Reasons Why You Hit a Plateau in Bodybuilding
If you’re a weight room veteran, chances are you have encountered a plateau at least once. While it’s okay to hit a plateau, it can be disastrous for your gains if you aren’t able to break through the overhead ceiling.
Most people hit a progress plateau for the same reasons and understanding them can help you conquer them. Once you know the reasons, you’d be better off avoiding them as compared to spending time fixing them.
Following The Same Training Program
You need to constantly shock your muscles if you want them to grow. Sticking to the same training program for a long period of time can accustom your body to your workouts. Always be a step ahead of your muscle memory and do something new in every workout.
At the same time, don’t be the person who jumps ships way too often. Follow a program for 3-4 weeks before making changes. Doing so will make sure you’re getting the most out of all your workouts.
Nutrition Deficiency
The lack of a proper diet is a major reason why many people hit a plateau. Your body needs the right amount of macro and micronutrients in order to develop muscle mass and definition.
Prepare a nutrition plan as per your goals or take the help of a professional if you can’t do so by yourself. Training for building muscle or losing weight is useless until your workout and diet programs work in harmony.
Sticking To The Same Resistance
Some people make the mistake of getting too comfortable with the amount of weight they use. You should always be on the lookout to spice up your workouts. You might know people in your gym who have been using the same weights and show no sign of physique improvement.
If you can’t lift heavier weights, increase the intensity by performing a higher number of repetitions or sets. Changing your training intensity will never let you hit a plateau by keeping your muscles guessing.
Not Expanding Your Knowledge
Many people stick to a particular style of training. They stop learning new techniques and principles when they start a new program. This soon leads to them getting comfortable with their workouts and hitting a plateau.
You should always be looking to expand your training knowledge by reading extensively. With the advancement in research in training science, there are new concepts, principles, and methods being developed which can ignite new gains. Always remember, pro bodybuilders regularly change their training programs to keep their muscle growth active.
Dying Motivation
When people don’t see progress in their physique, they start losing motivation to train. They stop following their training, diet and recovery programs. The loss of motivation then makes them quit working out altogether.
It’s a vicious cycle, one you should avoid. Whenever you start to lose motivation, remind yourself why you started in the first place. Watching motivational videos or all-time classics like Generation Iron should help.
What do you do when you don’t feel motivated? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
