LATEST NEWS
Progressive Overload
By Dr Lee Naylor
Charles Darwin’s scientific theory, the theory of evolution can best describe the bodies adaptive response to training overloads.
Now I’m not trying to start a debate about whether or not we evolved from apes and whether or not we originally began as single cell molecules. I’m simply applying the theory to training principles to best give you an understanding of progressive overload and why it’s important in respect to training.
The basic gist of Darwinian theory is that ‘the strongest survives’ through adaptive responses to the stimulus around them. This means that provided with a stimulus, the body will do what it needs to adapt so that if it encounters that stimulus again it will be more efficient at handling that stimulus. Too much to take in?
Let’s apply it to a training scenario. An untrained individual goes to the gym and performs the bench press. Before he starts training the measurement around his chest is 96cm and he is able to lift 50kg x 8 times or 8 repetitions.
Now applying Darwin’s theory to this untrained individual and he keeps lifting 50kg, 8 times, every time he goes to the gym do you think that after 60 days he will be able to lift 50kg more efficiently 8 times? The answer would be yes.
Another untrained individual also has a measurement of 96cm around his chest and can lift 50kg, 8 times. This individual however lifts 1kg more every second day for 60 days. Now do you think that the body would be capable of doing this? The answer would be yes. The reason being, the body would continue adapting to become efficient at lifting the extra weight. The untrained individual would be evolving, so to speak, to combat the extra weight.
If you take this principle across all your training you will see that if you progressively overload the system, your body that is, by putting it just past or on its limit, adaptation will take place to combat the stress put on the bodies system.
If you’re following the eight week Olympic training plans you will see the progressive overload principle used. The three factors that need to be addressed to cause or allow progressive overload are; intensity, duration and frequency. The most important factor is intensity when trying to improve aerobic, anaerobic or resistance training adaptations. Increasing the other two will improve adaptations but usually not without the increase in intensity.
There is a point when the body no longer progresses through the overload principle. Two contributing factors are overtraining and your genetic ceiling. Overtraining is when your body doesn’t have sufficient time to recover. It happens over a period of time and is caused by trying to progressive overload too fast or not allowing rest weeks for the body to fully recover.
The overload principle means that along with improving you also never quite fully recover. For this reason there needs to be a week or period where you plateau to stop the body from over fatigue.
The other factor is your genetic ceiling. Each person has a point where they can no longer improve as they have reached their genetic potential. No matter how much you try to overload at this point the likely hood is that you will break down or not be able to complete the task. Each persons genetic ceiling is different but one thing is certain, the closer you get to your genetic ceiling the harder it is to progress. That is why initial benefits of exercise are quick and noticeable, whereas the longer you train for the less you notice the change in the benefits of exercise.
Progressive overload is the difference between a successful change in your physiological development. Take the straight line approach and follow the great Charles Darwin in making a step forward in your sport, training and fitness.