When Mitchell Hooper won the World’s Strongest Man competition in 2023, it was kind of a big deal. Competitive strongman hadn’t seen a fresh face perform so ferociously, so quickly, in the sport’s modern history until Hooper burst onto the scene.
But it wasn’t just brawn that got Hooper to the top. Strength training is a brain game, and “the Moose” is one of the smartest minds in strength. Proper progressive overload — a core principle of all physical activity, from running to strongman — helped propel his rise.
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If your gym progress has ground to a screeching halt, or you just can’t seem to build more muscle, you might be utilizing progressive overload incorrectly — or, worse yet, not at all. Don’t worry; Hooper is here to help.
The Right Way To Use Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is a bit like an iceberg. On the surface, the idea is simple enough. Put five pounds on your barbell each week when you deadlift, or squat, or whatever, and continue to do so until you pull 1,000 pounds like Hooper himself.
If that’s all there was to it, we’d all be the World’s Strongest Man. But under the surface, factors such as frequency, volume, fatigue management, and more influence how much value you get from progressive overload. From the man himself:
- “Progressive overload has become a trope,” says Hooper. “I believe proper application is often lost in chasing new personal bests week after week. It’s much more expansive than people realize.”
Sounds compelling, but let’s backtrack a bit. What exactly is progressive overload? According to Hooper, progressive overload refers to gradually increasing the stress placed on the body during bouts of exercise.
As your body adapts to squatting a certain amount of weight, or running a specific distance, that work becomes less stimulating over time — you’ve got to up the ante.
Mitchell Hooper’s Top Tip for Using Progressive Overload
Progressive overload entails doing “more” week after week. But “more” is a broad term; you can implement progressive overload haphazardly and run the risk of plateauing or, worse, suffering an injury. Or, you can do things Hooper’s way.
- “I recommend an increase in stimulus between 2% and 5% on a week-to-week basis,” Hooper advises. “This allows for continual progression without pushing yourself too far.”
In Practice: If you performed squats with 220 pounds last week, and wanted to implement a 3% increase in stimulus to drive progressive overload, you’d aim to work with 242 pounds during your next session. Simple as, except…
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Doing some simple math on your phone’s calculator will tell you what weight to lift, but it says nothing about how to disperse that stimulus across multiple sessions or account for the other tasks in your workout program. Training is a balancing act — throw things out of balance at your own peril.
The Ultimate Guide to Progressive Overload, From the World’s Strongest Man
Navigating progressive overload and applying it properly to build strength, muscle, or improve your endurance is easier said than done. Luckily, Hooper is taking the guesswork out of the equation.
As part of his lifelong commitment to helping people lead happier, healthier lives — while continuing to build his legacy as one of the best strongmen in the world — Hooper has put together an all-in-one guide to progressive overload. Here’s the best part: It won’t cost you a dime. Click here for more.
Be warned. Side effects of evidence-based, expert-backed progressive overload include a bigger bench press, more muscular physique, fewer nagging aches and pains, and a whole lot more. You can’t go wrong with the Moose in your corner.
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Featured Image: @mitchellhooper / Instagram
