What happens if you lift weights without progressive overload?

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natacos
natacos Posts: 17 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Everything I've read about weight lifting suggests you need progressive overload for it to be effective. But I've never read what actually happens if you weight lift but remain stagnant at a certain level of weight/reps.

For the record, I do try to increase weights when possible but there are some moves where I'm just stalling / it's hard to even get higher weights in position even if I intend to decrease reps, and my gym is more of a 'health club' where it doesn't actually even have a squat rack, so for squats, etc, I'm limited to what I can hoist up from the floor to my shoulders (unless I want to use the Smith machine... which I don't). Plus I've been following programs (NROLFW, Strong Curves, now NROL Supercharged) where they mix up what you're actually doing every month or so anyway so it's not like I'm just spinning my wheels doing the same old thing constantly.

Sometimes I think I should look into other gyms to rectify the no-rack issue, but on the other hand - I'm also pretty happy with my body composition and strength level as it is, so if I were just to keep on trucking as I am without progressive overload - what actually happens? Do I start to lose muscle, or just stop building new muscle/stop increasing strength?

Is progressive overload needed for even retaining current muscle level or just building new muscle/increasing strength? I mean, lifting weights at the same level is still using the muscles, right, so they shouldn't start wasting away or anything?
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Replies

  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    You'll simply retain what you currently have.

    Many people seem to forget that to create an adaptation takes a fair amount of effort. To maintain it however doesn't take nearly as much. I have been able to retain reasonable strength levels on the back of one sensible lifting session per week (two if I have the time but that it not a given).
  • hamlet1222
    hamlet1222 Posts: 459 Member
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    Progressive overload only applies up to your natural limit. Everyone has a limit to what they'll ever be able to lift, you might be at that limit, or at a lower plateaux, if the latter then you can try adjusting your workout/rest/diet, but if nothing works you're probably at your peak - so be happy :)

  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
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    Very interesting question!
    [Bookmarking to see more responses].
  • TheopolisAmbroiseIII
    TheopolisAmbroiseIII Posts: 197 Member
    edited October 2015
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    You can't build up the endurance to run a marathon by running 5 miles a day, you have to train for a marathon by building up to marathon distances. Same thing with lifting. If you squat 200lbs for 5 sets of 5 reps every day, you'll get really good at that, however once you become adapted to it, you won't be gaining any more muscle or strength, you'll just retain that level of ability indefinitely.

    Someone, like a farmer, who does approximately the same workload day to day, year to year, while doing their job, will get strong, but once they adapt to their daily routine and are able to do it, they don't continue to get more and more bulky all their life, nor do they lose strength just because they're not continually lifting more and heavier feed bags and hay bales.
  • natacos
    natacos Posts: 17 Member
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    Thanks for responses so far! This is reassuring to know that I won't be losing any muscle. It's probably common sense but I've literally only ever seen this discussed in terms of progressive overload as a necessity. But I guess it's a necessity for everyone who wants to build muscle/increase strength, and that is a usual goal (because we all want to better ourselves). And for the record, I will continue to try to increase weights or reps if ever what I'm doing becomes "easy", but it's good to know I won't be losing out on anything if I keep at where I am.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
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    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Progressive overload only applies up to your natural limit. Everyone has a limit to what they'll ever be able to lift, you might be at that limit, or at a lower plateaux, if the latter then you can try adjusting your workout/rest/diet, but if nothing works you're probably at your peak - so be happy :)

    Most people never even come close to their natural limit so that's rather unlikely.
  • dstromley90
    dstromley90 Posts: 60 Member
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    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Progressive overload only applies up to your natural limit. Everyone has a limit to what they'll ever be able to lift, you might be at that limit, or at a lower plateaux, if the latter then you can try adjusting your workout/rest/diet, but if nothing works you're probably at your peak - so be happy :)
    terrible advice.
    You have to force yourbody to change. Progressive overload is one wAy oryou could add more volume shorten rest periods ect anything to make it harder.
  • sinbadfxdl
    sinbadfxdl Posts: 103 Member
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    dstromley90 wrote: »
    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Progressive overload only applies up to your natural limit. Everyone has a limit to what they'll ever be able to lift, you might be at that limit, or at a lower plateaux, if the latter then you can try adjusting your workout/rest/diet, but if nothing works you're probably at your peak - so be happy :)
    terrible advice.
    You have to force yourbody to change. Progressive overload is one wAy oryou could add more volume shorten rest periods ect anything to make it harder.

    That works for me. Couldn't do a pushup 2 yrs ago. I'm up to 60 daily. Almot to the point of 50 in one set.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    There's actually 2 questions here.
    1 is about doing the same weight, which has roughly been answered, I'll just add that it seems awfully pointless and a huge waste of time to not try to progress.

    The other is that you sound like you can't keep progressing, even if you wanted? Which can be for a whole host of reasons.
  • natacos
    natacos Posts: 17 Member
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    rybo wrote: »
    There's actually 2 questions here.
    1 is about doing the same weight, which has roughly been answered, I'll just add that it seems awfully pointless and a huge waste of time to not try to progress.

    The other is that you sound like you can't keep progressing, even if you wanted? Which can be for a whole host of reasons.

