5 Common Mistakes Causing Training Plateaus
I am lucky in that I am sheltered in my gym. Most of the members and all of the coaches are knowledgable and experienced so it's not often I am exposed to what goes on in a commercial gym. However that being said there are some common mistakes I see and hear regularly from new clients about what they are doing in the gym which is causing them to plateau or even worse regress their progress.
1. Avoid Things They Are Bad At
I get it; no-one likes to do things which feel rubbish. But there is a reason we find certain exercises difficult and it's usually because of a weakness or imbalance. I, for example, can't stand hip thrusts or reverse hypers and that's because my hamstrings are weak AF and its the only place I feel them. A lot of my clients feel this way about pull ups...until they persist, stay patient and are rewarded with finally doing their first one. Nothing beats overcoming an obstacle after all.
2. Train A Poor Movement Pattern
This is something I see time and time again - someone is strong doing partial range pulls ups / squats / bicep curls - whatever it may be ... so instead of regressing they let their ego take hold and continue to get stronger and stronger in a partial range. There is nothing wrong with partial reps per se if used for the right reasons - but as the only way to train a specific muscle group or exercise it will only lead to stalling, imbalances or injury. If you want long term progression pull the weight, reps or ego right back and start again. Train the correct movement pattern (arms fully extended on a pull up or full range squat for example), and then start to work your way up from there.
3. Light Weights, High Reps
I'm not bagging high reps - it is an awesome tool if used in the right way. But if your focus is solely on lifting reps for time, reps over 15+ or never lifting to or close to failure you won't be applying the proper stimulus needed to build muscle. It might get you to a certain point for sure, but whether it's a few weeks, months or years down the line you will need to change stimulus. It's no coincide that around 50% of my client come from F45......
4. Machine or Isolation Exercises Only
Perfect if you are a beginner or in rehab, but there will become a point where you will would get a lot more from your workouts by doing exercises which work several muscle groups at once. Nothing beats a squat, bench, deadlift or chin up for maximum full body muscle recruitment. Why spend hours in the gym working various individual muscles when you could target them all with one thing?
5. Not Having A Specific Goal
Walking aimlessly around the gym doing a little bit of this or a little bit of that? It's no wonder progress has stalled. Get clear on your goals, formulate a plan and apply some form or periodisation to your training and you will start seeing results quick.
So if any of these sound familiar to your gym routine AND your not happy with your progress it might be time to re-think your sessions. It might be frustrating in the short term but longer term you will be so much better off for it.
Happy Training!