What is Progressive Exercise Therapy?
Posted on 28th March 2023 at 11:25
What is Progressive Resistance Exercise
The progressive resistance exercise definition is “a set of exercises that help strengthen muscles by exercising them against resistance that progressively increases as the muscles get stronger”. This type of training often involves the use of resistance bands, free weights, and weight machines. The goal of progressive resistance training is to gain strength, build endurance, and grow muscles.
The overload principle says that a load placed on a body must continually be increased as the body adapts to in order to see positive changes in the body. The overload principle is often associated with progressive resistance training because it involves gradually adding more weight, number of workouts, or number of repetitions to get the desired results.
Progressive Resistance Exercise Techniques
Someone who often lifts weights and exercises may stop seeing results at some point if they always do the same exercises. To be successful in gaining strength and building muscle, one must know how to gradually increase weightlifting. This can be achieved through progressive resistance training or progressive weight training. The progressive resistance principle includes:
Altering weights
This step involves changing the number of weights and the exercise style. For example, changing the choice of exercise can aid in continual growth. As lifters reach a plateau, they often find that continually changing up their workout routine helps them overcome and reach their fitness goals.
Changing the number of reps
Changing the number of reps is a great way to implement progressive resistance training. Gradually adding more reps can increase strength and muscle. For example, someone may start out with three sets of ten reps. After a short period of time at that level, that person would likely increase the number of reps they do at that weight. This will help them to continue to challenge themselves and to continue seeing positive results.
Increasing the time under tension
Increasing the amount of time that the muscles work against the source of tension is important when using progressive resistance weight training. For example, spending more time exercising a muscle with a resistance band.
Progressive Resistance Exercise Types
There are three important types of progressive resistance training: isotonic exercise, isokinetic exercise, and isometric exercise. Each of these different types of exercise works in a special way to progressively increase the resistance on the body.
Isometric exercises, like planks, don't require you to move or bend any joints.
Isotonic exercises, like squats, involve straining the muscles while moving the joints and applying a constant amount of weight.
Isokinetic exercises are performed at a consistent speed, which can be increased as you progress.
Isometric exercises
Isometric exercise is a type of low-impact exercise that involves straining your muscles without moving or bending your joints. A prime example is holding your body in a plank position – you stay at the top of a push-up without bending your elbows.
Isometric exercises are good for maintaining your strength and stability. For instance, if you train by doing a plank pose, it can help you hold a plank position for an extended period of time but won't necessarily help you do more push ups. Isometric exercise is often recommended for people who are recovering from an injury, or who suffer from joint pain like arthritis. Evidence is growing that isometric exercise may help lower blood pressure as well.
Isotonic exercises
Isotonic exercise involves putting a constant amount of weight or tension on your muscles while moving your joints through a full range of motion.
An example is bench-pressing, as the amount of weight stays the same and your joints bend and straighten all the way. Squats are another form of isotonic exercise, using your body weight to tense the muscles and moving your knees through their full range of motion.
Isokinetic exercises
Isokinetic exercise is a type of workout that involves specialized machines and is not often used by the average person. It is mostly used to train athletes to improve their running or throwing by improving the speed at which they can move their limb/body or weight.
The equipment used for isokinetic exercise, known as an isokinetic dynamometer, keeps your muscles moving at a consistent speed, which can then be raised with ongoing training.
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