The entire muscle growth response to resistance training depends on progressive overload. When you first start weight training initial strength gains are not accompanied by direct muscle size increases, they are due to an adaptation within the neural system.
During this initial phase, the muscle-nerves (motor neurons) that power muscle contraction actually “learn” to fire more powerfully and become more efficient and coordinated. After a short period of training time, these neural adaptations actually result in less muscle being activated to lift a given load. You actually lift the same weight with less muscle fiber recruitment.
Let me give you an example of this and why progressive overload in Max-OT is so important. Let’s say that the beginning of a program your best bench press is 220 pounds for six reps. Let’s say that your nervous system recruits 2000 muscle fibers to move this weight. After a couple of weeks of training, your nervous system adapts to the load and ensures that the you now only requires around 1750 muscle fibers to lift at this weight for 6 reps. Though you are still lifting 220 pounds less muscle is being stimulated because fewer muscle fibers are being used!
However, if the overload principle is applied, you immediately increase the weight by about 5-10 pounds once you have reached your target of six reps. By increasing the weight, you are assured of tapping into more muscle fibers to perform the lift. More muscle is stimulated by this increase in weight and this means a more effective and continued growth response.
Another very important aspect of Max-OT training – the fast-twitch (type-2) muscle fibers grow the most dramatically in response to resistance training. However, these type-2 fibers are only recruited during movements that utilize maximal overload. Unless you constantly attempt to increase the weight you lift, not only is less muscle being activated, the type-2 fibers (the ones most responsible for increased muscle size) are not recruited.
As you can clearly see, if you do not use progressive overload at every opportunity, your muscle fibers that respond the most favorably to resistance training are not being recruited.
Max-OT (Maximum Overload Training) is designed around the scientific fundamentals of muscle growth. These scientific fundamentals are the same for everyone. I always hear people say, "You have to find what works best for you." The fact is, Max-OT is the most effective muscle-building workout for everyone. You can't dispute the science of muscle growth. What typically separates those that succeed from those that don't is the ability to feed off of the extreme intensity that Max-OT training takes. Learn to thrive on the intensity of Max-OT and your muscle growth will only be limited by your genetic potential.
There's a saying in Max-OT, When in doubt, go heavier!
