We all know the feeling: you've been hitting the gym, pushing yourself to the limit, and suddenly you hit a wall. You can't seem to make any more progress, no matter how hard you try. This is known as a workout plateau and it can be incredibly frustrating. Thankfully, there are ways to overcome these plateaus and keep your progress going strong. In this post, we'll look at six tips to help you avoid hitting a plateau and keep your fitness journey going strong.
1) Switch up your routine
One of the best ways to avoid hitting a plateau with your workout routine is to switch it up regularly. This doesn’t mean you have to completely overhaul your program every month or two, but you should be regularly adding in new exercises and switching the order of your workouts. This will keep your body challenged and help you avoid plateaus.
When switching up your routine, look for ways to challenge yourself. If you’re used to doing push-ups, try changing it up and incorporating pull-ups or dips. Or if you normally focus on weightlifting, try introducing more bodyweight exercises into your routine. By continuously challenging yourself and changing up your routine, you’ll stay engaged and motivated, as well as prevent your body from becoming too comfortable with any one exercise.
Additionally, consider mixing up the order of your exercises. Most people tend to do the same exercises in the same order all the time, so if you’ve been stuck in a rut, consider re-arranging the order of your workout. This can help give your body a different stimulus, which can lead to more gains in strength and muscle mass.
Finally, pay attention to how your body is responding to the exercises you’re doing. If you’re feeling burnt out or unmotivated, it may be time to switch things up. As long as you’re consistently challenging yourself and mixing up your routine, you can avoid hitting a plateau and keep making progress.
2) Incorporate new exercises
One of the best ways to avoid workout plateaus is to incorporate new exercises into your routine. Switching up your routine helps to challenge different muscles, and keeps your body guessing so you don’t get bored. Try adding in some strength training with weight lifting, or introduce some HIIT exercises to mix things up. If you’re not sure where to start, you can search online for some basic exercises that you can do with just your bodyweight, or find a video that has a good variety of moves. You don’t have to do all of them at once, either - just add in one or two each week to gradually increase the intensity and keep your progress going strong.
3) Change the order of your exercises
If you’ve been doing the same workout for a while, it can be helpful to switch up the order of your exercises. The body adapts quickly to new movements and routine, and changing up the order of your exercises can be a great way to challenge yourself and avoid hitting a plateau.
One way to do this is by alternating between different types of exercises. For example, you can start with a compound exercise like a squat, then move on to an isolation exercise like a bicep curl. This allows you to target different muscle groups in different ways.
You can also switch up the order of exercises within the same muscle group. For example, instead of always doing chest press first, you could do flyes or cable cross-overs first. Or instead of always starting with a tricep pushdown, you could start with overhead extensions.
By changing up the order of your exercises, you are able to keep your body guessing and avoid those dreaded plateaus. So the next time you’re in the gym, try mixing up the order of your exercises for a fresh new challenge!
4) Take a break
Taking a break from your regular workout routine can help to break up any workout plateaus. It is important to allow your body to rest and recover after intense workouts. Taking a break does not mean completely stopping, but rather taking some time to rest and recover. Rest days can be an integral part of your overall fitness plan and help to maximize your progress.
During your break, you can focus on different activities such as yoga, Pilates, or swimming. These low-impact exercises can help you to stay active while giving your body the rest it needs. Additionally, taking a break may give you the opportunity to reflect on your progress and make necessary adjustments to your routine. Reflection can help you to stay motivated and focused on reaching your fitness goals.
5) Increase the intensity
One way to prevent yourself from plateauing in your workout is to increase the intensity. Intensity refers to the amount of effort you’re putting into each exercise. A common way to increase intensity is to add weight. This can be done with dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, and more. You can also increase the intensity by decreasing the rest time between sets and exercises. This will keep your heart rate up and help you burn more calories. Finally, try increasing the number of reps you do for each exercise. This helps you build muscle and strength faster.
Remember to always listen to your body and know when to push yourself and when to take a break. Increasing the intensity too quickly can cause injury, so start small and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable with the exercises. With careful planning and consistency, you can reach your fitness goals and break through any workout plateaus!
6) Get a workout buddy
If you’re feeling stuck in your workout routine, it might be time to get a workout buddy. Having a friend to work out with can be incredibly motivating and can help keep you accountable. Plus, it can help prevent monotony in the gym, as you can challenge each other to new exercises or activities.
When choosing a workout buddy, pick someone with similar fitness goals who has similar physical abilities and interests. That way you both can push each other and have fun while doing it. Before meeting up, talk about expectations and communicate clearly so that you both are on the same page.
Having someone to work out with can also help keep your form in check. They can spot you if you’re pushing too hard, or offer suggestions on how to make an exercise more challenging. If you’re doing a class at the gym, choose something different than your usual go-to; this way, you’ll have someone to take the class with and it could help you break out of your fitness comfort zone.
At the end of the day, having a workout buddy should make going to the gym a more enjoyable experience for both of you. So grab a friend and get out there—you’ll be surprised at how much progress you can make when you’re working together!
