Having trouble progressing in your fitness routine? You may be stuck in a plateau. Here’s how to take your exercise routine to the next level and bust through any plateaus:
Try Something New
Step out of your comfort zone and add something new to your exercises. Try a different routine, a harder version of the current exercise, or even a completely new activity.
Don’t Overdo it
It’s easy to hit a plateau if you’re doing the same exercises and not pushing yourself hard enough. Take an honest look at your workouts and if you think you’re levelled off, then push yourself a little bit harder.
Set Goals
Set specific and realistic goals to track your progress. This will help you stay on target and encourages you to keep making progress.
Get Some Support
The best way to bust through plateaus is to join a community or get a personal trainer. They can offer feedback, advice and support and have the right combination of exercises to help you reach your goals.
Take Breaks
Too much of anything isn’t healthy, and the same goes for exercise. Be sure to take scheduled breaks from your routine, so that you don’t overdo it and your body can rest and heal.
Eat Right
Having the right diet is essential to reaching your fitness goals. If you’re eating the wrong types of food, you’ll find it much harder to progress.
Make sure you’re eating enough nutrient-rich food such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats. This will provide your body with the energy it needs to keep going.
Now that you know how to bust through plateaus, it’s time to start making progress and take your fitness routine to the next level. Good luck!
What exercises can I do to break through a plateau in my workout routine?
1. Change up your exercises: Incorporate different muscle groups by switching things up and challenging your body with different exercises and different reps and sets.
2. Increase your intensity: Increase the intensity of your workouts by adding weight, doing extra sets, and increasing the duration of your workouts.
3. Track your progress: Monitor your weight, reps and sets, and compare month to month or quarter to quarter changes. Making sure your plateau is real or simply a perceived one will help keep you motivated and focused on progress.
4. Vary your routine: Keep your body guessing by mixing up your routine every few weeks. This will help reduce boredom and stimulate progress.
5. Change up the order of your exercises: This can be particularly effective for weightlifters. If you find yourself getting stuck at a certain weight level, changing up the order of your exercises may help break through that plateau.
6. Increase cardio: Adding more cardio to your routine will help increase your overall endurance and strength. This can help break through that plateau and allow you to continue making improvements in your strength and size.
7. Take rest periods between workouts: Allowing your body ample time to rest between workouts will help give it time to recover and repair, allowing you to make more progress in the next session.
8. Mix in plyometrics: Plyometric exercises are a great way to help break through plateaus as they add an explosive element to your routine that not only increases intensity, but also helps to increase your overall power and explosive strength.
9. Time your sets and reps: Setting goals for the amount of time you will spend on a set or a rep range can help add structure to your workout and also keep you from falling into the same old routines.
10. Get creative: There are so many different types of exercises out there. If you are feeling stuck, try finding a new exercise or routine to test out. It can be a great way to break out of that same old routine.
What workout changes should I make to break through a plateau?
1. Increase intensity: Try adding periods of higher intensity or bursts such as running faster, adding jumps, or adding weights to your routine.
2. Focus on form: Make sure you’re performing the exercises correctly, with proper form and range of motion, to ensure you’re receiving the most benefits from each exercise.
3. Try something new: Add a different type of exercise to your routine, such a yoga, pilates, or HIIT, to give your body a change of scenery and challenge.
4. Change up your reps/sets: Switch up the number of reps and sets you’re doing and find a new challenge to push your body further.
5. Add rest days: Overworking your body can cause a plateau in progress; add rest days to allow your body to recover and reset.
6. Adjust your diet: Adjust your diet and/or increase your caloric intake to give your body what it needs to build muscle.
7. Track your progress: Tracking your progress and regularly taking measurements can help you quantify any progress and determine which exercises are working best.
8. Adjust your workout: Adjust your workout intensity, reps, sets, and/or weights and push yourself beyond what’s comfortable to help you break through plateaus.
9. Time your sets and reps: Setting goals for the amount of time you will spend on a set or a rep range can help add structure to your workout and also keep you from falling into the same old routines.
10. Get creative: Try finding a new exercise or routine to test out. It can be a great way to break out of that same old routine.
