By: Chris Gates

When it comes to fitness, many people focus on either burning fat or building muscle, but what if I told you that these goals aren’t mutually exclusive?

The principle of progressive overload is one of the most effective ways to achieve both. And that’s what we’re going to talk about in this article.

Progressive overload is a simple, yet powerful concept that applies to anyone looking to improve their health, fitness, or physique.

And if you can understand this concept, and how it applies to both your exercise routine and fitness goals, you’ll more or less guarantee that you make progress moving forward.

Guaranteed progress?

Sounds to good to be true, doesn’t it?

Well the cool thing is, it’s not too good to be true.

Let’s break down progressive overload, why it’s essential for strength training, and how it drives both muscle growth and fat loss.

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What is Progressive Overload?

In a nutshell, progressive overload means your performance with strength training goes up.

Whether it be by…

• Adding reps
• Adding weight
• Doing more sets
• Improving form and technique
• Increasing time under tension
• Or, completing your workouts more efficiently

If you’re seeing at least one of those variables improve, you’re progressively overloading.

(And yes, I’ll break down what each of those bullet points means below.)

If you’re progressively overloading, it means you’re gradually increasing the demands you place on your muscles over time.

This is so important, because it’s the stimulus your body requires in order to adapt.

Think about it this way…

If you went into the gym and did the same amount of sets and reps with the same weight forever, what would happen?

1. You’d make a little bit of progress to start.
2. But then you’d plateau, and go months without seeing any progress.
3. And let’s be honest, that would cause all of us to quit.

And that’s because you didn’t continue to challenge your body.

Your body always wants to be as efficient as it possibly can be. So, if you just keep doing the same workouts all the time, it’s going to adapt quickly and then stay put.

In order to prevent that, you have to FORCE your body to adapt through progressive overload.

Doing more reps or sets, or lifting more weight over time forces your body to adapt by becoming stronger, building more muscle, and burning more calories.

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Why Strength Training is Crucial for Fat Loss

While cardio is often seen as the go-to for fat loss, strength training should be the focal point of your fat loss program. Here’s why:

• When you lift weights, your brain sends signals throughout the body to repair, recover, and build muscle.
• If you’re in a calorie deficit at the same time, your body has to search for extra energy to get through the day, since you’re burning more calories than you eat.
• Thanks to strength training, you’ll hold onto muscle mass and end up utilizing stored body fat for energy.

That right there is how fat loss happens.

When you strength train and progressively overload in the gym while in a calorie deficit, you maximize the amount of weight lost from body fat.

Which means your overall body composition improves over time.

And the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll naturally burn throughout the day.

Meaning the entire fat loss process gets easier and easier over time.

The impact of strength training and progressive overload in your workouts can’t be understated for fat loss. It’s a MASSIVE piece to the puzzle.

Simply put, building muscle through progressive overload not only makes you stronger but helps you burn fat more efficiently.

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6 Primary Ways to Implement Progressive Overload

OK, I mentioned a bunch of different forms of progressive overload at the beginning of the article.

Now, let’s break each one down.

There are several ways to progressively overload your muscles. And no, it’s not solely about lifting heavier and heavier weight.

1. Increase Reps: If you’re not ready or able to add weight to your exercises, aim for more reps with the same weight. For example, if you can bench press 135 pounds for 8 reps, try for 9 or 10 reps in your next workout.
2. Increase Sets: Adding an extra set to individual exercises will increase the overall volume and push your muscles to work harder. It’s a simple way to force your muscles to do more.
3. Improve Form and Technique: Often overlooked, improving your form can lead to more muscle activation, even with the same weight and reps. Becoming an expert at your exercises is a form of progressive overload on its own.
4. Increase Your Workout Efficiency: If you’re able to do the same amount of work in less time, it’s a sign that your body has adapted to be more efficient. And completing your workouts more efficiently is a sign of progressive overload.
5. Increase Time Under Tension: Slowing down the tempo of each rep makes your muscles work harder. For example, slowing down how long you lower the weight on a biceps curl, bench press, or squat will increase the amount of tension you place on your muscles while doing the same amount of reps.
6. And Yes… Increase the Weight: The most obvious way to progressively overload is to gradually lift heavier weights. If you can squat 100 pounds for 10 reps, try increasing to 105-110 pounds for the same amount of reps next time.

You don’t have to accomplish ALL of those to ensure you’re making progress.

All you need is one. So, if you find you’re able to add reps, or your form and technique is improving, or perhaps you’re noticing different examples of progressive overload for different exercises in your strength training routine…

Those are all signs that you’re doing everything right.

You’re progressively overloading.

And you just need to keep working.

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Ensure Progressive Overload: Track Your Progress

To ensure you’re progressively overloading, it’s imperative that you to track your workouts.

