Hitting a Plateau in Fitness

The road to success isn’t a straight line. It has peaks and valleys- high and lows. When riding a successful wave it can be disappointing to hit a plateau. You might be questioning why? You’re sticking to the routine, and putting in the time. Where did the results go? If this happens, don’t be ready to throw in the towel. Here are some helpful tips on how to overcome a plateau. Re-evaluate the Exercise Routine The principle of adaptions explains that over time the body will get used to the stress (ex. Exercise) it is put under. This explains why moves are done in the past of your fitness journey doesn’t feel as hard as it would in the present. Progressive overload is key. Always challenge yourself, increase weight, or intensity over time. Besides that, are you always doing the same exercises? Changing up the routine and adding new moves is a way to keep progressing. The body is learning to do something new and can develop from that. Some easy ways to change up movements is to add in eccentrics, also known as negatives. When performing a move, the muscle goes through stages- contraction (concentric) and lengthening (eccentric). During the lengthening stage, it is beneficial to slow down the movement. Gravity makes it easier to do the concentric, but by slowing down and resisting against it, it adds a higher level of difficulty. Thus, making the muscle work more. Forewarning, be ready to feel a new level of sweet soreness after performing these! Your body will thank you later! Check out some examples of how to do eccentric moves below.