You stroll into the gym just as class is starting and warm-up. You’ve glanced at the WOD and pretty much know what to do. And by the end of the workout, you decide that you’re good and don’t really need a cool down or mobility work. After a few weeks of this pattern, you notice something. You’re beginning to feel like you’re not making progress. You might even stop seeing results.
What’s happening? You’ve hit a training plateau.
Training plateaus can be physical barriers, mental obstacles, or a combination of both. No matter how your personal training plateau presents itself, you’ve most likely hit a place where you’re stalled out, and your progress has come to a standstill.
The only way to get back to improving – getting stronger, faster, fitter, and healthier – is to find a way off this plateau. So here are a few suggestions on how to bust through a training plateau:
1. Evaluate your training.
The first thing you’ll want to do is take a step back and evaluate your training. Think about your past few weeks of workouts and analyze things like your approach, intention, mood, and mindset. Ask yourself if you’ve been training enough. Or perhaps you’ve been training too much. Take an honest look at what you’ve been doing at the gym, and you’ll find clues on how to adjust your future workouts.
2. Vary your routine.
When was the last time you mixed things up and added some variety to your routine? If you are just going through the motions when you show up at the gym, then it’s time for a jumpstart. If you always go through the same patterns, switch things up. Try new or unmodified movements. Add a little bit of weight to your lifts. Show up five or ten minutes early to do some accessory work. Or stay five to ten minutes longer.
3. Work on the movements you avoid.
The more consistent your workout routine becomes, the more you’re able to recognize your strengths and weaknesses. And when it comes to a weakness, the tendency is to avoid it. But leaving out key movements can create holes in your performance and lead you to places like plateaus. Rather than avoiding your weaknesses or your least favorite movements, embrace them and take the time to strengthen them.
Remember that progress is never a straight line, and a training plateau is only a single data point on your fitness journey. Keep pushing to raise the bar. New gains await.
Are you interested in making classes at Rhapsody Fitness part of your workout routine? To learn more about Rhapsody Fitness in Charleston and our range of programs, get in touch with Team Rhapsody today.
