Mental Progressive Overload
-Mind over matter
We’re getting in the best shape of our lives by focusing on rucking and building mental toughness. Don’t be stingy. Invite a friend or two.
Progressive Overload
If you have spent any time in the gym, you have probably heard the term ‘Progressive overload,’ But what is it?
Progressive Overload is a training method that gradually increases the intensity of workouts to stimulate muscle growth and improve strength and endurance. It can be used in strength training and other types of exercise.
Here’s how it works
Increase weight: Gradually lift heavier weights
Increase repetitions: Perform more repetitions with the same weight
Increase sets: Add more sets to your routine
Using the principle of progressive overload, you avoid stalling at a plateau and continue to get stronger by consistently increasing the demands placed on the body.
But how does this apply to the mind?
The mind is often compared to a muscle, and while this comparison is not exact, it is pretty close.
If you were to visit the gym Mon-Wed-Fri and do 3x8 on the bench with 135 lbs, you would be very good at benching 135 lbs.
You wouldn’t get stronger.
Likewise, if you go out for a three-mile ruck with 25 lbs three days per week, you won’t get stronger or increase your mental toughness.
We can only dig the well of mental toughness by increasing the load we place on the mind, and we do that by going farther, faster, or heavier than we have before.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you need to use the principle of progressive overload every day (and if you are new to rucking or lifting, don’t feel that you should increase the challenge until you have built up a base). Still, for most of us, a weekly ‘smoke session’ will ensure that you don’t become complacent and continue to dig the well.
Until next week,
RTFU!
“Strong minds suffer without complaining; weak minds complain without suffering.” ―Lettie Cowman
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