Overload for Success
Overload = to load to excess
On the surface, overload sounds undesirable.
When it comes to the human body (yes, yours too!) overload is necessary to promote positive changes such as:
- Weight loss
- Increase in lean muscle tissue
- Increasing strength
- Improving "mental health" (use quotations as this is a very general claim for a very complex area, but most of you reading this already know)
- Improving resiliency aka your body's ability to recover from the stress placed upon it. Think of how sore you were when you first started working out. Over time the duration in which this last decreases as does the frequency.
The list can go on and on.
Now, most will think of overload in the realm of human performance as adding more weight. This is certainly one way to create overload, but not always necessary. We can create overload through:
- increasing volume (sets & reps)
- changing tempo (the speed at which you move the resistance)
- improving technique
- performing a more advanced movement
- using a different piece of equipment (i.e. barbell deadlift instead of kettlebell deadlift)
And probably the most important thing to most of you reading this is increasing your frequency of training/physical activity.
The benefits experienced in the short-term probably don't need to be said, but one thing to consider is how increasing physical activity can add years to your life!
What is the one thing that you can commit to one extra day per week, that will get you sweating and result in at least 20-30 minutes of extra physical activity weekly?
If you need help with ideas, then shoot us a message. We’re more than happy to help you out!