10 Tips to Break Through Training Plateaus

It happens to every athlete.

You’re breaking personal record after personal record in the gym and then you get in a rut and are stuck at the same spot and can’t make improvements.

What do you need to do to break through a training plateau?

Here are a few ideas to help you off that table top and back on to the journey upward.

#1: TRAVEL
Go to a gym (or sign up for an event) where most athletes are better than you.

It’s too easy to stay at your local gym and keep thinking you’re the big frog in a small pond.

Challenge yourself and at least find 2 other athletes that will smoke your *ss in any workout and go crank a session with them. Iron sharpens iron. You must get out of your little comfort zone and out into the real world and challenge yourself.

#2: TRACK WORK
I know I can hear it now  – its boring – but I promise you that an extra session a week of track work (sprints and running) will blow the cobwebs and mold off your current training records and catapult you to new levels.

Run the 50 meter and 100 meter. Do interval work.

Challenge your time for the 200 and 400 meters.  Run the steps at your local stadium track. Your legs will feel the difference (sore) the next day.

Sprints on hills can be very effective to wake up your quads and hips and push you out of your comfort zone to a new level.

#3: BUILD STRENGTH
Drop the pec deck squeezes and bicep curls and get back to basics.

Begin to do linear progression workouts to help with your overall strength.  Emphasize the back squats and deadlifts.  Bench and clean and shoulder presses are essential too.

A few weeks of linear progressions may be what you need to push you off the plateau and back on the journey up.  Your next personal record on the deadlift is right around the corner.

Also – Check out a copy of Mark Rippetoe’s classic book  Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition.

#4: Show Up Fresh for PR’s
Take a good look at your  training log (you are keeping a detailed log aren’t you?) and look at the exercises where you have recently broken a new PR (you have a few personal records, right?).

Often you will find that the areas your breaking PR’s are the times where you showed up fresh as a cucumber and crushed a workout.  Sometimes it’s that last month of working consistently on a certain type of exercise – and wallah – you improved.  Look at your training log and keep great notes.  Then rest fully and show up fresh to blow out your new PR.

#5: TRY SOMETHING NEW
Your next great workout could be around the corner.  Check out what other athletes are doing and who is setting the pace.

There are great interviews and instructional video at www.crossfit.com for new ideas for exercises and pointers on how to improve your lift or your row. Try sled training, or tire flips, or bag pushes, sand bag carries, or work on a muscle up.

Have you ever tried 30 handstand pushups for time — or another big number of bodyweight exercises for time? The sky is the limit.  Variety stimulates the brain and muscles to stretch to new levels.  Click here for some sled training routines from top powerlifter Jim Wendler.

#6: NUTRITION
Take one thing in your diet that you know is wrong (diet Coke?) and replace it with filtered water.

The next week replace two things.  Pretty soon your diet will be dialed in super tight and your energy levels will be at an all time high.  Eat more lean meats and vegetables and less processed grains.

Add more veggies to your diet as I use a green supplement. Check out the blog from Robb Wolf to help you gain insight and new ideas on a good clean diet.

#7: WARM UP MOBILITY
Do a dynamic warmup (jumping jacks, walking lunges, pushups, etc.) for at least 10 minutes before a workout and make sure to stretch at least 10 minutes after.

We are all guilty of wanting to get in a workout and do the absolute minimum to warmup on the front end and then bolt out of the front door of the gym (with no cool down stretch) at the end.  Check out these stretches to help you warm up and avoid injuries. * Hamstring stretches *Shoulder stretches *Hip stretches or go to www.sealgrinderpt for a full body 30 minute stretch and body weight warmup to energize yourself and get you ready for your workout.

#8: PLYO JUMPS
Adding explosive power jumps to your workout can have a dramatic effect.

Frog jumps, plyo ice skaters, airborne heismans, burpees with a lateral jump are all examples of plyo jumps that can boost your workouts.  I made a CrossFit style plyo box with scraps of plywood and 2x 4’s for next to nothing.

Not only will your heart rate jump but you will increase your explosive power which translates to speed in your sprints and getting off the line of scrimmage quickly.

If you dont want to do box jumps then you can do box step ups.

#9: SET NEW GOALS
You have goals don’t you?  Write them down in your training log.  Dont have vaque goals – have precise goals.  Repeat after me — I want to weigh 165 lbs, bench press 240 lbs, deadlift 375 lbs and run a 5k in 19:00 in the next 30 days.  Doesn’t that sound good?  Have an event on the horizon where you can test all of your training.  Run in a local 10k or trail run, the Spartan Race or Tough mudder, a GORUCK event, a 100 mile bike race or CrossFit competition.

#10: LIGHTEN UP
Sometimes we take all this training stuff too seriously.  Enjoy life and take an extra rest day.  A free and clear mind will help you more in your training as your not bogged down and bottled up with stress.  Sure, exercise will help you relieve some of that stress, but try to get to your workouts with less worries and have fun.  That is what it is all about.

#11 EXTRA Protein
OK; I know thats more than 10 tips but I had to add this one in.  If your starting to lag in your workouts, add a little extra protein.

Try tuna in a sandwich or salad for lunch.  An extra portion of lean chicken or beef may be just what you need to provide some extra fuel in your engine.

Question: How can I find out more info about CrossFit? Check out the main website here.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Are you training for a SEALFIT 20X, GORUCK or Spartan Race?  Want to climb a local peak or finish a long endurance trail run?

Check out our SGPT training plans and lets work together to achieve your goal.

Brad McLeod knows first hand about improving your mind and body to perform at your absolute best.

He has served as a Coach for over 20 years helping athletes reach their best self.

What is your goal? Lets work together to accomplish it.

Check out SEALgrinderPT Coaching to help you step up and take hold of your dreams and realize your goals. Contact brad@sealgrinderpt.com

SEALgrinderPT is a proud supporter of the Navy SEAL Foundation and the UDT/SEAL Charity

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