Useful Overload Techniques

Sometimes adding weight to a bar is not always possible.

There are many other ways to increase the load placed on your muscles without adding weight to the bar. Here as some to consider when organising your workouts.

1. Altering Tempo

Changing the tempo you use when lifting weights can provide more stimulus to muscle.

2. Supersets

Complete one set of an exercise then without resting complete another set of a different exercise.

3. Pause Reps

Complete an exercise as normal, but pause the rep at the point of highest force.

4. Drop Sets

Lift your prescribed weight until close to failure then reduce the weight and repeat. Do this 2-3 times.

5. Rest-Pause-Sets

Complete a set close to failure, rest for 5-10 seconds and repeat until no more reps can be done.

6. Negatives

Control the ‘down’ phase of the movement at a much slower and more controlled pace. Then get a spotter to assist with the ‘up’ phase of the lift.