If you perform the same exercises, your body will reach a plateau and no longer achieve results, here are some tips
Has monotony gotten the best of you? If you have been doing the same routine day in, day out then let this be a wakeup call that it’s time to change. Many individuals get comfortable with the same set of exercises and they continue to do it day after day after day. Performing the same routine will only take you so far and you will plateau fairly quickly. If you are just starting out in the weight room or just laced up your boots to start running for the first time in months, it is fine to stick to the same routine since anything in the beginning is new. On the other hand if you have been doing the same routine week after week or possibly month after month, then you definitely have a problem. If your body is not forced to take on new challenges on a regular basis it will not grow.
The key to avoiding plateaus is progressive overload. What is progressive overload? It is the practice of continually challenging yourself to ensure you continue to grow and get stronger and stronger.
There are several ways to achieve this, however primarily there are three forms of progressive overload that are most common.
#1 Increased Intensity
By increasing intensity, you essentially challenge your body and mind to accomplish more work in the same amount of time. For example, you can achieve this by essentially lifting heavier weights then you normally do. If you use 20 lbs dumbbells when doing the chest press, then it is time to raise the stakes and use the 25’s. Increasing the weight will certainly increase your intensity and it will get you out of a rut in no time.
If its cardiovascular training that has you in a rut then it’s time to increase your intensity there as well. Increasing your intensity means jacking up the level and running at 7.0 as opposed to 6.0 if that’s what you’re used to. Increasing intensity during cardiovascular training is easily achieved and remember not too much too soon or you risk injury. If going from 6.0 to 7.0 is too much then maybe 6.5 would be a better medium. Just remember to challenge yourself and go for it. Pushing through your regular comfort zone is the key to improving.
#2 Increased Duration
By increasing duration you simply exercise longer. If you are used to doing 3 sets for chest exercises then you increase to 4 or 5. Keep in mind that the weight used is the same as before only now you are lifting it more times.
On the cardio side of things, you simply increase the amount of time you spend doing the activity. If you are used to running level 5 for 20 minutes, then it’s time to go to 30 minutes while still staying at the same speed.
#3 Complexity
By adding complexity to your routine, you are bound to break through a plateau. Adding complexity to a weight program means turning in your simple moves for compound movements. For example performing chest press with dumbbells is one thing, but how about doing it one side at a time? The imbalance of weight on one side of your body is sure to push you to new extremes. Increasing complexity is easy to achieve, simply combine exercises that would normally be done separately. If you are used to arm curls for arm training and squats for legs, then combine the two motions to work both muscle groups at the same time in one motion.
On the cardio side of things, you can also add complexity to your routine. For example, if running is your calling, then simply choose more challenging trails where there are more ups and downs and turns to keep you guessing. The added challenge will make you a more efficient runner and will increase your overall performance.
If your current routine has you bored or you’ve plateaued, you now have the knowledge in hand to bust out of your rut. Remember the same routine day after day won’t expand your abilities, you must push yourself to new heights and challenges to continue to move in the right direction. If something is becoming too easy, then it’s time to get rid of it and try something else. I highly recommend changing your exercises every 2 weeks and always keeping your routine fresh. This variety is easy to achieve at a gym, where there are multiple machines for every muscle group allowing you to always switch from one routine or piece of equipment to another. Gyms also have numerous cardiovascular machines such as treadmills, exercise bikes, ellipticals and stair climbers. There are numerous options, just choose to switch things up once in a while and you’ll continue to move in the right direction.
Tracking Your Success
In a world surrounded by technology, it’s time you use your smartphone for an entirely new purpose. Texting and email is great, and of course there’s calling your friends but why not use your smartphone to track and document your progress in the area of your health? There are numerous apps and software available right on your phone that will effortlessly allow you to track and document your progress in bettering your health. By tracking your day to day activities and nutrition, you will have a better understanding of what you need to do to improve your health.
There are numerous software tools for your phone and many of them will easily and effortlessly allow you to track things such as calories burned, calories eaten, daily activities and your weight. By using these tools, you can gain a much better understanding of what you are doing on a daily basis and what you can do in the future to improve. Fitbit and MyFitnessPal are some of the more common ones, so give them a try and they just may make the difference in tweaking your health and overall performance in the right direction.