Defining Progressive Overload, The Heart of Strength Training

Gro Marit Istad-Krsitiansen trained periodization for strength with Fred for over 5 years.

Progressive overload is the cornerstone of strength training, but so few lifters or strength coaches approach it the right way or even understand it. Here’s another look at a smart way to get big and strong or stronger and faster in sports.

TRX Training. How to define progressive resistance. Part 3

Using a TRX, Red rope or any of these rope devices is “Strength Training” don’t fool yourself. Training to failure with any of these type devices is a bad as training to failure every time you go into the weight room.

You are still training to exhaustion .

Even with the TRX a progression needs to be followed for best results

Just because these devices don’t look like your standard barbell or dumbbell don’t be fooled, the body still treats their use as progressive resistance just like the BB and DB.

Do you Practice What You Preach?

Fred at his gym the Bear Cave after a great training phase.

During my first conversations with Tudor about “defining progressions” he showed me the system he used.

Tudors method made Progressive Resistance finally come to light.

I understood what is was but my first thought was “who would take the time to do this” I mean figuring out every set and every rep for every exercise by hand? Come on! So I asked him. His response was ” If strength training is so important than Americans are just lazy, that’s why they don’t take the time to do it”. Which of course he is right on that. We always go for the quick fix and taking the time to figure out all those % really isn’t fun. BUT, he also had to realize that in the Eastern countries he had the time and/or assistance to do all this. The bottom line was NO ONE would figure out all those %.

Periodization “The beginning in Bodybuilding”

Periodization- The “The Beginning in Bodybuilding”

This was the original interview Tudor and I did when peridization theories were released in Ironman Magazine in 1992.

A revolution in bodybuilding training began in the summer of 1991 with the release of The IRON-MAN Training System. This new system is based on periodiza­tion, a form of training that has been, and for the most part still is, unfamiliar to many bodybuilders in theUnited States. It is, however, rapidly gaining notice—not only from the men and women who are training successfully with it, but also from many professional bodybuilders, trainers and authors who understand its potential. These people have the courage to try some­thing new and progressive. They are truly body­building’s new wave, and they will be the sport’s future.

To further your understanding of the principles of periodization and The IRON-MAN Training System, exercise and design specialist Fred Koch, who is the creative force behind the program, conducted the fol­lowing informal interview with Tudor Bompa, Ph.D., the internationally recognized father of modern periodiza­tion.

 

Blast your Pullups and Pushups through the roof.

“Progressive Overload” defined for bodyweight exercises

Talk about the basics, how much more basic can you get then good old pushups and pullups. . Military, police and schools require pushup and pulliups as a basic test exercise. Every fitness test ever given seems to include these exercises. What none of these ever include is a training program to use to increase your ability to do these exercises.

What I want to do in the article is to give you a basic NO-FAIL program to increase the number you can do. Yes and it’s all based around the good old “overload principle”.

The Answer to continued gains-Progressive Resistance Exercise Defined

The simple answer is, training to failure or what mood you are in ever time you train is never the answer. Once you understand “Progressive resistance” you will open yourself to gains you never thought possible.