We’ve all been there. The grueling workout when your muscles simply refuse to push for one more mile, your arms tremble to complete one more rep, and the prospect of staying on the elliptical for more than 5 minutes seems like a strange, self-inflicted form of torture. All of your efforts to get faster, become stronger, or lose weight freeze and you’re left feeling defeated and unsure of what to do next.
If this workout situation sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. Most collegiettes will hit a workout plateau at some point during their many hours logged at the gym, on the pavement, or even in the pool. The important thing is to learn how to recognize when you have hit a plateau and to know how to physiologically and mentally conquer that exercise stalemate.
What Exactly is a Plateau?
You may not have realized that losing steam, interest, and enthusiasm during your workouts has an actual name. Julianne Wojno, a personal trainer at Boston College, explains, “You know you’ve reached a plateau simply when you stop seeing effects. You stop getting faster, you aren’t getting stronger, your muscles fail to feel soreness, and if your goal is to lose weight, you’ve stopped doing that, too. A plateau occurs when your body is so used to what you’re doing that it simply adjusts.”
Robert Pepple, a personal trainer with 10 years of experience and fitness enthusiast, explains the science behind the plateau phenomenon. “When an individual undertakes a form of training, the body instantly begins adapting the machinery of the body to react to the stimulus. However, unlike the user, your body has little concern with how you look in your skinny jeans. Rather, the body is endeavoring to alter the body’s structure such that the next time it encounters a similar stimulus, then less energy can be expended to accomplish the same task. This, generally, is what leads to a plateau.”
Changing Up Your Workout Routine
Change is good, right? It keeps things fun, interesting, and will ultimately help you to become stronger, faster, and in itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot bikini shape. The human body is smart and in order to keep seeing progressive effects, we have to continually challenge ourselves.
It all comes down to muscle confusion and the idea of keeping our bodies guessing. Julianne Wojno explains, “P90-X, an at home exercise system designed to improve physical fitness in 90 days, is famous for its philosophy around the plateau effect: muscle confusion. This theory says that when you constantly change your workouts, your body will never adapt as it would to doing the same workouts day after day.” Next time you find yourself sauntering over to the elliptical out of habit, think again! Try out a new kind of cardio or maybe add in some strength or interval training. If you are feeling adventurous, why not check out your gym’s class schedule? Group fitness classes are a fantastic way to mix up your workout and will always leave you sweaty and smiling. You might even pick up some new moves to use in your next workout!
Changing up your workouts will do more than just help you overcome a plateau. Wojno promotes the principle of muscle confusion because, “it may help you to avoid a plateau, but it is simply more fun, and in my mind healthier for your body.” She explains, “When you are constantly changing your workouts, you won’t have to worry about getting an overuse injury (think swimmers and shoulder problems or runners with bad knees!).”
When it comes to switching up your routine, there are no standardized guidelines for how often you should mix things up. However, make sure your five days a week of cardio alternate between machines or classes, so that you are working various muscle groups. It is okay if you want to do the elliptical two days in a row, but be sure to incorporate a different form of cardio for the rest of the week! A good rule of thumb is to try and switch up your routine every other day – that way your muscles will always be surprised.
The bottom line is to always be looking for new things to try at the gym! Don’t be afraid to experiment with the weight machines, free weights, rowing machine, jump rope, or any of the amazing group fitness classes. It is easy to mix up your cardio, switching between running, swimming, spinning, stair climbing, or the elliptical. No matter what you choose, make sure you are still getting your recommended 30 minutes of cardio five days a week as outlined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Mixing up your strength training is a bit more complicated, but think of it as a game. If you are a cardio addict, definitely try to incorporate weights to build muscle and increase your metabolism. If you are stuck in a strength training rut, then consider tinkering your routine. Robert Pepple explains, “The only way to avoid strength plateaus is to cycle your exercises on a weekly basis. Combine different muscle groups on different days or replace your sets with dropsets, circuit training or supersets.”
If you are like me and these terms sound a little scary, I will break them down for you. Dropsets are when you lower weight, but keep your repetitions up. Circuit training involves combining resistance training and high-intensity aerobics. Supersets are when you perform two exercises, one after the other, with no rest in between. All of these strength-training techniques will incorporate more variety into your workouts and make things interesting! Don’t be afraid to play around with how much weight you lift – try lowering the weight and doing sets of 40 or try cranking up the weight and doing sets of 10. If all else fails, it never hurts to take a week off from weight training to let your muscles repair themselves.
Creative Collegiette Advice
Hitting a workout plateau happens to everyone and collegiettes around the world have developed some fun, creative techniques to reinvigorate their workouts. Check out these great tips for the next time you hit the gym!
- “Take some time off! When you’ve rested for a bit, you’ll be aching for that workout and it’ll be so much more fun!” – Danai Kadzere, Harvard University ‘14
- “Try incorporating your workout into something you like to do! Running on the treadmill or lifting weights can get repetitive or boring. There are so many types of ways to exercise. I was a dancer my whole life, but when I came to college there weren’t opportunities to get involved with anything that I was particularly interested in. One day I happened to find these workout videos called ‘Ballet Beautiful.’ I get to do something I love and work out at the same time!” – Courtney Claire Kabbes, Indiana University ’14
- “When I need to get out of a rut I try new music. I make a new playlist with completely new songs so it’s a surprise every time the song changes. It keeps me going and the workout is a little more exciting. Plus, it’s a great way get other people involved by just asking for their favorite workout songs!” – Alex Dulin, Ohio State ‘14
My personal workout tip? Try buying new workout clothes, or even just a new headband, when you get in a workout rut. It will get you excited to work out and will most likely boost your confidence at the gym! Plus, purchasing a new outfit is a great reward for sticking to your workout regimen.
Whether your cardio workouts have become increasingly difficult or you can’t seem to build any more muscle, you are probably experiencing the effects of a workout plateau. Luckily, like most plateaus in life, you can overcome this fitness stalemate and soar to new heights, pushing your body and your mind to new limits. Don’t be afraid to add some flair to your workouts or mix up your normal routine. Because really, what is life without some unexpected twists and exciting new activities?
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