All beginners need to do to see gains in size and strength is show up at the gym consistently and train hard. But the more you train, the more complicated things get. Doing the same workout routine for an extended period of time will eventually lead you into a wall where muscle growth stops and frustration begins. This is colloquially known as hitting a plateau.
“Plateaus are caused when the body has developed enough musculature to no longer be challenged by the load (resistance) being moved, or when the intensity of cardiovascular work being done is no longer challenging,” says Robert Linkul MS CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D, a career development instructor for the National Institute of Personal Training (NIPT) and the National Strength & Conditioning Associations 2012 Personal Trainer of the Year. In many cases, failure to get bigger occurs for the following seven reasons:
7 Reasons You’re Not Getting Bigger
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Per Bernal
You Work Out Alone All the Time
Researchers from Kansas State University found that people who train with someone who is more skilled but didn’t go overboard with vocal encouragement worked out for longer periods of time. “Social facilitation is the body’s natural ability to perform better when someone else is present,” says Linkul. “That is one of the most valuable reasons for having a partner or personal trainer, or training in a small group.”
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You Have No Specific Goal
When you feel like you have nothing to work for, you may be inclined to skip reps, omit sets or otherwise dog an entire workout. Giving yourself a specific goal to conquer—lose five pounds in three weeks or add an inch to your biceps in a month, for example—can feed motivation to bust through boredom and plateaus. Additionally, accomplishing your objective will be a confidence booster.“I often pick two workouts that I call ‘challenge workouts,’ where I know I’m going to push myself hard enough to require maximal loads or efforts,” Linkul says. “Two other days are going to be ‘pure strength’ days where I work with weights I can handle on my own but are still a struggle. Finally, I do one or two days where I’m performing auxiliary exercises that do not require maximal efforts, loads or a spotter, but that still allow me the opportunity to make improvements.”
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You Don’t Vary the Mode and Intensity
If you can’t recall the last time you completely shifted gears with your workout method, it’s time for a change. Administering techniques like supersets, tri-sets, ascending sets, descending sets, pyramid sets, or band training can help break the monotony of your workouts while keeping your body guessing. “A simple suggestions is to never repeat the same workout twice,” adds Linkul.
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
You’re Not Changing the Format
The body is an adaptive organism, so you have to stay one step ahead of it to continue to see progress.“Provide constant change to the body and the body will constantly be challenged. Challenge, or overload, produces change, or adaptation,” he says. “On average, two to four weeks of a similar program design format followed by a short rest period and a change to the format should produce gradual growth and improvement.”This might include swapping barbells for dumbbells or kettlebells, doing circuits or focusing on unilateral movements for a period before moving back to bilateral movements.
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Prasit photo / Getty
You Don’t Keep a Training Log
Tracking your progress can help you pinpoint areas in your training that are problematic. “Track it all—workout volume, food intake, how you felt pre- and post-workout and how difficult the workout was on a 1 to 10 scale. Reflect back on your workout log often for an update on your progress,” Linkul suggests.
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You Don’t Eat Enough Carbs
On top of providing you with enough energy to blast through a hellish workout, carbohydrates are also responsible for things like regulating the amount of blood sugar and ensuring the brain is receiving enough glucose to function optimally.“Eating a mix of complex and simple carbs about 30-45 minutes before a workout should allow for more energy throughout the workout,” he says. “And you should consume your required grams of protein within 30 minutes after you’ve finished the workout. This will assist in rebuilding the damage done—good damage—to your muscles during the workout.”
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laflor / Getty
You Don’t Get the Right Amount of Sleep
You’ll be more energetic, mentally sharper and less cranky if you get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Getting less than that can affect muscle and tissue recovery. Read: No gains for you! Another perk to hitting the sack earlier: sleep-deprived people gain more weight. A study performed by researchers from the University of Colorado found that less sleep leads to consuming more carbohydrates and post-dinner snacks.
Researchers from Kansas State University found that people who train with someone who is more skilled but didn’t go overboard with vocal encouragement worked out for longer periods of time.
“Social facilitation is the body’s natural ability to perform better when someone else is present,” says Linkul. “That is one of the most valuable reasons for having a partner or personal trainer, or training in a small group.”
You Have No Specific Goal
When you feel like you have nothing to work for, you may be inclined to skip reps, omit sets or otherwise dog an entire workout. Giving yourself a specific goal to conquer—lose five pounds in three weeks or add an inch to your biceps in a month, for example—can feed motivation to bust through boredom and plateaus. Additionally, accomplishing your objective will be a confidence booster.
“I often pick two workouts that I call ‘challenge workouts,’ where I know I’m going to push myself hard enough to require maximal loads or efforts,” Linkul says. “Two other days are going to be ‘pure strength’ days where I work with weights I can handle on my own but are still a struggle. Finally, I do one or two days where I’m performing auxiliary exercises that do not require maximal efforts, loads or a spotter, but that still allow me the opportunity to make improvements.”
You Don't Vary the Mode and Intensity
If you can’t recall the last time you completely shifted gears with your workout method, it’s time for a change. Administering techniques like supersets, tri-sets, ascending sets, descending sets, pyramid sets, or band training can help break the monotony of your workouts while keeping your body guessing. “A simple suggestions is to never repeat the same workout twice,” adds Linkul.
You're Not Changing the Format
The body is an adaptive organism, so you have to stay one step ahead of it to continue to see progress.
“Provide constant change to the body and the body will constantly be challenged. Challenge, or overload, produces change, or adaptation,” he says. “On average, two to four weeks of a similar program design format followed by a short rest period and a change to the format should produce gradual growth and improvement.”
This might include swapping barbells for dumbbells or kettlebells, doing circuits or focusing on unilateral movements for a period before moving back to bilateral movements.
You Don't Keep a Training Log
Tracking your progress can help you pinpoint areas in your training that are problematic. “Track it all—workout volume, food intake, how you felt pre- and post-workout and how difficult the workout was on a 1 to 10 scale. Reflect back on your workout log often for an update on your progress,” Linkul suggests.
You Don't Eat Enough Carbs
On top of providing you with enough energy to blast through a hellish workout, carbohydrates are also responsible for things like regulating the amount of blood sugar and ensuring the brain is receiving enough glucose to function optimally.
“Eating a mix of complex and simple carbs about 30-45 minutes before a workout should allow for more energy throughout the workout,” he says. “And you should consume your required grams of protein within 30 minutes after you’ve finished the workout. This will assist in rebuilding the damage done—good damage—to your muscles during the workout.”
You Don't Get the Right Amount of Sleep
You’ll be more energetic, mentally sharper and less cranky if you get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Getting less than that can affect muscle and tissue recovery. Read: No gains for you! Another perk to hitting the sack earlier: sleep-deprived people gain more weight. A study performed by researchers from the University of Colorado found that less sleep leads to consuming more carbohydrates and post-dinner snacks.
