Progressive Overload Checklist

Applying Progressive Overload is the most important part of your training program. Here's how you're going to do it:

Beginner Athletes (Less than 1 Year of Experience): Choose 1 option 

  • Increase weight by 5-10 lb every week for as long as possible
  • Use the same weight as previous week(s) and perform more total repetitions across all work sets combined

Intermediate Athletes (1-5 Years of Experience): Choose 1 option

  • Increase weight by 5-10 lb every other week
  • Use the same weight as previous week(s) and try to perform more total repetitions across all work sets combined

Note: As you gain experience progressive overload will slow down, it will become more challenging to increase your loads and do more repetitions

Advanced Athlete (5+ Year of Experience): Choose 1 option

  • Increase weight by 5-10 lb every 3-4 weeks
  • Use the same weight as previous week(s) and try to perform more total repetitions across all work sets combined

Note: At this stage in the game progressive overload is slow, your body needs time to adapt, don't force added load or reps, recovery is extremely important

Knowing when to apply progressive overload is just as important as actually applying it. Here's when it's time to increase the weight being used:

  • When you can perform more than prescribed number of repetitions/set
  • When the final rep in a set feels less than an RPE of 7 (the set was completed with relative ease)

Example: If you are to perform 8 repetitions with 225 lb and you can perform 10, it's time to increase the weight

Forcing progressive overload is when you try to apply one of the tactics above when it's not time to. This can lead to injury, excessive soreness/fatigue, and stalls in progress. Here's when you should not apply progressive overload in your training:

  • When the final rep in a set feels like an RPE 9 or 10 (the set was completed but it was EXTREMELY hard)
  • When you cannot complete a set within the rep range provided

Progressive Overload is what will ensure you continue to see results within your training program - stick to these tactics and you will see immense gains.