Progressive Overload Means Guaranteed Muscle Growth!

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There is an absolutely scientific way to guarantee muscle growth.
Imagine yourself getting closer to your dream body every single week and knowing with certainty that you are building more lean muscle all the time; sounds good right? It is possible if one concrete law of bodybuilding is observed. Without further ado, here it is:

Progressive Overload = Muscle Growth!

The Law of Progressive Overload

The reason I refer to it as a law is that without this, you will NOT add a pound of muscle to your frame. Certainly if you’re a beginner you can add lean muscle without it, but not for too long. Once you get past your first 3-4 months you can say bye-bye to your gains if you do not put this law into effect on a consistent basis.

The law of progressive overload simply says that you must increase the amount of reps or the weight lifted every single workout (or as close to this as humanly possible) in order to ignite muscle growth. Let’s say you are working your biceps today and last week your session looked like this:

Progressive Overload

You want to be increasing either the amount of reps or the weight lifted in at least one of these sets for there to be any progression. Looking at the log, you should probably increase the 3rd set (EZ bar curl) to 95 lbs or so. I don’t think it’s wise to start increasing weight until you can get at least 8 good reps in any given set. See here for more about the best rep range for muscle growth).

There is another way to increase progressive overload and that is through increasing the number of sets you perform for a particular body part. So you can consider an ninth set of bicep curls if you are currently at a stage where you’ve plateaued as far as reps and sets are concerned.

However, don’t overtrain for the sake of progressive overload; more than nine sets on any one body part is asking for catabolism (muscle breakdown). I never go over 9 sets per body part and if you want muscle growth week in week out, you shouldn’t either.

Going To Failure Vs Progressive Overload

Progressive Overload I have heard it time and time again; the most important factor in bodybuilding is working to failure. This means performing every set until the muscle(s) involved fails and cannot complete another rep. There’s nothing wrong with ‘going to failure’ but if it means that you can’t achieve progressive overload the following week, it’s not such a good idea.
Allow me to explain.
I know from experience that I progress at a rate of 1 extra rep in 2 or 3 sets per body part trained per week - 90% of the time. However, sometimes I know that I can get an extra 2 reps in a particular set before I fail. In this situation, I actually leave it at one extra rep.
Why?
This assures me that I can definitely attain progressive overload the following week as well. If, however, I had have completed the 2 extra reps, progressive overload might not occur next week.
This method guarantees that I achieve progressive overload every single week. This takes priority over ‘going to failure.’

Why Muscle Responds To Progressive Overload?

Our bodies adapt themselves to what we do. Our bodies are adaptation machines. This principle certainly applies to the world of fitness and bodybuilding too. If you are seeking to gain muscle tissue, you must not allow your body to adapt.
Every week you must encourage muscle fibers to grow.
The way to do this is by placing an ever-increasing load on them. Ignore this principle and there simply is no reason for the body to grow, it will already have adapted to the amount of stress you are submitting it to.

Do you ever notice people at the gym who are lifting weights religiously but after years still don’t have any noticeable improvements? One of 2 things is happening here; either they are in it for general fitness reasons and have no desire for growth, or they are not implementing the law of progressive overload. Don’t be one of those guys!

Mark McManus

If you're new here, please download my free workout and diet book and start transforming your body today!. Thanks for visiting!

This post currently has 34 Comments

Carol Bardelli

November 5, 2007

I’ve repeatedly talked about and written about just this. There are gyms full of people who continue to do the exact same resistance workout (and aerobics workout for that matter) over and over and over, and they wonder why they never change their bodies!

Great article!
admin

Thank you very much for your comment Carol. Progressive overload is fundamental. I’m glad you tell your readers about it. Thanks for stopping by.
Mark
Tyler

So, this sounds really good. I currently work in the 8-12 rep range and try to switch things up week to week. But can’t I do more than 9 sets for chest? And for legs would it be nine sets for quads, 9 for hams and 9 for glutes?
Gyanish

I often fail in that area and I don’t feel any growth for nearly one month. Thanks for pointing this out Mark!
admin

Tyler, 9 sets for chest is sufficient. If you have good form, full range of motion you can build an awesome chest. I currently work my chest in 7 sets once a week. As far as legs are concerned, I mean 9 sets in total. However, 12 sets would be an absolute max. Don’t use isolation exercises for legs e.g. leg extensions, compound is much better.
Caveman

Great post. I’ve just got the ‘bug’ and I am fairly new to lifting and have taken my fatass down 40 lbs in 4 months. I think you described the progressive overload very well.

-Caveman
admin

Thanks Caveman. I’m always pleased to see someone start hitting the iron. Hope to see you come back here. Nice blog by the way.
Mark
Caveman

I subscribed to your blog and thanks for visiting mine. I would like to hear more from you about proper nutrition. I’ve been basically on a low carb, high protein (maybe) diet and in the gym 5 days a week. It’s really working. I’m not sure of how much protein I’m getting exactly. and can’t wait for you to post more about proper nutrition, quanitity, and frequency.

-Caveman
admin

Yep, I subscribed to your blog too buddy. I’m actually planning a mega post on this, it could weeks to get it ready though but I want to lay it all out really clearly. Stay tuned!
brendan

i started lifting and working out january the first. I didnt really know what i was doing and still i need to be guided. do i need to do any cardio? also i undersand progressive overload, i just cant apply it properly, i am trying to print out a plan but imot too good at that either, anyway thanks for any advice.
Mark McManus

Hi Brendan.
Don’t do any cardio when your goal is to build muscle. You can build muscle without adding fat on the MANS diet.
Too much cardio releases catabolic hormones which break down your muscle tissue. Lift and eat.
Cheers,
Mark
Chris Brian

Great article!
I think it holds the key to why i’ve not seen the development I want.

Does anyone know if it’s possible to buy a specific Weight Training Log?

I’m UK based but can;t think of any shops that would sell one.

Thanks, Chris
Dave

Mark- You wrote back in November that you do chest once a week. I am working the same body part several times per week. How many times per week is too much on one body part?
Yavor

Very good post. Trying to go trough your articles, buddy, but it ain’t an easy task. You’ve written a lot

Yavor
Kevin

Hi Mark, if i do the workout from your free ebook and do everything literally how long will it take for me to see results?? you think i could add 6-7 kilos on my frame in those 10 weeks?? or it is too much?
I have been training for one year with intensity and did not see the results i wanted..
thx..
Mark McManus

@Kevin. Yes, unfortunately it’s too much. In 10 weeks you can expect a few pounds max. about 5 or so if you are a beginner. But, a few pounds is noticeably much bigger.
Mark

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