Not Getting The Results You Want In The Gym? 5 Tactics You Should Try To Break Through That Plateau

Hitting a plateau in the gym can be frustrating as working hard without results is pointless. Breaking through your plateau will take a change in your current routine. Results are not just generated in the gym but also in the kitchen.

Use your frustration at motivation to change what you are doing that is not working. The following are 5 tactics you can use to break through a plateau that is fitness-related.

Follow A Certain Program That Aligns With Your Goals

The number of programs that you can follow in terms of lifting weights online is nearly limitless. If you want to increase your bench press, there are so many options for you to use. Make sure that the program that you pick aligns with your goals.

If you want to max out on lifts, you should focus on high weight and low repetitions. If you want to improve muscle endurance/tone, higher reps will be required along with dreaded cardio.

There are programs that also have diets, supplements, and recommended rest days. Look for a program that will keep you engaged as being bored at the gym doesn’t lend itself to incredible results.

Testosterone Boosters

The issue that you are having might have to do with a lack of testosterone. Men have their testosterone levels go down as they age. The drop can have a negative impact on strength and body composition.

Looking into a variety of testosterone boosters can be wise as this can address this issue. There are even foods you can eat to help boost testosterone like almonds and olives. The issue might not be your current workload but a natural dip in testosterone.

Try A Different Form Of Cardio Like Swimming

Cardio is a part of getting the physique you want regardless of how much you loathe it. Running can be tough on the joints and lead to issues with your knees/hips. You can even injure yourself running with the wrong shoes over the course of time. Improper footwear leading to a stress fracture of the foot is common.

Swimming can be a great form of exercise that is not hard on the joints. Swimmers are notorious for being in great shape and being able to eat whatever they would like. The fact that you can increase your heart rate with breath control is an added benefit. Getting this type of anaerobic workout can be great. Focus on technique in the beginning as you want to have a solid base for when you ramp up swimming workouts.

Focus On Recovery Between Workouts

A number of individuals don’t realize that you have a recovery window to eat/drink of about 30 minutes after you complete a workout. Protein shakes are an option but an affordable option is chocolate milk. Chocolate milk has the right ratio of carbs to protein that allows muscles to recover quickly.

Ice baths can help people that might have issues with joints after a workout. The baths can help reduce inflammation. Ice baths are highly recommended for people that do endurance sports. If you find you have hit a plateau in terms of your running, try doing an ice bath after each workout to see how you improve. Pro athletes do this on a regular basis as recovery between games and workouts is of paramount importance.

Focus on getting better quality sleep daily if this is an issue for you. There are sleep supplements that help with recovery that you can research. These allow you to get more REM sleep although some of the supplements can lead to strange dreams.

Start Eating A Cleaner Diet

Eating a healthy diet can be a challenge especially if you rely on fast food regularly. Delivery food options used to be unhealthy but now with Uber Eats and DoorDash you can eat healthily. There are a number of poke bowls and even categories that only have healthy options.

Dropping all unhealthy foods at once might lead to cravings that you cannot control. Slowly eliminating certain items from your diet is the best option. Avoid sugary drinks like soda to start off or cut out alcohol. You can replace soda with black coffee if you still need that boost that caffeine gives you. There are so many fad diets out there so make sure you meet with a nutritionist to set your meal plan up.

Meal prepping is a great option for those that are busy and might not have time to cook daily. Popping something into the oven that is already prepped provides the ultimate convenience.

Bust through the plateau you are stuck at by using the tips above. Don’t let a few bad days in the gym make you lose motivation as fitness is a process that takes consistent effect over time.