How You Can Break Plateaus

Hey Rivalus fam! I wanted to talk to you about those stubborn moments in your fitness journey where you just seem to hit a brick wall. We’ve all been there at sometime, but it is okay it’s not something to be stressed about. All you will need is guidance and proper knowledge on how to prevent it from happening again.

I wanted to start off by saying that there can be a variety of factors that are limiting your progress, some may be more serious than others. However you can still make progress no matter what.

Your workouts are not in line with your goals.

Usually people have a certain goal to attain, however going about it in the gym with your workouts, not having a clear plan is a hot mess. I have done the same thing in my past. It always comes to a point where you get some results, but you know you can be more by how much effort you’re putting forth. To fix this you must always have a clear plan that is specifically geared toward your goal. Write it out, ask for help, do some research to decide what is going to work for you.

Your nutrition is not in line with your goals

Vice versa like the last bullet point. If you’re bro dieting, or eating everything in sight, or not eating enough, there is a good chance you are going to stall in progress. Everyday you need to have a plan. Lot of us need help/guidance so ask help from someone certified in nutrition/years of experience, get a coach (do your research on coaches, some are higher quality than others). Eat just enough to make sure you make steady progress over time. In relation to supplements, certain supplements can help give you a push to your goal. However popping fat burners, drinking multiple protein shakes/mass gainers will not do it for you. Supplements are meant to assist you. Always rely on whole foods and take food supplements when absolutely necessary.

Overtraining

This is a huge problem with a lot of people. Overtraining can cause your CNS to weaken which in turn you become fatigued, ill, injured, moody, workouts are sluggish, the list goes on. Listening to your body is an overlooked aspect in my opinion. Your body needs rest to recover, and re-energize. You can’t expect a car to drive if there is no gas in the tank. Don’t copy workout regimens of others, how many days/hours they workout because it will not work for you. Do what your body says and if at any point you feel rough during workouts or through the day, rest.

Too much cardio

Yes. Cardio. Too much of that will not do you any good. Going on a treadmill for an hour calling it a day, then go home and eat an abundance of calories basically rendering your workout a waste of time will definitely hold you back on any progress. Do yourself a favor if you’re a cardio addict. Cut the time in half, do cardio every other day, do more weight training and make sure you’re following a structured workout plan specifically for you.

Not training hard enough

Kind of in line with the first bullet point, it’s hard for some people to find that motivation to push themselves to their limit. Why? Because it’s painful. However people tend to associate pain as all bad pain. There is definitely good pain and that can come when you do those extra 5 reps, extra set, adding resistance bands, drop sets/supersets you name it! This kind of pain helps you grow. At the end of every set ask yourself, “Did I do enough?” “Could I have done more?” Most likely yes. Hop back on that next set and do MORE. As I like to say, “Get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Do things you aren’t use to or have never done before, don’t settle for the easy way. You’ll just be average and will never break your plateau then. You will thank me later I promise.

These are just a few of the ways you can break a plateau. Try some of these methods out to try and fix your plateaus. Again having the proper guidance/knowledge will help to keep you on a steady pace towards your goal. It’s never a race so no need to jump the gun and rush things. Be patient and in time you will get what you earn.