The only way to truly know progressive overload is happening, and that you’re making progress, is to be able to visually see the progress happening.

That’s where tracking comes in.

And the great news is, it’s pretty simple to do this. You can do it while you’re working out, so that no extra time of effort is required.

1. Keep a Workout Log: Whether it’s an app, a spreadsheet, or a notebook, track your exercises, weights, reps, and sets each time you work out. This will help you identify when it’s time to increase the challenge.
2. Beat Your Past Self: Each time you go into the gym, try to beat what you did last time. If on last Monday, you did bench press for 3 sets of 8 with 135 pounds, today your goal should be to progressively overload and improve on those numbers in some way.
3. Measure Your Performance Over Time: Every few weeks, review your workout log to analyze your progress. Are you lifting more weight than when you started? Are you doing more reps or sets? If the answer is yes, you’re progressively overloading.

It’s literally that simple.

And it kind of turns into this fun competition you can have with yourself. You’re constantly trying to get better, and when the numbers go up, it’s proof you’re winning the battle.

And once again, when your goal is not only to build muscle but also burn fat, those victories you experience through progressive overload are a sign that one aspect of the process — building muscle — is successful.

Ensure Fat Loss: Track Your Progress

In addition to tracking your progress in the gym with progressive overload, make sure you track your body composition, too.

• Your training performance indicates muscle growth.
• Your body composition indicates fat loss.

Once again, tracking just a few simple variables will tell you whether or not you’re losing fat.

1. Weigh Yourself: On most days of the week (four or more), step on the scale. Do it every morning right after you use the bathroom.
2. Take Waist Measurements: Every two weeks, wrap a tape measure across your waist from the top of your hip bone and document how many inches your waistline is.
3. Take Progress Photos: Once a month, snap progress photos from the front, side, and back in your underwear.

I have all of my 1-on-1 online fat loss clients do this, and each month we’re able to visualize their progress.

If you’re seeing any of those metrics move in the right direction — your weight comes down, or your waist measurements decrease, or your body is visually losing fat — then you’re doing everything right.

And you just need to keep going.

I have a full video on how to track your body composition below if you want to learn more ⬇️

What to Do if You’re Not Experiencing Progressive Overload

OK, so we’ve nailed the concept of progressive overload, and why it’s the secret to burning fat and building muscle.

BUT… What happens when progressive overload stalls.

What should you do if you’re unable to increase your training performance in the gym?

To be honest, that’s where having a coach can really come in handy. I help take away the guesswork for my 1-on-1 online fitness coaching clients, and I design their programs in a way that ensures they continue to make progress.

If you’re interested in learning more, you can check out testimonials from my clients and learn about the coaching process on my coaching page.

But here are a few things to consider if you notice your progress has stalled…

• Are You Truly Pushing Yourself? Most people leave effort on the table, plain and simple. If you’re not lifting close to failure — the point where your reps start to slow down because they get legitimately difficult — then there’s more work for you to do. Always start by checking yourself and being honest about your effort levels. If you ARE working hard enough, then consider these factors…
• Use Strength Plateaus as a Signal: If you find that you haven’t increased weight, reps, or sets in a few weeks, that’s a sign you’re hitting a plateau. Reassess your workout structure and consider using a deload week instead of continuing to pound your head into a brick wall.
• Emphasize Rest Days: Are you in the gym every day of the week, or close to it? Progress often stalls if you’re doing too much exercise on a regular basis, because your body can’t recover from all of the workload. Make sure you’re resting 2-3 days a week.
• Potentially Mix Up Your Routine: If you’ve been following the same workout program for several months, switching up exercises, using different rep ranges, or shifting the focus of your training can reignite progress. (Once again, this is where hiring a coach can make a huge difference!)
• Listen to Your Body: While progressive overload is important, so is recovery. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, nutrition, and rest days to fuel your progress. Pushing too hard without proper recovery can lead to injury and burnout.

If you want to burn fat and build muscle, it’s important to put adequate work into your training routine.

But this process isn’t all about “no pain, no gain.” At some point, your body needs to rest and recover.

So pay attention to what you’re tracking, and the feedback you’re getting from your body. The solutions listed above are great options for you to consider when you hit a plateau.

In Conclusion…

Progressive overload is the backbone of any effective fitness plan, whether your goal is to build muscle, burn fat, or both.

By continually challenging your muscles through increased weight, reps, sets, or improved form and technique, you force your body to adapt and grow stronger.

So, start tracking your workouts, aim for small improvements every week, and watch your results compound over time!

The journey is long, but with the right approach, the rewards are well worth it.

And if you want or need help in chasing your fitness goals, I’m always here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything, and check out my coaching page if you’d like to learn more about how we can work together to achieve your goals.

Thanks for reading!

~ Chris