Why It’s Essential to Incorporate the Overload Principle
Why the overload principle is essential to getting results and five ways you can incorporate the overload principle in your workouts.
Image via: United Strength Gym
Are you utilizing the Principle of Overload in your training? The overload principle states that if you continue to make gains (get results) from an exercise program, you must find a way to make it more difficult.
If your gym or classes always use the same workouts, weight, cardio and don't focus on proper progression, your body will cease to create results. Ultimately, results are what it's all about and why we work out. Advancement means moving forward, so if you aren't doing that with your training/workouts, then you'll eventually plateau. To help you avoid that, below we've put together five different ways to continue creating results by incorporating the overload principle.
Five Ways to Incorporate the Overload Principle:
1. Increase the Weight
2. Increase the Volume
3. Change the Exercises
4. Change the Order of Exercises
5. Change the Rest Periods
1. Increase the Weight
Increasing the weight helps you continue gaining muscle. An excellent way to gauge when you should increase your weight is when you can perform all the reps with good form and feel like you have a couple more reps in you.
2. Increase the Volume
Increasing your volume refers to the amount of work you do, such as the number of sets and reps you perform during each workout. By increasing the volume over time you will continue to push your limits and see more growth.
3. Change the Exercises
Designing a workout routine that targets different parts of your body helps individual muscles not become isolated, work out different muscles, and allows for recovery time in other parts of your body. In doing so, you help your body maximize its efforts and become stronger.
4. Change the Order of the Exercises
Studies have shown that you can see more gains by changing the order of your exercises. In this way, you're more likely to strike a balance with the strength of your different muscles.
5. Change the Rest Periods
How long you rest between each set can shift the way your body responds, and by changing your rest periods, you're able to hit each type of gain. The longer you wait between sets, the more strength you'll gain. And shorter rest periods help build your endurance.
Are you looking for a trainer or fitness classes that incorporate the overload principle?
United Strength gym has well-trained coaches and offers two different fitness classes to help you reach your health and fitness goals safely.
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