Working Through Strength Plateaus
By: Daniel Green
Most women who begin strength-training programs are surprised by the rapid gains they experience initially. Much of this improvement comes from improved technique. In other words, as you learn how to perform specific movements and your mind grows accustomed to a routine, you will see quick improvement. A strength plateau often occurs several months into a new routine when these initial gains begin to level off and a beginning exerciser does not know how to transition to the next level.
The key to avoiding strength plateaus-and managing them if they do occur-is variety. Think about the exercises you perform for each major muscle group and try and come up with ways to change your overall workout. If you find your strength leveling off on a certain exercise, try another exercise that works the same muscle group. For example, if you're stuck at a certain weight or number of repetitions on the incline bench press, try introducing
fly's or begin doing a few sets of push ups.
This also works for cardiovascular training. If you are growing tired of your 2-mile walk or your 15 minutes on the treadmill, switch over to an elliptical trainer or try jumping rope. The key to cardiovascular training is to simply keep moving, so you will see improvements in your cardiovascular fitness no matter which exercise you choose. Also, you will likely find that changing exercises makes you feel like you're working harder.
To give you a personal example, I recently felt like I was reaching a plateau after about 20 to 25 minutes on the stair climber. I decided to try a circuit that featured 10 minutes on the bike, 10 on the stair climber, and 10 on the elliptical trainer. This helped alleviate the boredom I was feeling around minute 18 on the stairs and even added some time to my cardio workout. I mixed in an ever-changing strength routine and a stretching cool-down to create a one-hour total-body workout that provides the right mix of effectiveness and fun.
One thing that often seems to trip up beginning exercisers is a fear of increasing intensity. Many exercisers, particularly women, are too nervous about overdoing it to reach the intensity they need to really see results. Be safe, but don't be scared to add a few pounds to each exercise.
Most importantly, don't let a plateau become your downfall. Always remember that a plateau is temporary and should never be seen as a reason to quit. Exactly the opposite is true. A plateau is a sign that it is time to push yourself to the next level.
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Daniel Green is the Managing Editor for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and an ACE-certified Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant. He is also a Contributing Editor to both ACE
Fitness Matters and ACE Certified News. Visit the ACE Web site at
www.acefitness.org.
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