This month in the gyms at Transformation HQ and across our online members, everyone is training with the same underlying aim.
Progressive overload.
Not a buzzword.
Not a phase.
Just the quiet work of getting a bit better at the same things over time.
That matters, because every January and every monthly training block, the same questions pop up.
People asking when the programme changes.
When the workouts get switched.
When something new is coming.
And this month felt like the right time to address it properly, while everyone is actually living it.
I was reminded of it again this week through my own training.
I have an old school coach who writes my programmes.
I have used him for years.
He is hilarious as he shouts and swears at anyone asking silly, daft questions.
I do not write my own training, even though I could.
Coaches need coaches.
Accountability still matters.
It stops you training to your mood.
It stops you fiddling.
And it lets you see what coaches who actually get results do themselves.
My training drops into an app.
Same as yours if you are an online member; in-house, we go old-school whiteboard.
Clear sessions.
Clear lifts.
Numbers to beat.
There is also a community chat.
And like clockwork, as we rolled into week 9, the chat started grumbling.
Same exercises.
Same order.
Same structure.
People wanting variety.
Wanting change.
My coach did not explain himself.
He just posted the next week.
Sometimes he runs the same programme for 12 to 15 weeks.
When I open the app and see it has not changed, I am genuinely pleased.
Because I know what the goal is.
I know what needs beating.
And I know that progress is going to come from effort, not novelty.
That mindset is where most people fall down.
Progressive overload with resistance training is simple in principle, even if people overthink it.
You are asking your body to do slightly more than it has done before.
More weight.
More reps.
Better control.
More confidence in the same lift.
That is it.
Your body adapts when it has a reason to.
Getting stronger builds muscle.
More muscle changes your shape and helps you burn more calories across the day.
That is why resistance training is such a big deal for fat loss and body shape.
It is not about smashing yourself.
It is about giving your body a clear signal and repeating it long enough for it to respond.
Some weeks, the numbers move.
Some weeks, they do not.
That does not mean nothing happened.
A squat that felt messy four weeks ago suddenly feels solid.
Your depth improves.
You stop wobbling.
You own the lift.
That is progress too.
And that is usually the step that allows the next jump in weight.
Compare that to how a lot of people train.
One set of goblet squats.
Straight into a 500 metre or mile run.
Then some push ups.
Then something else entirely.
Next session, a totally different mix again.
It feels hard.
You sweat.
You leave tired.
But it is like doing a house renovation by painting one wall in the living room, then ripping out the bathroom sink, then changing the kitchen taps, then stopping.
Nothing actually improves.
No room gets finished.
You just stay busy.
Progressive overload is finishing the living room first.
You squat for 4 to 6 weeks.
You get better at it.
Stronger.
More confident.
Your legs and glutes change.
Then you move on to the next job.
We see this play out with members all the time.
We have even had people ask us to change the 12-shoot programme because they have done it before.
Less weights.
More variety.
More fun sessions.
Ab work.
Running.
I understand why people ask.
Gym culture has trained everyone to expect entertainment.
Something new every week.
But here is the honest line we work from.
If something is the most reliable way to get someone leaner, stronger, fitter, and more confident, we are not going to dilute it just to keep it interesting.
We do not change systems that work because someone feels bored.
Our job is not to keep you busy for 45 minutes.
It is to move you forward.
Whether you train in house with us, train online, used to train with us, or just keep an eye on what we do, the principle stays the same.
Pick a handful of key movements.
Stick with them long enough to improve.
Track what you do.
Try to beat yourself, even if that means better form rather than more weight.
If your programme has not changed yet, that is not a problem.
The better question is whether you are stronger than you were a few weeks ago.
If the answer is yes, you are exactly where you need to be.
Progress beats variety.
Every time.
-Ryan