    To address the second point first - well, yes. There are some moves I've just stalled on anyway, and I recognize that that is for various reasons. But part of my reasoning for posting was - do I actually need to be concerned about the fact that I've stalled? It may seem "pointless and a huge waste of time" to you (and probably many others) but as I said - if I'm happy with my body as it is now, is it really a waste of time? I'm maintaining the muscle/strength I currently have rather than losing it from lack of use. I'm not "bettering" myself but I'm keeping myself at a level of fitness and health that I am happy with.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,571 Member
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    Basically you stay the same. No loss in strength, no gain in strength. Lots of people who are happy with their physical look do the same workouts all the time. And they look the same.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • hamlet1222
    hamlet1222 Posts: 459 Member
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    You may be at a point of diminishing returns, where it'll take a lot more effort to be able to add a few more grams of weight. What are the smallest weight increments you have available?

    "Progressive overload only applies up to your natural limit." How is that terrible advice? If people could keep adding 1 kilo discs to their barbell without limit, we'd have people benching metric tonnes after a few years of training.
  • aspdenbrae
    aspdenbrae Posts: 49 Member
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    There are many exercises forthe legs, try goblet squats or Bulgarian split squats
  • for_ever_young66
    for_ever_young66 Posts: 2,881 Member
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    If you're in a maintenance mode, not looking to gain anymore muscle, it's perfect.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    natacos wrote: »
    Everything I've read about weight lifting suggests you need progressive overload for it to be effective. But I've never read what actually happens if you weight lift but remain stagnant at a certain level of weight/reps.

    For the record, I do try to increase weights when possible but there are some moves where I'm just stalling / it's hard to even get higher weights in position even if I intend to decrease reps, and my gym is more of a 'health club' where it doesn't actually even have a squat rack, so for squats, etc, I'm limited to what I can hoist up from the floor to my shoulders (unless I want to use the Smith machine... which I don't). Plus I've been following programs (NROLFW, Strong Curves, now NROL Supercharged) where they mix up what you're actually doing every month or so anyway so it's not like I'm just spinning my wheels doing the same old thing constantly.

    Sometimes I think I should look into other gyms to rectify the no-rack issue, but on the other hand - I'm also pretty happy with my body composition and strength level as it is, so if I were just to keep on trucking as I am without progressive overload - what actually happens? Do I start to lose muscle, or just stop building new muscle/stop increasing strength?

    Is progressive overload needed for even retaining current muscle level or just building new muscle/increasing strength? I mean, lifting weights at the same level is still using the muscles, right, so they shouldn't start wasting away or anything?

    Yeah basically you'll likely just stay about where you're at as your body adapts and just becomes proficient and managing the same stimulus over and over again. If you're happy then that's fine, keep doing it. The only potential problem I see is that it does become more of a routine then exercise and you might get bored and just stop altogether. It's kind of like married sex that gets boring because it becomes the same boring routine and nothing new to spark interest in each other.
  • Ladsel
    Ladsel Posts: 10 Member
    edited October 2015
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    I do know where the OP is coming from.
    I lift weights at home and don't have room for a squat rack - so i can only lift a limited amount of weight. (I don't live close by a Gym either).
    But it's good to know i can still lift (with limited weight) and retain the muscle i have.
    It would be nice to get stronger though, so are there any altenatives? Continue with Deadlifts & Bodyweight exercises i guess(?)
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    You may be at a point of diminishing returns, where it'll take a lot more effort to be able to add a few more grams of weight. What are the smallest weight increments you have available?

    "Progressive overload only applies up to your natural limit." How is that terrible advice? If people could keep adding 1 kilo discs to their barbell without limit, we'd have people benching metric tonnes after a few years of training.

    That's simply a plateau where you'll need to manipulate more variables around. You speaking in regards to linear progression, which yes, will stall out eventually. At that point, you'll need to look into a more periodized approach.

    That is not what natural limit is.
  • hamlet1222
    hamlet1222 Posts: 459 Member
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    Good point, 'linear progression' was the phrase I was missing. I wonder, once you've got all your newbie gains, and hit your first plateau, how much more weight could you expect to be able to achieve? Could you still expect to eventually double your bench press weight for example? or just increase it by 20%? What would be a good target for someone in this position?
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited October 2015
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    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Good point, 'linear progression' was the phrase I was missing. I wonder, once you've got all your newbie gains, and hit your first plateau, how much more weight could you expect to be able to achieve? Could you still expect to eventually double your bench press weight for example? or just increase it by 20%? What would be a good target for someone in this position?

    It will vary from person to person... genetic potential, leverages (some people built to be better deadlifters vs. benchers), how much work is being put in, surplus vs deficit... lots of factors. Obviously the more LBM you carry, the greater potential for maximizing strength though, generally speaking.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Progressive overload only applies up to your natural limit. Everyone has a limit to what they'll ever be able to lift, you might be at that limit, or at a lower plateaux, if the latter then you can try adjusting your workout/rest/diet, but if nothing works you're probably at your peak - so be happy :)

    while you are not INCORRECT- that thresh hold limit is much higher than anyone here on this site has reached.
    Good point, 'linear progression' was the phrase I was missing. I wonder, once you've got all your newbie gains, and hit your first plateau, how much more weight could you expect to be able to achieve? Could you still expect to eventually double your bench press weight for example? or just increase it by 20%? What would be a good target for someone in this position?
    quiet a bit more.
    I hit my natural threshold on a squat comfortably around 185- with a good program I've hit 245 well and 250 about 2" shy of full depth.

    I also know these numbers are completely low for a natural raw competitor. There is no reason at my height and weight I should not be squatting close to 300 or over and pulling close to 400 on deads.

    The thing with weight lifting is there is always 5 more pounds to put on the bar. ALWAYS. This is why intermiediate and advanced periodization programs exist. It becomes a grind and you really have to put the time in- but it can be done.

    As someone said- most people never come close to that threshhold- assume your most people and continue to fight for more. It's probably there for the taking.

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