Strength programming · Progression
Progressive overload calculator.
A step-by-step load plan from your starting weight, with each jump checked against the 2% to 10% range from the ACSM position stand.
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How much should I increase the weight each time?
The American College of Sports Medicine position stand on progression models says that when you train at a specific rep-max load, apply a 2% to 10% increase in load once you can do the current workload for one to two repetitions over the number you were aiming for. This calculator lays out a straight-line plan from your starting weight and flags any step outside that 2% to 10% band. The plan is a schedule, not a promise: add the weight only when the reps are there, and repeat a step if they are not.
Worked example. Starting at 100 and adding 5 each step for 8 steps ends at 140, a 40% total gain. The first step is 5%, inside the ACSM range. At 200, the same 5 is only 2.5% per step and still inside it; at 40, the same 5 would be 12.5% and outside it.
Percent steps compound, so 5% per step for 8 steps is about 47.7% overall, not 40%.
Frequently asked questions
What is progressive overload?
Gradually increasing the demand on the muscles over time, for example by adding weight, reps or sets, so the body keeps adapting. The ACSM position stand lists it as a requirement for further adaptation.
How much weight should I add each week?
The ACSM position stand gives a 2% to 10% increase in load once you can do one to two reps more than your target at the current weight. Use the percent shown next to each step to check your own jumps.
Is linear progression the same as progressive overload?
Linear progression is one way to do it: add a fixed amount each step. Others add reps first (double progression) or vary the load across weeks.
Why does a fixed 5 lb jump mean different percentages?
Because percent depends on the base. 5 lb on a 100 lb lift is 5%; on a 300 lb lift it is 1.7%, below the ACSM range, so the same jump is a smaller percentage on heavier lifts.
What if I miss the reps?
Repeat the weight. A plan on paper is a ceiling on how fast you can go, not a schedule you must keep.
Sources
Checked
The 2% to 10% load increase and the one-to-two-reps-over trigger are quoted from the ACSM position stand abstract. The straight-line schedule and the step size you pick are your choices, not a published standard. Runs entirely in your browser; nothing you type is sent or stored.
Scope
Education only, not medical advice or personal coaching. Training carries injury risk: use a spotter or safeties for heavy lifts, stop if you feel sharp pain, and check with a clinician before starting a programme if you have a health condition, are pregnant or are returning from injury.