San Antonio Personal Training

9/3/07

Good Labor Day morning everyone!  I hope you had a great weekend.  My Aggies won, so I was not unhappy, but we didn't look as good as the 38-7 score reflected which makes me nervous about the rest of the year.

Today I want to talk to you about the overload principle.  The overload principle is a very simple but important rule, which people often overlook, especially those beginning to exercise for the first time.  Simply put, the Overload Principle states that the body will adapt to the stresses placed upon it.  This means that when you lift weights the body will adapt to lift that weight more easily the next time that force occurs.  The same thing occurs with cardiovascular training.  If you overload the heart, lungs and muscles by asking them to do something they have not done before, then they will adapt and become stronger and more efficient the next time a stress is placed upon them.

When you are working out, whether it be with me or Jennifer here at MPT, or on your own, you always want to make sure you are overloading you muscles by pushing them harder than you have before.  If you are not overloading your body, you will not be improving. 

I know that most of you ladies reading this are thinking that if you overload your muscles by increasing the weight you are lifting, then you will look like a bodybuilder and that is NOT the look you want.  I understand that and I have good news for you.  Number one, you are a woman, so most likely you do not have the testosterone levels it would take to look like Arnold.  Number two, you can overload the muscles in other ways than simply adding weight.

Here are a few ways that you can overload the body and cause positive adaptations:

1) Change the type of exercise that you do.  You should constantly be changing your exercise routine.  If you don't the body will get used to the exercise and you will not improve.

2) Increase the intensity of the exercise.  You can change the intensity of the exercise in several ways. 

          a) One way would be to increase the weight used during a resistance training period.  As you increase the weight you use, your body will adapt to become stronger.

          b) Another way to increase the intensity of the exercise is to do your exercise routine faster.  As you get in better shape you should decrease the total amount of time it takes you to complete your exercise routine.

          c) Finally, you can change then number of sets and reps you do to cause your body to adapt to a greater workload.

 These are just a few examples of how you can overload the body and cause it to adapt and become stronger and more efficent.  If you start putting this principle to work in your exercise routines you will see great improvement in your physical condition.

Make it a great day San Antonio.

Nicholas Wood

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

(210)415-5934

www.sampt.com