Wellness Wednesday: A Beginner’s Guide to Progressive Overload
If you've ever hit a frustrating plateau in your strength training journey, you're not alone. Whether you're a strongman competitor chasing your next PR, a powerlifter trying to crush your total, or someone who just wants to get stronger and move better, there's one principle that always delivers results when applied correctly: progressive overload.
I'm a certified strength and conditioning coach who has spent years working with athletes, lifters, and everyday people in the trenches of training. I’ve seen what works, what doesn't, and what gets results over time—and progressive overload is the backbone of every successful training system.
Forget the fads, the flashy Instagram workouts, and the never-ending search for "muscle confusion." If your training isn’t built around progressive overload, you’re just spinning your wheels.
In this guide, we’re breaking down the real-world mechanics of progressive overload. No fluff, no fads—just proven, science-backed methods for building lasting strength.
What is Progressive Overload?
Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during exercise. The body adapts to stress by growing stronger—but only if the stress is consistently challenging.
There are many ways to apply overload:
Increasing weight
Increasing reps
Increasing sets
Improving technique or range of motion
Each method forces the body to adapt, but the key is progression. And that’s where most lifters stall—either they push too fast and get injured or stagnate by not progressing enough.
Understanding Load and Volume
Training stress is typically the product of load (weight), volume (sets × reps), and frequency. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, progressive overload must be coupled with adequate volume and recovery to produce hypertrophy and strength gains (ACSM, 2009).
While traditional rep ranges have been commonly associated with different adaptations, research has shown that a broad spectrum of rep ranges can contribute to strength and hypertrophy when intensity, effort, and progression are properly managed. Instead of focusing on specific rep numbers for specific outcomes, consider your overall training intent, fatigue management, and ability to recover.
Popular Training Programs That Use Progressive Overload
Let’s break down how progressive overload is built into the DNA of proven training programs.
5x5 Strength Training
Structure: 5 sets of 5 reps, typically using compound lifts like squats, bench press, and deadlifts.
Overload Strategy: Add 2.5–5 pounds per lift every week or session.
Ideal For: Beginners to intermediates focused on total-body strength.
This is where fractional plates (like 1.25 or 2.5 lb weights) shine. They allow lifters to progress gradually—crucial for long-term gains and avoiding plateaus.
Wendler 5/3/1
Structure: Four-week wave-based cycles using percentages of your training max.
Week 1: 3x5 (65%, 75%, 85%)
Week 2: 3x3 (70%, 80%, 90%)
Week 3: 5/3/1 (75%, 85%, 95%)
Week 4: Deload
Overload Strategy: Add 5 lbs (upper body) or 10 lbs (lower body) to your training max each cycle.
Ideal For: Lifters seeking long-term strength gains with smart periodization.
Wendler emphasizes sustainability and recovery, which research shows is essential for long-term progress (Grgic et al., 2018).
Daily Undulating Periodization (DUP)
Structure: Varies intensity and volume throughout the week.
For example:
Monday: Hypertrophy (4x10)
Wednesday: Power (6x3)
Friday: Strength (5x5)
Overload Strategy: Increase load or reps weekly within each training day’s theme.
Ideal For: Intermediate to advanced athletes who thrive with variation.
Studies show DUP may outperform linear periodization in strength development for trained individuals (Rhea et al., 2002).
Linear Periodization
Structure: Gradually decrease reps and increase weight over a training block.
Example: 12 reps → 10 reps → 8 reps → 6 reps (each week)
Overload Strategy: Systematic increase in weight while reducing volume.
Ideal For: General population and athletes preparing for competition cycles.
Percentage-Based Training
Structure: Lifts are performed at specific percentages of a calculated or tested 1-rep max.
Overload Strategy: Incremental increases in training max or weekly load targets (e.g., 75% → 80% → 85%).
Ideal For: Athletes training for powerlifting or weightlifting competition.
Training with percentages ensures accuracy and tracks progress with precision—especially useful during peaking phases.
Why the 2.5 Pound Plate is Gold
Progress isn't always about hitting PRs with 20-pound jumps. Microloading with 2.5 lb plates can be the difference between plateauing and continuing progress.
When you’re pressing or curling, a 5 lb increase is a significant jump. The 2.5 lb plate allows you to stay within the principles of progressive overload without exceeding your recovery capacity.
Fractional plates (even down to 0.5 lb) support continued progress, especially for:
Advanced lifters nearing genetic potential
Lifters coming back from injury
Smaller lifts like overhead press or barbell curl
Science-Backed Results
Here’s what the research says:
A 2017 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. showed load increases over time (with adequate volume) are strongly associated with hypertrophy and strength.
A 2018 review by Grgic et al. concluded that progressive overload is the single most important training variable for strength development.
Randomized controlled trials also show that structured periodization, like DUP and linear periodization, results in greater strength gains over time compared to non-periodized training (Williams et al., 2017).
Real-World Example: Bench Press Plateau
Let’s say you’re stuck benching 185 lbs for 3x5. Instead of jumping straight to 190 and missing reps, use a more calculated and adaptable progression strategy:
Week 1: Increase the total number of reps at 185. Try 185 for 4x5 or even 3x6.
Week 2: Keep 185 but add a back-off set at lighter weight (e.g., 165 for 1x8–10) to build volume and reinforce technique.
Week 3: Add 2.5–5 lbs and perform 187.5–190 for 3x5, provided you hit prior targets with good form.
This incremental approach not only helps break through the plateau but also respects fatigue, recovery, and technical reinforcement. You might also incorporate paused reps, tempo work, or slight grip changes to address sticking points.
Things to Consider When Creating Your Program
Progressive overload is non-negotiable for gains—but how you apply it depends on context and goals.
Proven programs like 5x5, Wendler 5/3/1, DUP, and linear periodization all rely on progressive overload to drive results. Explore them and find what aligns with your current needs.
Fractional plates are your ally for making steady progress, especially when the jumps between standard weight increments are too big.
Don’t just lift—track your data. Progressive overload works best when your decisions are guided by trends, recovery, and consistency.
Recovery, nutrition, and sleep are not optional. They are pillars of adaptation.
Whether you’re just getting started or you're an elite athlete fine-tuning your training, progressive overload is the compass that points you toward strength, resilience, and longevity.
Stay patient. Stay consistent. And keep adding weight—no matter how small.
