How to break free of the dreaded plateau in fitness

One of the most demotivating things to happen to on your path to fitness is hitting that dreaded plateau.

The point in time when all progress seems to slow down, or outright stop dead in its tracks. This basically means that: a) You become really efficient at your current program, or b) You've absolutely overtrained yourself, and are paying the price.


I'm going to share a few simple strategies to help you regain lost momentum, and back on track to success. It's as easy as changing your "w's."

 Who: Change your who. Who are you currently working out with? Maybe a temporary switch is in order. I can tell you from experience that occasionally switching up training partners can really boost your results. If you normally don't train with someone, try it for a few weeks, or hire a trainer for a few weeks. This is one of the fastest ways to get new results.

 What: Change your what. If you aren't making progress in your cardio training, focus for a time on increasing your strength, or vice versa. Come back to it in a few weeks, and your body will regard your old program as a new program, and you'll be back to making progress faster than ever.

Where: Change your where. Often a change of scenery can be an instant fitness booster. I tend to get a bit more motivated to train in certain clubs than I do in others myself. The same workout can play itself out differently when you change the venue. Different people, different equipment, different, even different colors can all have a psychological effect that can lead to greater results.

 When: Change your when. Changing the time you train might make a difference. If you usually work out in the a.m., try a few evening workouts, or flip from p.m. to a.m. Everyone's physiology is unique, and your body might respond to physical activity completely differently at certain times of the day.

 How: Change your how. If you are losing motivation to run, then cycle. If your bench press is stagnant, work with dumbells for a few week. If you're bored with Bodypump, do kickboxing. If you are fed-up with your current nutrition plan, try a completely different one for a while. Flip it around, and your body will respond kindly.

Why: Change your why. Why are you doing it the way you are doing it? What's the why behind the how? Sometimes in our routines, we can get caught up in the process, and we lose sight of the reasons we got started in the first place. Take a couple of days off to re-examine your goals, and start fresh with as new plan.

Making these simple changes in your system can blow the doors off of whatever plateau you are currently experiencing. Adopt these changes on a regular basis, and you'll never hit a plateau again.



Chad Smith is a Hagerstown personal trainer and co-owner of Home Team Fitness LLC. Go to www.hometeamfitness.net for more information.