Additional weight
Also known as: Added weight, External load
Additional weight, also called added weight, is external resistance added to a movement beyond the resistance already provided by the body or equipment. In strength training, the term most often describes making a bodyweight exercise harder—for example, a pull-up with 10 kg attached—although external load can also refer more broadly to resistance prescribed in training.
Common options include a dip belt with plates, a weighted vest, a securely held dumbbell, or chains attached to a barbell. The setup changes what the number means. A vest distributes load around the torso, a dip belt suspends it below the body, and chains can create variable resistance because more chain leaves the floor as the implement rises. These tools are examples, not synonyms for every form of added weight.
Added load does not equal the total mechanical demand on the body. A weighted pull-up involves body mass plus the attached weight, but the forces at individual joints also depend on acceleration, technique, range of motion, and body proportions. Similarly, adding 10 kg to one exercise is not automatically the same increase in training load as adding 10 kg to another.
For progression, record the added resistance and the setup consistently. If a pull-up changes from bodyweight only to +5 kg, the plus sign makes clear that the value is additional rather than total system mass. When a vest or chain has an uncertain weight, measure it if practical instead of relying on a product name. A smaller increment, more repetitions, or improved execution may be preferable when the next available load jump is too large.
The attachment must remain secure and must not obstruct the movement, floor clearance, or a safe exit. Holding a loose plate between the feet can become unreliable as fatigue rises; equipment designed for the task may be easier to control. Added weight does not guarantee a better exercise, and pain or loss of technique is not a progression target.
For weighted bodyweight movements, Alpha Progression can log additional resistance as a positive weight value. Keeping the same convention across sessions makes the exercise history easier to compare.