Shore up your lagging parts
Hitting a plateau can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. Your biceps stop growing? Not seeing more definition in your chest? Your abs getting maxed out? Well now’s a perfect time to give some of your other body parts attention, namely your weak points. Maybe you have a well defined back, but it’s not in nearly the same shape as your abs. Perhaps your quads are solid, but your hamstrings could use some work. Now is the time to get those lagging body parts in top condition. Don’t complete;y abandon your regular routine, but put a lot more emphasis on your weak points and you can see overall development. It also gives your other superior parts some time to rest and recover until you attack them again.
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Volume/Weight shift
Another reason you may be hitting a plateau is that, like your routine, you body has gotten used to the set numbers you’ve put on it. What the hell does that mean? We are talking about the amount of reps. We’re talking about the amount of weight you’re hauling. If you have high volume and lower weight or low volume and heavy weight, now is the time to make a change. Switching things up is key to breaking through plateaus, so try and do the opposite. Focus on lifting big if you focus on volume. Focus on more reps, lighter weight, and better form and contraction if you’re a heavy lifter.
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Change your focus
We know that bodybuilding isn’t powerlifting. Bodybuilding isn’t about how much weight you can haul, but what you do with the weight and your diet to shape yourself into the perfect form. But here’s the thing. Sometimes you’ve reached a plateau and you’ve tried everything. What then? Maybe it’s time to change your priorities a bit. Instead of focusing purely on hypertrophy, try doing some strength training instead. Powerlifting may be different than bodybuilding, but it may be exactly what your body needs. By focusing on strength you’ll be in a whole new mind set. Sometimes your mental game needs to change before you can go back to making gains. Besides, you’ll still be actively lifting. It’s not like you’ll be losing muscle or definition.
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Try out these techniques and let us know your progress in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
