Progressive overload isn’t just adding weight every week

When people think about building strength or muscle, the concept of progressive overload often comes up. It’s the idea that to grow or build strength, you need to continually challenge your body beyond what it’s used to. But here’s the catch: many people think progressive overload only means adding weight to the bar every week.

The truth? Progressive overload is much more flexible—and nuanced—than just loading up heavier plates. In fact, focusing solely on adding weight can lead to frustration, stalled progress, or even injury. Let’s break down what progressive overload really means and the many ways you can measure and achieve it.

What Is Progressive Overload?

At its core, progressive overload is about gradually increasing the demand on your muscles to stimulate adaptation. This could be:

• Increased strength
• Improved endurance
• Better muscle size or hypertrophy

But here’s the key: there are multiple ways to increase that demand, and they don’t all involve slapping more weight onto the bar.

Ways to Achieve Progressive Overload

1. Adding Reps
   If you’re lifting the same weight as last week but manage to squeeze out one or two extra reps, that’s progress. For example, if you did 3 sets of 8 squats last week and this week you hit 3 sets of 9, you’ve increased the total work your muscles have done.
2. Adding Sets
   Increasing the number of sets can also overload your muscles. For instance, moving from 3 sets of an exercise to 4 sets means more volume overall, even if the reps and weight stay the same.
3. Adjusting Tempo
   Slowing down your movements can make an exercise significantly harder. For example, performing a squat with a 3-second descent (eccentric phase) and a controlled pause at the bottom challenges your muscles differently than a faster, momentum-driven squat.
4. Improving Range of Motion
   Ensuring you’re working through the full range of motion—like getting lower in a squat or fully extending in a bicep curl—can increase the challenge without adding weight.
5. Increasing Time Under Tension
   Time under tension (TUT) is the total time your muscles are actively working during a set. Slowing down the reps or increasing the number of reps extends TUT, which can lead to progress.
6. Improving Technique
   Perfecting your form may not feel like “progress,” but moving a weight with better control and alignment is a huge win. A technically sound lift reduces injury risk and sets you up for more gains later.
7. Reducing RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion)
   If you complete the same weight, reps, and sets as the previous week but it feels easier (e.g., your RPE decreases), you’ve made progress! This shows your body is adapting and becoming more efficient at the movement.

Why Adding Weight Isn’t Always the Best Approach

While adding weight is one way to overload, it’s not always realistic—or safe—to do this every week. Some exercises (like bicep curls or lateral raises) require small, gradual increases, while larger compound lifts (like squats or deadlifts) may see slower progress due to their complexity and the heavier loads involved.

Trying to increase weight too quickly can:

• Compromise form
• Increase risk of injury
• Lead to plateaus from insufficient recovery

Remember, progress isn’t always linear, and your approach to overload should match your goals, recovery, and training stage.

A Practical Example

Let’s say last week you squatted 60kg for 3 sets of 10 reps with an RPE of 8 (it felt challenging but manageable).

This week:

• You use the same 60kg but complete all 3 sets with an RPE of 7 (it felt easier).
• Or you complete 3 sets of 12 at an RPE of 8.

Both of these are examples of progressive overload—even though you didn’t increase the weight.

The Bottom Line

Progressive overload isn’t just about adding weight every week. It’s about finding ways to continually challenge your body in a sustainable, strategic way.

Whether you’re adding reps, adjusting tempo, improving your form, or even repeating the same volume at a lower RPE, remember that progress is more than just numbers on a barbell.

Celebrate the small wins, listen to your body, and trust the process—because smart, consistent training always leads to results.