[Sportsandrec] Blasting Plateaus

[Thornbury, Kelly]

Here's a topic that could take up volumes. In a nut shell, plateaus can be (and are often both) mental and physical. Both can be blasted through with training variety. 

Basically, performing the same routine day in and day out allows the body to adapt and resist further gains. To continue shocking the body into further improvements requires variety in your routine. Some things you can change include the exercises you perform, the order in which you perform them, intensities and volumes (weights and sets/reps) of exercise and so much more. One effective way of incorporating variety in your routine is through periodization (another topic of several volumes). For example, scheduling your workouts over the next six months or a year to include: a few months of lighter weights and greater sets and reps; a period of heavier weights and fewer reps; and maybe a short period of active recovery. This type of periodization usually is incorporated with competing and is scheduled around the competition season. 

Another example might be if you are not seeing increases in your bench press. Instead of continuing with your heavy weights and low reps, try a couple of weeks of lighter weights and higher reps (even up to 50 reps). You also might focus less on the actual bench press and more on triceps and deltoids. 

A third example might be in focusing less on weight training and performing other activities like swimming. 

The over all idea is to change up the routine, and do it often. How often depends on the individual, and there is no set rule. The above suggestions are beneficial to both physical and mental plateaus. Variety allows for recovery (which is where your gains actually come from), and changes the stressors of training on the body that it will have to adapt to. 

 

"Dr." Kel (hopefully in a few more years anyway)

 

".Take me to the magic of the moment

On a glory night

Where the children of tomorrow dream away

In the wind of change."

Scorpions