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What's progressive overload? With tips from a celebrity PT
Written byH&B editorial team
Reviewed byHeeral Patel
Progressive overload: could it max out your workout? Star trainer and “Mr PMA” Faisal Abdalla weighs in on how it works and where to begin
Summary
1What’s progressive overload?
Progressive overload is the increase in intensity (stimulus) or the duration (volume) of your workout...
2Progressive overload benefits
“Stimulus and volume are good for your body to change and adapt, and that's the main reason most people train...”
3Faisal’s tips
“To 99% of people who say they don’t have time, my honest answer is they just don't want it bad enough...”
A harder workout = better gains. That part isn’t rocket science, but how do you avoid injury and the dreaded plateau?
The answer is ‘progressive overload’, according to one of London’s top PTs. Faisal Abdalla explains how this gentle but game-changing technique is his key to fitness – plus his secrets for that all-important PMA (positive mental attitude)...
What's progressive overload?
It focuses on raising either the intensity (stimulus) or the duration (volume) of a workout. This way – the theory says – it'll help to continually increase strength and endurance and avoid a plateau in your progress.
That could look like increasing your reps, lifting heavier weights, decreasing rest time or working out for longer.
“A lot of people think about weight, but really it's about the stimulus or the volume,” Faisal explains.
What are the benefits of progressive overload?
“Stimulus and volume are good for your body to change and adapt, and that's the main reason most people train – they want to either change physically or they want to progress,” he says.
It’s also important for what’s called your ‘functional fitness’. Rather than how many press-ups you can do in the gym, it’s how you feel when you’re running for the bus or dragging your shopping home.
Faisal’s tip? “See your fitness in the shape of a triangle. The larger your base is, the higher your peak will be. That low-intensity volume training increases the base of your triangle.
“Training at high intensity the whole time won't offer you much functional fitness, which is way more important than your peak. Because nine times out of ten you don't perform at your peak every single day.”
“See your fitness like a triangle. The larger your base is, the higher your peak will be”
What’s an example of a progressive overload?
Put simply, it’s doing something either slightly harder or for longer.
“I could do five reps of a dumbbell squat with a really heavy weight. The main part of that is the stimulus – the muscles are getting an overload of weight, so they're working harder in a short time frame,” says Faisal.
“The other version is volume. I could do a very lightweight day and do squats for ten minutes, which is a huge amount of time. That's also progressive overload.”
Is progressive overload safe for beginners?
“100%, because it could just be your own body weight,” Faisal says.
“I tell beginners to squat as many times as they can in a ten-minute window. They might only be able to do one rep per minute at first, but to them that’s a high volume. So, yes is the simple answer – anyone can do it.”
That said, it’s best not to progressive overload every single time you train. “If you're hitting your body with that stimulus and volume the whole time, you'll never allow it to adapt. Those less intense days aren’t just for rest and recovery, they’re actually beneficial.”
“Rest periods are vital. Often people think they're losing gains or performance, but you need to let your body recover”
How often should you increase your reps or weight during progressive overload?
According to Faisal, “it depends on your goal”.
“If you’re training for a fitness event, then it’s 100% important to have days where you put your body under that same stimulus. Not only do you feel it physically, but mentally as well.
“If you just want to move and feel good about yourself – which I think most people do – then there isn’t really a rule.
“What’s more useful is having a goal, like a race or event, to give you that focus in your training. Then it's not really about the end position; it's about how you get there.”
How do rest periods affect progressive overload?
“Rest periods are vital. Often people think they're losing gains or performance, but you need days where you're just going for a walk or something to let your body recover.”
Instead, focus on gentle movement and hone your nutrition. “If you go on holiday and have a drink and some ice cream, that's fine. You’ll lose some sort of fitness but you've lived life.
“Make sure you’re hydrated and get in some sort of movement, whether that’s a walk or a light cycle or even a yoga class. It's about looking after yourself in other ways that aren’t intense exercise.
“On weekends, I go for a long, slow run and I don't look at my pace. I'm not out of breath, but it's improving my base fitness. Those lower-intensity sessions are vital for progressive overload because that’s your volume.”
Faisal’s top fitness tips
“To 99% of people who say they don’t have time, my honest answer is they just don't want it bad enough.
“There are 24-hour gyms now. Wake up early and smash out a quick 30 minutes. Get your overnight oats and do your commute, and you’ll be alive and kicking and no-one's gonna mess with you!
“That said, there are times where you're just in the trenches. During those times, eat well, skip the sugar rushes and focus on meal prepping. It helps keep your mind and body on track, even when training isn’t possible.”
“I have my hydration sachets, they’re filled with electrolytes, sodium and potassium. I also take turmeric tablets for my joint health. Then I’ll have my multivitamins, omega tablets and a scoop of creatine.”
“The ultimate secret to a PMA is: there is no secret. It's just hard work, discipline, determination, consistency and a little bit of grit,” he adds.
“A lot of people bang on about motivation, but motivation comes and goes. You have to apply yourself to whatever you're doing.
“Let’s not get mixed up – I wake up some days feeling slow or unhappy. I’m human. But you train your mind to choose the positive solution. Rather than saying, ‘Oh, I have to do this phone call today,’ I can say, ‘I get to do this phone call today’. It’s an instant positive switch.”
The final say
3, 2, 1... you’ve got this!
Want to put your new PMA to good use? Discover our workout wonders, learn how to avoid the 3pm slump or debunk TikTok’s top running myths...
This article provides informational advice and is not a substitute for medical care. Curated by experts for accuracy, we take great care to ensure the information is up-to-date and relevant. However, you should always consult your GP or healthcare professional before using supplements or alternative products, particularly if you have medical conditions or are under supervision.
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