Abstract: An hydraulic shock absorber with progressive braking effect comprising a cylinder (1,2) full of fluid and a piston (3) sliding axially into said cylinder. The piston (3) divides into two sequential chambers (8) and (9) the cylinder compartment (1). In the extension and/or compression operation, the piston (3) slides in the cylinder causing the fluid to move from the lower chamber (9) to the upper chamber (8) and viceversa, through ports (10) and compression (16) and extension (12) valves, with regulated and progressive opening/closing, with passages with calibrated and/or variable geometry.