Build strength with progressive overload

I took a few months off weight training over Christmas, partly down to a virus, partly because I had some other priorities to attend to but now I'm back. I've been back to training again for approximately 3 months so I wanted to share my experiences of how I use 'overload' to build muscle and strength.

What is progressive overload?

Progressive overload is a fairly simple concept. It means that each time you complete an exercise you aim to do more the next time in order to tax your muscles and shock them into growing more muscle fibre.
That means that if you visit the gym 2 or 3 times a week you should be aiming to increase either the number of reps you are completing or the amount of weight that you are shifting.
It surprises me how few people do this and still expect to make gains. I read a steemit article yesterday on why rep ranges are a myth, and I generally agree. (you can find the article by dana-edwards here - https://steemit.com/health/@dana-edwards/is-there-an-optimal-rep-range-to-build-muscle--1522292194 )
When I talk to people who go to the gym regularly and ask them about their routine the response that I get from many of them is that they tend to do the same exercises within the same rep ranges (usually 3 x 10). The body will quickly get used to any exercise that you do and adapt to that exercise so there will be minimal to zero progression unless you are continually improving and pushing yourself.

My overload routine

Here's how I have successfully used progressive overload to build muscle and strength, simply from using a bench and some free weights at home. This has enabled me to become much stronger than I was when I started weight training and build an pretty good physique for a middle aged man.

I have two routines that I complete on separate days of the week, usually Saturday and Wednesday. One routine focuses on chest and arms, the other back and legs. Each routine consists of 3 separate exercises with 3 sets in each exercise. I generally complete a routine in about 50 minutes. As I get fitter later in the year I will sometimes work in an additional 4th exercise as I find that I have sufficient strength and energy to do so, and I enjoy it.

Lets take bench press as an example. This is a core exercise to build overall upper body strength and it's a staple in my routine.
When I started working out again in February I had a fairly good idea how strong I was and how much I'd be able to lift after 3 months off, but even so I made sure that I wasn't pushing myself too much for my first routine. I therefore completed 3 sets of 7 reps which I completed relatively easily with a bit of difficulty on the final rep. The following week, knowing that I found the exercise relatively easy, I pushed to complete 3 sets of 9 reps. On the final rep I was barely able to get the bar back on the rest. The following week I was able to complete 3 sets of 10 reps. At this stage muscle memory started to kick in so I felt confident that I could increase the amount of weight I was lifting almost back to the level I was lifting before I took a break, albeit within a smaller rep range. So here's an overview of my routine:

• 1st session – 70kg 3 sets of 7 reps.
• 2nd session – 70kg 3 sets of 9 reps.
• 3rd session – 70kg 3 sets of 10 reps.
• 4th session – 80kg 3 sets of 6 reps.
• 5th session – 80kg 3 sets of 8 reps (fail on last rep).
• 6th session – 80kg 3 sets of 8 reps (completed)
• 7th session – 80kg 3 sets of 10 reps.
• ...and onwards - I'm currently up to 3 sets of 12 reps.

This progress continues usually until I am able to get to somewhere between 12 and 15 reps in each set, with the final couple of reps being extremely difficult. Once I can do 15 reps then I know it's time to increase the volume of weight that I'm lifting. I prefer to lift higher volume at lower rep ranges because it's both taxing and it saves time. I find high rep ranges exhausting and I don't find that I achieve the same level of gains.

I've used this approach for many years and I've always found it to be an effective and fast way to build strength and muscle. I don't usually take 3 months off, but I will take at least 6 weeks off over the winter. It's surprising how much strength you lose during that time, but it quickly comes back due to muscle memory once you get back into a regular work out routine. This approach has resulted in me getting stronger each year than the previous year. By the end of this year for example I expect my bench press to be around 90kg, where 6 or 7 years ago I struggled with 50kg (by the way I'm sure lots of people can lift a lot more than me, but my body weight is around 65kg so I'm currently bench pressing a bit more than my own body weight which I'm happy with).

Some tips

• Keep a diary. Always keep track of how much you lift, how many reps and possibly what you've been eating. This will help you monitor your progress and ensure you are progressively overloading at each gym session.
• Safety first. Don't do what I did during my 5th session and find yourself stuck underneath the bar because I couldn't get it back on the rest! I was able to push it down to my hips and wriggle out from under it, straining my groin, but it was a bit dangerous. Know your limits if you're training alone and exercise within those limits. With practice you will know when you are getting to pre-fail and so you'll be able to stop before you fail.
• Watch your form. It's hard work progressively overloading. Don't be tempted to focus just on the numbers while your form goes to shit. If your form is getting messy on the last few reps, reduce your rep range and focus on good form. You can then restart overloading from that point, but with good form.
• Take photographs. Take some personal photographs so that you can compare before and after results. You won't notice much difference week to week but when you look at progress across the year you will find it highly motivational.
• Change your routine. To continually keep your routine interesting and keep your muscles in a state of 'shock' where they must continually adapt and grow, you can work in different exercises every few months. I love doing this and feeling the muscle soreness again the following day. Once you get used to weight training muscle soreness tends to subside, so it's nice to experience it again as you know your muscles have been broken down and need to regrow.
• Enjoy it. Keeping my routines short and not being obsessive about weight training allows me to make good progress without it taking over my life. I could probably get even fitter and stronger if I really pushed myself and highly tuned my diet, but I like to go out and have a few beers too from time to time, so I try to keep my fitness at a level where it doesn't take over my life.