Milo of Croton was a wrestler who lived in the 6th century BC. Famous for his physical prowess he was the athletic poster-boy of his time and earned an impressive 6 victories at the ancient Olympic games. Genetically gifted? Probably. However, according to legend Milo also took advantage of another potent phenomenon to forge his great strength… the power of progressive overload.
As a young boy growing up in southern Italy, Milo was tasked by his father with carrying a young calf around the family field. Each day he repeated the feat and over time the calf gradually grew in size and bulk making the challenge progressively more demanding. After years of repeated efforts and small triumphs this unorthodox system of training would allow Milo to dazzle the crowds at Olympia by entering the packed stadium with a fully grown Ox on his shoulders.
Whilst this tale has surely been blown out of proportion by 2000 years of Chinese whispers the underlying message holds an important lesson for anyone looking to improve their strength and fitness.
Consistent Effort + Small Improvements = Impressive Results
Its not nearly as marketable as the latest get-fit-quick scheme but then again the best ideas usually aren't.