Hi ShokzSquad- Maeghan here! As we move further into 2019, you may find yourself getting bored with your current exercise program. Either you’re not progressing the way you want to, or you may just be struggling to find some motivation or a class you enjoy. Well, welcome to the club!
Before I jump right into busting through those plateaus, let’s talk about what they are. A training plateau is essentially a stop in progress; your body has become comfortable with the amount of stress you are putting on it during your workouts, and it no longer needs to adapt and overcome. You can plateau in muscle gain, strength, running distance, etc. and there could be any number of different things causing it. You could be training too little, training too much, not eating proper portion sizes, not changing your workout enough, or even getting too much or not enough sleep. So with so many possibilities, how do you overcome the plateau and progress in your training?
Here are three ways you can overcome your plateau while taking care of your body and without driving yourself crazy!
Take a break! It may seem counterproductive, but your body may need a break. Plan on taking a full week off. Try some light stretching to stay loose and comfortable but don’t work very hard. Your muscles will thank you, and you should bounce right back when you start training again.
Try a different type of training. If your training routine is consistently four sets of 10-12 reps, change it up! Try some supersets, drop sets, and change your set/rep scheme. Try two sets of 15-20 reps. If you usually have a steady state running workout try some sprints or high-intensity intervals. Change it up and keep your body surprised by something different than the norm!
Try some different modifications. If your go-to is a standard pushup, try some incline pushups by putting your hands on a bench or switch it around for some decline pushups and stick your feet on the bench. You can always change a movement to work your muscles at a different angle or in a different way to challenge them!
Now don’t forget, plateaus are not forever. The changes you make should not last forever. Once you notice that you are progressing and feeling a little more “normal” with the progress you’re making, you’ll want to transition yourself back into your usual training routine and keep pushing forward.
