Month: October 2024

If you’ve ever done personal training with SSP, you may have noticed how your programming alters or follows specific patterns week to week. You may have also heard us talk about something called progressive overload.

What is progressive overload? As fitness professionals, we love to geek out about things like this, but while it might sound very technical, at its core, progressive overload is simply the concept of gradually increasing the challenge on your body during exercise over time. By doing so, you force your body to adapt to new stimulus, and as a result, you get stronger or more physically capable in your activities.

The ”overload” can look different – sometimes it’s an increase in repetitions using the same weight. For example, instead of pressing a 30# dumbbell for 8 reps, you press it for 10. It can also look like a change in tempo, using isometrics, increasing weight for the same amount of reps, and increasing range of motion in an exercise.

You might think if you’re coming into the gym five days a week that you will naturally get stronger. Maybe you will, but it depends on the choices you are making while you’re in the gym. Are you picking up the same weights every time? Are you using too light of weight to drive adaptation? Are you using the full range of your available motion in an exercise or are you stopping short? All of these factors (and more) will play a role.

We see this often with those who only come to group class environments where you are responsible for picking up your own weights. If you haven’t strength trained or exercised for awhile, when you first begin, you will see an increase in strength and ability regardless of the factors I just mentioned. Most of this comes in the form of increased proprioception (body awareness and control) because your body adapts to being able to resistance train and gain greater control of its ability to move weight through space with better form and capability. However, as you move past this initial stage, gaining strength comes down to how you are progressively overloading your body and driving new adaptation over time.

Is this to say you should always be pushing yourself every time you come into the gym? Absolutely not. If your stress level is high elsewhere in life, that will limit your ability to push new heights in the gym. On those days, maybe movement is all you need. There is still a physiological and (likely) psychological benefit to moving every day that shouldn’t be ignored.

At SSP, we do progressive overload during personal training in a way that ensures we are safely moving our members through growth and plateaus. Our coaches track progress every workout, and those notes get passed onto our Program Design team who personalize each new program to the individual’s goals and abilities.

If you’re interested in incorporating more progressive overload into your training or giving our personal training a shot for the first time, fill out this form and we’ll give you some details on our trial membership!  

If you’ve spent any time with us, you know we’re all about creating programs that fit you—your goals, your strengths, your needs. That’s because we believe smart coaching means personalized coaching, and that’s the foundation of our programming.

But why is a customized strength training program so important?

When it comes to strength training, one-size-fits-all programs can leave you vulnerable to injury or plateaus. Your body moves in a way that’s unique to you, so we begin by understanding your movement patterns, any past injuries, and your overall goals through an initial assessment. This is a deep dive into how you move, where you might have limitations, and how we can best support you. 

From there, your workouts are customized to keep you progressing safely. We monitor everything from form to mobility, adjusting your program according to your goals and progression. And if anything changes along the way—like a new pain or mobility issue—we’ll adapt your program right away.

Every workout at SSP is tracked meticulously by your coach. This means every rep, every set, and every weight is recorded—not just to keep track, but to give us concrete data on your progress. It’s not guesswork; we know when it’s time to adjust your plan because the data shows us when you’re ready. This takes the mental burden off you so you can focus on showing up and doing the work, while we handle the strategy.

We don’t just track progress for the sake of it! We recently analyzed 6 months’ worth of data from our members’ personalized programs, and the results were incredible. On average, members increased their strength by 114%. That’s more than doubling strength in half a year—no shortcuts, just consistent work backed by individualized programming. We even had one member increase strength by 282%!

This kind of improvement doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of thoughtful, data-driven programming that evolves with you over time.

The beauty of personalized training is that it’s tailored to your specific needs and fitness level. Beginners focus on mastering the fundamentals and building a strong foundation, while experienced lifters push towards new challenges.

Our coaches ensure you progress steadily, balancing the right amount of challenge with the recovery you need to stay healthy. It’s about more than just hitting the gym—it’s about long-term progress and building sustainable habits.

With a program designed just for you, you’re not just training for the next few months—you’re setting yourself up for lasting strength and well-being.

Best,

Chris

P.S Want to get your own customized strength training program? Fill out this form to get started.

We often say strength training is the ‘cheat code’ to staying strong, active, and resilient at any age—and research backs this up. Even training just two days a week has proven benefits for improving quality of life as we get older. In Episode 20 of Inside SSP, Coaches Natalie and Chris dive into how strength training helps us age well, enhancing everything from mobility and energy to overall resilience.

Why Strength Training is Key as We Age

As we age, we naturally experience a decline in muscle mass and strength, which can lead to a loss of physical ability. Research from the National Institute on Aging’s Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging shows that our muscle mass and power tends to peak in our early 30s and then slowly declines.

The bad news? If we don’t do anything to offset this loss of muscle mass, we will see very noticeable decreases, especially after age 65 for women and 70 for men. This change affects our overall independence — everything from our balance and mobility to how easily we can manage daily activities.

Benefits That Go Beyond Physical Strength

Strength training does more than build muscle—it protects us from injury and promotes faster recovery. By strengthening bones, ligaments, and tendons, regular strength workouts prepare us to handle the physical demands of daily life and help prevent falls, which are a common cause of injury as we age. Research also shows that strength training enhances joint stability, which can reduce pain from conditions like arthritis.

Beyond physical resilience, strength training supports cognitive health. Studies from Harvard Health have shown that strength training helps improve memory and focus, reduce anxiety, and may even lower the risk of dementia. Members often tell us they feel mentally sharper and less stressed, which positively impacts every area of their lives.

Our goal as coaches at SSP, is to help you build sustainable, functional strength. We customize each person’s program to focus on safe, progressive training that supports your overall well-being.

If you’re interested in getting started, fill out this form to set up an introductory assessment with us. Together, we’ll go over your goals, answer any questions, and build a plan that’s right for you.

References: 

National Institute on Aging. (n.d.). How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/how-can-strength-training-build-healthier-bodies-we-age

Harvard Medical School. (2021). Strength training builds more than muscles. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from Harvard Health