wat to do if u hit plateau?

**LILG** · 10-27-2005, 10:36 PM

hey guys ...i want some of ur opinion and suggestion as wat to do if u hit plateau...take a break? or change ur schedule ? the reason im askin is i think im on that stage and i did both of the things...like took a break and change the workout schedule

**24labor** · 10-27-2005, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by LILG

hey guys ...i want some of ur opinion and suggestion as wat to do if u hit plateau...take a break? or change ur schedule ? the reason im askin is i think im on that stage and i did both of the things...like took a break and change the workout schedule

You need to change everything. Sets, reps, order of exercises, wait time between sets, days off. Cruise the post here pleanty of questions like this with some helpful tips. Also when I do hit the wall I take a week off and I can usually get back on track. You need to switch your training style up like every 3-4 weeks as to not let your body adapt to the training.

**chest6** · 10-28-2005, 12:46 AM

1. change everything up like 24 said
2. make sure ur workin everything ONLY once a week (you can work calves and forearms twice)
3. increase caloric intake
4. more rest

**Warrior** · 10-28-2005, 04:06 AM

With everones replies in consideration - your basic problem is the fact that your body sees no need for further growth. You have to take a step back and retake control of the reins here. Are you creating enough of a stimulis for further growth?

Remember - the human body does not want to be big, musculature and lean. It prefers to be a lot more economical. So if you want to make a gas-hungry Hummer out of a Ford Escort - you have to force the adaption through abnormal practices... took look abnormal, you must be abnormal.

Stuff like,

Eat - the bigger you get the more calories (protein) you will require. The body is constantly rebuilding itself... so you need proteins to maintain what you have - and to develop new lean weight.

Rest - the stronger you get the more sleep/rest you need... the more you are taxing your CNS.

Ergogenic aids - to keep pushing yourself into a giant beast there are certain aids you will have to add to your gym bag. Things like straps, wraps, vitamins, minerals, nutrtional supplements, performance anhancing drugs (steroids , GH), ...

You did not mention where you are now in your training. Just remember - the bigger you get, the more dialing in you must do. I can't stand hearing the gym's weekend warriors say, "I don't want to get too muscular..." as if this sh!t is easy to do... you have to constantly analyze what you are doing in and out of the gym. Until things like food is no longer about taste - but a basic commodity for lean growth. And getting adequate rest is not even ootional.

**LILG** · 10-28-2005, 07:53 AM

im in my 3rd yr of trainin, and as u guys mention i change everything couple of week ago, took couple weeks off too...and increase the intake of calories and protein
so to go on gear is not the apprpriate option to overcome it?

**Flexor** · 10-28-2005, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by 24labor

You need to change everything. Sets, reps, order of exercises, wait time between sets, days off

Doing all this at once is pretty pointless because you are saving nothing for the future. You should change things slowly so that you get a good constant level of ache/gain over months rather than a few blockbuster sessions which will quickly be adapted to.

You can also drop an exercise for a while, say a month and then going back, you will get awesome aches. For example, dropping chins in favour of one arm rows, and then going back to chins will do that...

**jsimon** · 10-28-2005, 01:50 PM

My friend took a long break. It helped him by 200%

**JNel04** · 10-28-2005, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by Warrior

So if you want to make a gas-hungry Hummer out of a Ford Escort - you have to force the adaption through abnormal practices... took look abnormal, you must be abnormal.

nice choice of wordage

**chest6** · 10-28-2005, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by jsimon

My friend took a long break. It helped him by 200%

thats a good option. Its a good idea to take a week off every 3-4 months

**Flexor** · 10-28-2005, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by chest6

thats a good option. Its a good idea to take a week off every 3-4 months

Haha, a week every 3-4 months is not a long break

Still, better than nothing

**novastepp** · 11-02-2005, 04:08 PM

When I Hit A Plateau..
I Took A 3 Week Break...And When I Started Again I Did Chest/Bis One Day And Back/Tris Another Day, And Also A Leg Day A Shoulder Day And Alternated Abs And Calves...This Crazy Change Helped Me See Big Gains Again, And I Think It Helped That I Took A Break...Maybe Give It A Shot

**Impitious** · 11-02-2005, 05:47 PM

When I hit a serious plateau, the first thing that I do is take 2-3 weeks off.

Next, I try to increase my calories that I'm taking in daily and I completely change my workout routine and style of workout.

If that doesn't work, I try doing 2-3 negatives for at least 1 set of one muscle group. The negatives really help me smash through my plateaus.