What Is Progressive Overload?

What you’ll learn

Progressive overload is one of the fundamental principles of effective resistance training — the idea that your body only keeps adapting if the demands on it keep increasing.

Key takeaways

Your body needs increasing challenges to continue adapting.
Progress isn't just about adding weight.
You can increase reps, sets, range of motion, control, or training difficulty.
Progress should be gradual and sustainable, not rushed.

Your action

During your next workout, pick one exercise you can track properly, and aim to beat your last performance on it — a rep, a bit more control, a touch more weight.

Check your understanding

What is progressive overload?

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