and get the best results from it.
When designing your workout routine, consider the following factors:
– Set specific goals: First of all, make sure you are very specific about your fitness objectives. It is crucial when designing a workout regimen to ask oneself a few questions; Do you wish to gain muscle, get strong or simply fit? Goals are specifically going to allow you to properly plan for your workout routine.
– Choose the right exercises: It is recommended to perform exercises that are going to work out the muscle that one would wish to build. The movements that involve more than one joint, for example, squat, dead lifts, and bench presses, are excellent in recruiting the desirable progressive overload since they involve many muscles.
– Gradually increase the intensity: For the strength training, begin with the weight or resistance that would challenge you but do not compromise proper form and technique of the exercises. When you find it easy, build up the load, gradually to help the muscles remain under pressure when you are weaker.
– Incorporate variety: Suppose you want to avoid hitting the wall and your workouts to get boring, use a variety of exercises and rep ranges and training techniques in your training period. This would mean that the muscles are constantly being actively employed and thus continue to transform to adapt to the activities that are being undertaken.
Progressive Overload Workout Plan
Day I – Chest and Triceps
– Barbell bench press is the next exercise which is done in 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
– Incline Dumbbell Press Incline dumbbell press is one of the best chest workouts commonly done with 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
– Cable flyes are the last exercise and the sets and reps for this one are 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
– Tricep pushdowns are one of the effective and easy to perform exercise; therefore I performed them with 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
– Tricep dips- complete three sets of the exercise ranging from 12-15 repetitions.
Day 2: Back and Biceps Workout
– Chin ups: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
– Barbell rows for the back – 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
– Lat pulldowns – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
– Bending exercises with dumbbells come in the following: – Curls with dumbbells, 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
– Concentration curls (3 sets of 10-12)
Day 3: Legs
– Squats (3 sets of 8-12)
– Leg press (3 * 10-12)
– Lunges – 3 sets of repetitions of between 10- 12 for each leg.
– Leg Extensions (3 sets of 12-15)
– Curling of the leg (3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions).
Progress Tracking – Progressive Overload Workout Plan
