Читать книгу New Anatomy for Strength & Fitness Training - Mark Vella - Страница 21

To gain improvement in fitness, the body must be stimulated beyond its present capacity. So, for example, if you wish to gain strength, you must train with a weight stimulus that is higher than your present capacity. This amount of stimulus is called the overload.

To keep increasing our response in a particular domain like endurance, strength, or speed, we have to keep practicing. The principle of progressive overload says that this practice should be consistent, repetitive, and with a progressively increasing overload, to overcome the natural training plateau of adaptation.

There are 4 major variables of overload to any training plan or exercise prescription: frequency, intensity, type, and time/duration. To progress overload, one can increase training in any of these 4 major variables. However, progressive overload doesn’t mean the training should be exactly the same workout every time, just with small increases. A degree of variety is fine and even necessary. That said, completely random and inconsistent programming may reduce progress in one specific area while creating more moderate gains in a range of areas.

If you decide to no longer keep progressing your overload, your training gains will plateau. And if you stop training, your gains will reverse. This is the principle of reversibility.

When leveraging the principle of progressive overload, it is key that you perform the given exercise with good form and a stable posture. Progressive overload should never be prioritized over proper form. In turn, a base of strength is necessary before moving on to speed, power, and plyometric work. (See the Progression Pyramid below.)

Progression Pyramid