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The dreaded plateau!
September 2, 2010 6:00 AM

Is there anything as frustrating during a fitness program as when your results stop progressing?
 
Well, you aren't alone. It happens to everyone. You plateau because your body is constantly trying to find a state of 'balance'. The more that you do the same types of exercise, the more your body adapts to it and tries to 'limit' the change you are working so hard to create.
For best results, you should train your body progressively and periodizationally. What does this mean, in English? Train like an athlete! Most athletes train in 4- to 6-week blocks. Each block is broken down into phases. And as each phase is mastered, the body begins to plateau, which is a signal to begin a recovery phase and move into the next training block.
 
Steve Edwards reminds us of 5 tips to help you snap out of the dreaded plateau: 
  1. Back off. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't exercise; it just means that if you ease up a bit, you'll likely recover and get stronger. Oftentimes your body is overtrained, exhausted, and just in need of a break. If you are finding it suddenly difficult to get through a workout that was easy the week before, this is most likely the case. You should cut down on your intensity and focus on technique and flexibility. It's a perfect time for a recovery-specific workout like Slim Series® Cool It Off!, Tony Horton's Ho' Ala ke Kino, or some easy cardio, yoga, and/or stretching workout. Another option would be to lower your workout weight or pick easier workouts. Gauge this so that you finish workouts feeling refreshed rather than knackered. When your energy level returns, launch back into your original program, or a more difficult one, harder than you did before.
  2. Turn it up a notch. The antithesis of backing off, because a plateau may also happen when you're purely bored and/or listless. The easiest way to increase intensity is by adding resistance. Change bands or add weight so that you start failing at around 6 to 8 reps on all of the exercises, which changes the energy system you're using. This added intensity will force your body to adapt and turn that improvement line skyward again. You'll know if this was the right tactic in one of two workouts because you'll either respond by feeling energized or you'll hardly be able to finish the workout.
  3. Streamline your diet. Most of our diets could always use a little improvement. If you've been giving yourself little rewards for a job well done (a good idea in general), then it's time to stop. Try a super-strict week wherein you do everything perfect. If you don't have a great example, ask me! 
  4. Add some morning cardio. Twenty minutes or more of easy- to moderate-level cardio in the morning on an empty stomach can help get your metabolism steam rolling again. You can train your body to more efficiently use stored fat as fuel, and this is one of the easiest ways to do it.
  5. Add or subtract 500 calories per day. If everything else seems fine and you're at wits' end, then try this. Your diet might just be miscalculated and you could be under- or overfeeding yourself. This is common, especially as you get fitter, because your body composition changes, which is why adding calories is one of the main ways our members kick themselves off of plateaus. Five hundred calories per day works out to 3,500 per week, which equates to a pound. Keep in mind that this will only work if you are eating proper nutrients. If not, try #3 first, and then try altering the number of calories you're eating.
If you need support, let me help you. You can contact me at www.beachbodycoach.com/saboj or saboj@beachbodycoach.com
By saboj
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