| So many times I hear people talking about their | | | | What is progressive overload? Well let me give |
| personal strength and fitness programs and I am | | | | you an example by using this workout. Imagine |
| always amazed when listening to their logic. It | | | | standing on a flat straight surface such as a |
| amazes me that people try so hard to separate | | | | football field, your lawn, or a public park. You have |
| their strength and resistance training from their | | | | to have a designated distance marked off to |
| cardiovascular program. The fact is that if they | | | | execute this workout. For this workout I am |
| structured a truly effective program they would | | | | going to use a sandbag as the resistance of |
| know that the 2 variables can be combined. There | | | | choice. To start, lets say you can hoist a 50 lb |
| is a simple fact that is universal when it comes to | | | | sandbag onto your shoulders and walk the |
| fitness and getting in shape. To have fitness or to | | | | designated distance of 50 yards. For the sake of |
| get into shape you have to work your muscles. | | | | argument lets say that you only make it 40 |
| Well, the last time I checked your heart is just as | | | | yards before having to drop the bag. You keep |
| much of a muscle as the rest of your muscles. | | | | practicing and eventually you can make it the full |
| Granted heart tissue is different than skeletal | | | | 50 yards. Lets say you continue to practice week |
| muscle tissue, but they both are worked through | | | | after week for about 10 weeks and now you can |
| the very act of exerting the body. | | | | hoist a 100 lb bag and walk the full 50 yards. This |
| I personally like talking about this load bearing | | | | is an example of progressive overload. You are |
| walking workout because this is a single example | | | | steadily adding more and more weight to the task |
| of how to exert and train both your skeletal | | | | at hand over time to produce amazing strength! |
| muscles and your cardiovascular fitness. The key | | | | This is the true secret of building strength and |
| to any successful strength and conditioning | | | | superior fitness. Give this a try and I promise you |
| program is the act of progressive overload. | | | | won't be disappointed in the results. |