Addressing Training Plateaus: When and How to Make Changes

In training, it is normal to hit a plateau after some time.

In the moment, these periods where progress stalls can be frustrating, but it is important to understand that this is completely normal and expected. Instead of rushing to revamp your entire routine, it is crucial to take a step back and evaluate the big picture to understand how to best fine-tune things. This approach ensures that any adjustments you make are effective and necessary.

First, Assess Recovery

Before making any changes to your training program, it can be useful to ensure that your recovery is dialed in first. Recovery is just as important as the training sessions themselves because, without adequate recovery, your body cannot grow and improve, no matter how well-designed your program is.

• Sleep: Both the quality and quantity of sleep are fundamental for recovery. Ensure you are getting sufficient sleep each night, aiming for 7-9 hours. Poor sleep will hinder your progress and overall performance.
• Nutrition: Your diet plays a critical role in recovery. Ensure you are consuming a balanced diet that provides enough calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals to support your training. Undernutrition can lead to stalled progress and increased fatigue.
• Stress: Consistently elevated stress levels will negatively impact recovery and performance. Practice stress management techniques such as mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, or other relaxation methods to keep stress in check if you find that it is staying elevated.

By assessing these key areas, you can adequately determine whether your recovery is hindering your progress. If all these factors are optimized and you are still experiencing a plateau, it may be time to consider other strategies, which we will discuss next.

The Role of Patience in Training

Once you are confident that your recovery factors—sleep, nutrition, and stress management—are adequately dialed in, the next step is to practice patience. Progress in training is not always linear, and sometimes what appears to be a plateau might just be a temporary phase.

Initial Response to a Plateau

• Stay Patient: If you have reviewed all recovery areas and they are optimized, give it another week. Training adaptations can sometimes lag behind, and a single week of stagnation does not necessarily indicate a true plateau.
• Monitor and Observe: Keep a close eye on your performance and see if there is any improvement in the following week. Sometimes, what seems like a plateau can resolve itself with just a bit more time.

When to Make a Movement Change

If, after two weeks, you still have not seen progress in the specific movement, and you are confident that your recovery is not the issue, it might be time to consider changing the movement.

Specific Movement Stagnation: Focus on the specific movement that has plateaued. If all other factors are in check and the movement still is not progressing, it may be time to switch it up. If other movements are still progressing, then leave them be! Only adjust what is no longer progressing.

Choosing a New Movement: Select a different exercise that targets the same muscle group (or groups). This can provide a new stimulus for growth and break the plateau.

Identifying the Need for a Deload

Sometimes, the issue might not be with a single movement but with your overall training load. If multiple movements across various muscle groups are stalling, it could be a sign that your body needs a break.

Sign of Overtraining: Stalling across various muscle groups can indicate that your body is systemically fatigued and needs an all-inclusive period of reduced intensity and/or volume.

Implementing a Deload: Consider incorporating a couple of deload sessions, or a full week, where you reduce the volume and intensity of your workouts. This can help your body recover and come back even stronger.

To Review

By addressing recovery first and practicing patience, you can make more informed decisions about your training adjustments.

Remember, progress takes time, and sometimes the best course of action is to stay the course and allow your body to adapt. If changes are necessary, ensure they are thoughtful and targeted to keep moving forward effectively.