Proven ways to break through fitness plateaus

Getting stuck at some point in a fitness regime is pretty common, that’s why people often refer to it as a fitness plateau – a period when you don’t get the results you want. In a way, that’s where the problem lies – people give up on their goals and dreams when they fail to achieve it in a short time as plateaus may seem disheartening, but they are not the end of the line. In this article, I will outline 7 effective steps that you should take in order to smash through a fitness plateau in the seven steps. We will also provide the answers to several questions you are likely to have in a bid to get value out of this article.

1. Change Your Workout Routine:

Adjusting the workout becomes one of the best known ways of coming out of the fitness plateau. This may range from changing the exercises being done to changing the weights being used, the number of sets and repetitions.

A workout falls into a routine that becomes rather boring an predictable, it may cause the muscles to notice and fill in the gap betting that they are safe from over working thus, dozing off on the trainer. When this happens, you’ll cease to make any progress at all and this is the last thing that you want.

It is also advisable to add new exercises, the intensity or variations of the workouts when trying to change the situation on the staircase. For instance, if you are used to regular sit ups, you should attempt the frog or the scissor sit up or even the bowler’s sit up. Because the new movements and challenges will recruit new muscles and help you to get out of the rut of your fitness.

2. Only for freeloaders – Increase Your Weight and Volume:

One of the main reasons why one ends up in a plateau is probably because s/he has not adjusted the resistance or the intensity of exercises. If you want to see results achieved, you have to step up the load as well as the sets and rep measures.

According to muscle-building experts, to boost the weights you’re moving, you should add a small amount of resistance, 2.5-5 pounds, to your workouts. This way you will always be pushing the muscles and encouraging growth all the time every day on the cardiovascular machines.

Further, attempt to work more by adding more sets or the number of exercises they do for each body part and the frequency of exercising. These will help increase muscle mass and get you over your rut.

3. Suggest HIIT as a complementary intensity level:

Finally, anyone struggling with a fitness plateau should know that High-Intensity Interval Training, HIIT, is a great way to break through it. HIIT is characterized by exercise intensification and reduction of exercise volume or complete rest for several repetitions.

This training style contributes to your cardiovascular fitness, the acceleration of metabolism, and enhancing your general health condition. HIIT workouts are very brief, they range between 15-30 minutes but they are very effective in terms of fat loss and getting past the fitness barriers

4. Improve Your Nutrition:

Eating habits are an important factor that determines your fitness. If you find yourself at a deadlock with a plateau, you need to reconsider your diet plan and make some amendments to it.

First off, you need to make sure that you’re consuming enough calories to feed itself with energy needed for exercise and growth. Consuming too little of course will slow down training, hence a plateau will be experienced.

Second, concentrate on taking lean protein for muscle tissue build-up and healthy fat, and carbohydrates in the healthy form as energy source. Small, frequent and well-chosen meals are less likely to leave you rubbed out or make wrong food choices in-between.

5. Get Enough Sleep and Rest:

Rest and sleep are a part and parcel of our lives but we tend to neglect them a lot especially when it comes to our fitness goals. Sleep is relatively essential to support the muscles growth and toning while rest is crucial in helping the body to bounce back to supporting the next exercise regime.

If you are experiencing this problem than make sure that you have sufficient amount of sleep and do not overtrain yourself. Try to get between seven and nine hours of sleep each day and use rest days appropriately.

6. Try New Sports and Activities:

Using one fitness routine for some time brings monotony which is counterproductive to your muscle growth. Just recently I discovered the need for variation in the kind of exercises or sports if you want to change your current situation.

The availability of fun-based fitness activities will make the individual motivated to pursue fitness activities. Possible new sports and activities comprise swimming, rock climbing, martial arts, dancing, and so on.

7. Option #1: Get a Personal Trainer or Take a Group Exercise Course:

In some cases, that can be all that is required to shake things up and get past a stagnate – a fresh pair of eyes and some professional advice. This makes it easier to try new exercise procedures especially if you hire a trainer for your private session or find a new class to join.

A personal trainer or fitness instructor has the knowledge of making a good workout routine that will suit the individual and his/ her intention. They can also give you advice and encouragement to be able to bust you out from your rut.

FAQs:

Q: How soon are the effects seen in the gym after a change of routine?

A: As much as it is true that it may take about four weeks to note changes in your body once you bring a change on your workouts the period may differ from one person to the other as well as from one change to another. While some people may experience some changes within several weeks, other may take months before experiencing similar changes.

Q: How can I know that I have reached for a plateau?

A: You can determine you are at a plateau if you have been exercising, dieting and taking your supplements and nutrient timing as directed, yet your strength, weight or muscle definition does not increase.

Q: What can I do to avoid developing plateaus?

A: Therefore to avoid such occurrences, you should periodically alter the kind of workout you are doing, add more weight or volume to the kind of workouts you are doing, and try new exercises and activities. Moreover, having a balanced and well-coordinated nutrition plan is also important to accompany your efforts in exercising.

Conclusion:

Coming out of a fitness plateau can be very tasking but it can also be done. With these seven effective approaches; changing your workout regime, lifting heavier and more frequently, doing HIIT, improving nutrition, having adequate rest, and undertaking new activities and sports, as well as seeking the services of a fitness instructor and joining a fitness class you will be on the right track to breaking the plateau and reaching your desired fitness. This is important to note because patience and diligent practice are what helps to break through the bands and notice permanent changes in a fitness routine.