Progressive Overload and Muscle Growth

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Progressive Overload and Muscle Growth

The concept of progressive overload applies to the athletic, non-athletic, male, female,the young and old.

In early Greek Mythology, the concept of Progressive Overload is provided by the Greek God Milo, from Crotona. Legend indicates that Milo carried a bull on his shoulders across the Olympic stadium. Milo prepared for strength by carrying a baby bull, on his shoulders, every day. As the bull grew Milo's strength and size grew, or "progressed" from the day to day increased resistance from the growth the bull.

The principle of Progressive Overload is important for all of us. As we grow older, we begin to lose precious muscle mass and bone mineral density. By exercising with weights, we are supplying our body with muscle that would ordinarily be lost as we age. Muscle, or lean body mass, increases our metabolic rate (our body's engine) which burns fat 24 hours a day. As you may witness, this is evident in people that begin to get heavier (increased fat mass or obesity) as they age - they are not necessarily eating more, they are just failing to replace lost muscle (which will burn fat) that is naturally lost with age.

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