Chapter 1
The legendary origin of strength
Chapter 2
The subtle math of micro-loading
Chapter 3
Upgrading without adding weight
Chapter 4
The recovery paradox and the plateau
Ch 2 · The subtle math of micro-loading
coach Your brain panics and stops a sudden ten-pound jump, but it barely notices a half-pound addition the size of a paperclip.
coach Skipping gradual progressive overload causes joint inflammation that resets your strength gains.
Fun Fact
Micro-load hack: Some competitive lifters use large, heavy metal washers from hardware stores as cheap, ultra-light weights to micro-load their barbells.
Glossary
micro-loading (noun)
The practice of making very small, incremental increases in weight during resistance training. A standard 2.5-kilogram jump on a 40-kilogram overhead press represents an unsustainable 6.25 percent load increase.
The practice of making very small, incremental increases in weight during resistance training. A standard 2.5-kilogram jump on a 40-kilogram overhead press represents an unsustainable 6.25 percent load increase.
Quiz
Which small item represents the typical weight increment used in advanced micro-loading?
Quiz
What is the common term for the painful inflammation of the thick cords that join muscle to bone?
Quiz
Who holds the legendary Basque record for lifting the heaviest single stone, weighing a staggering 329 kilograms (725 pounds) in 2001?
Quiz
What is the Basque name for the traditional athletes who lift heavy granite stones onto their shoulders?