At MD Health, increasing the load and intensity during Pilates is a common experience for many clients, much to their dismay! You may find yourself wondering, “Why are we making this exercise harder?”
It all comes back to a key training concept: progressive overload. In this article, we’ll explore what it means and why it’s essential for long-term results — especially in our clinical Pilates sessions.
What is progressive overload and why does it matter?
Great question. To answer this we need to start with two key concepts:
- Progressive Overload
- The SAID Principle
Progressive overload refers to the gradual increase in stress placed on the body over time. This enables our tissues to adapt and become more resilient, allowing us to handle more over time.
Then there’s the SAID principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands. This means your body adapts specifically to the kind of stress or activity you regularly do.
For example:
- Jump regularly → you’ll get better at jumping
- Lift weights regularly → you’ll get stronger
When we combine these principles in a structured training program, we improve specific traits like strength, mobility, or cardiovascular fitness. And the benefits often carry over into daily life:
- A strong squat makes it easier to bend down and play with the grandkids
- Overhead strength helps you hang the washing without discomfort
- Strength in the gym = ease in real life
What happens if I stick with the same weight and intensity?
Referring back to those two principles: if you never increase load or intensity, your body adapts, and then plateaus.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’ve met your goals and are happy with your current physical condition. But it’s important to remember your goals, health and injuries are not static. You might experience a setback or a change in priorities, and your training should adapt with you.
Those who have previously done resistance training tend to recover faster from injuries and time off, compared to those without that foundation.
What if I progress too quickly? and how do I know I’m working hard enough?
Progressing too quickly in training can increase your risk of injury. Why? Because your body needs time to adapt to new stress. Without that time, the likelihood of injury rises.
To manage this, we use a helpful tool: Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).
RPE is a self-assessment scale (from 1–10 or 1–20) that helps you gauge how hard you’re working.
- 1 = very light effort
- 10 = maximum effort
For most workouts, aiming for an RPE of 6–9 is ideal for driving progress and adaptation.
Occasionally hitting a 10, or training lighter at a 4–5, is totally fine, as long as you’re not pushing to the max every session without rest.
Feeling run down after several RPE 10 sessions? It’s time to prioritise recovery, sleep, and nutrition to help your body bounce back and stay strong.
Progressive overload isn’t about punishment, it’s about purposeful challenge. When done right, increasing intensity helps build a stronger, more resilient body that supports you in daily life.
So next time your Pilates session gets harder… just remember: it’s part of the plan.
References:
- Plotkin, D., Coleman, M., Van Every, D., Maldonado, J., Oberlin, D., Israetel, M., Feather, J., Alto, A., Vigotsky, A. D., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2022). Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. PeerJ, 10, e14142. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14142
- Van Roie, E., Delecluse, C., Coudyzer, W., & Boonen, S. (2020). The effect of resistance training, detraining and retraining on muscle strength and power, myofibre size, satellite cells and myonuclei in older men. Experimental Gerontology, 133, 110860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2020.110860
- Taylor & Francis. (n.d.). The SAID principle. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved June 16, 2025, from https://taylorandfrancis.com/knowledge/Medicine_and_healthcare/Rehabilitation_medicine/SAID_principle/#:~:text=The%20SAID%20principle%20refers%20to,order%20to%20achieve%20optimal%20results.
Do you have any questions?
Call us on (03) 9857 0644 or (07) 3505 1494 (Paddington)
Email us at admin@mdhealth.com.au
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Our clinical staff would be happy to have chat if you have any questions.
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