Strong in 30
Learn/How training changes the body
Lesson 9 4 min

Progressive overload made simple

The repeatable rule that keeps training productive.

The short answer

Keep the same load while adding clean repetitions; when you reach the top of the range, add the smallest practical amount of weight and rebuild from the lower end.

Double progression

If the range is 8-12, a sequence might be 40 kg for 9, then 10, then 12 repetitions. Only then does the load rise. The next result may be 42.5 kg for 8 or 9. That is normal progress, not a step backward.

What counts as progress

An extra clean repetition is progress. The same result with better range or less perceived effort is also progress. A heavier number created by bouncing, shortening the range or changing the setup is not.

Remember: Do not demand a personal record every session. Look for an upward trend across repeated exposures.

Lesson finished?

Mark it complete to track your place in the course.