Contact CouncilProgressive overload
Key exercise principle
Progressive overload is the key exercise principle you need to be aware of in order to get the benefits you want. Exercise with perfect technique; push to failure; overload progressively. Build on the adaptation principle.
Adaptation principle
When the body is stressed beyond its normal demands,
it will adapt to those demands.
Normal demands means what you are used to. For example carrying the shopping, pushing a lawn mower up hill or picking up a child. Stressing your body beyond those demands is known as overload. When you come to the gym, the idea is to overload your body beyond what it's used to (in the cardio room or with weights).
Push a bit harder than you are used to and your body adapts... it becomes stronger or fitter. If you then stay at that new level you won't advance any further as your body is now used to it, it is a "normal demand". This is where the "progressive" part comes in. Once you have overloaded your body and it has adapted, it is time again to overload it further and repeat the process. So you see you are progressively overloading your body to be able to handle more and more. This is great for you because every day tasks become easier and easier!
Pushing to failure
In order to get your body to adapt, you have to push to failure. There are 2 types of failure: mental failure and physical failure. Mental failure nearly always comes first. (Nearly. The sensation you feel when pushing hard is a burning sensation in the muscle - it really feels like they're working. If you feel something painful, something other than the muscle "burn", like a twinge or something sharp, your body is indicating that it is about to fail structurally - you are about to injure yourself so stop! See us to have a look at your technique). If you finishing doing 10 repetitions of an exercise and you think you could have done 11 or 12, you have only pushed to mental failure, not physical failure. Your body has said to your mind "hey this hurts", and your mind says "oh really, well you just stop then and take a rest", so it does. The reality is your body could have kept going, it just didn't want to, it complained to your mind and your mind gave in. The thing is, those last couple of repetitions between mental failure and physical failure is where you get the most benefit! If you stop short you are cheating yourself out of vast improvements.
Summary
- To improve you must overload - this means PUSHING TO FAILURE (or as close to it as you can bear). Remember in all of this you want to keep GOOD TECHNIQUE. Technique must never be sacrificed for extra load. Poor technique yields less benefit and more injuries. Quality must come first.
- As you overload, your body adapts to the new load and you need to overload it again by increasing weight, speed, repetitions etc, i.e. PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD
Further information
| Richmond Recreation Centre Gleadell St Richmond 3121 Ph: 9205 5032 Fax: 9429 8085 Email: YarraLeisure@yarracity.vic.gov.au |
Fitzroy Swimming Pool Alexandra Parade Fitzroy 3065 Ph: 9205 5180 Fax: 9416 2317 Email: YarraLeisure@yarracity.vic.gov.au |
| Collingwood Leisure Centre Cnr Turnbull & Hoddle St Clifton Hill 3068 Ph: 9205 5522 Fax: 9482 3275 Email: YarraLeisure@yarracity.vic.gov.au |
Burnley Golf Course Corner Madden & Loyola Grove, Burnley 3121 Phone: 9205 5048 Fax: 9429 3253 Email: YarraLeisure@yarracity.vic.gov.au |
Links
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