Breaking Past Your Plateau 101

Everyone reading this will undoubtedly go - if they hadn’t already - through a plateau. What’s a plateau, you ask? Simply when you hit a period of time where you current exercise/nutrition routine just stopped producing the effects it used to deliver at the beginning. You’re not losing weight, you’re not gaining muscle, you’re not dropping fat and you’re flat out about to lose it.

As time goes by, you’ll find that plateaus are a natural part of your fitness journey. They’re merely an indicator that it’s time to switch things up. The human body is exceptionally adept at getting used to physical stimulus, so you always want to keep things hot and spicy. Don’t treat your body like you treat your significant other. You deserve better. The thing is about plateaus is that they will only get significantly tougher with time as you continue to make your routines more challenging in order to break out of the previous plateau. This post will discuss training methods exclusively in terms of dealing with plateaus as dedicating a single post to both exercise and nutrition on this subject would mean I quit my day job and dedicate myself full time to writing this crap. I am going to assume you’re in charge of your nutrition and know how to tweak it in order to complement your current fitness regimen and goals.

All of this can seem rather daunting, but it’s really a matter of efficient mixing and switching. It’s about changing up all the different variables in your training and nutrition, the different training methods to employ and surpassing one’s genetic limitations.

image source: www.bodybuilding.com

Let’s start with a simple matter of prioritization.

We all have different muscle groups which respond differently to exercise. Some people have chests that seem to build themselves, legs that barely need a workout to look like plump oak tree stumps, and at the same time, their triceps seem unresponsive or just able to keep up. I for one am blessed with trapezius muscles that seem to be on a self-sustaining growth spur without the need of any direct stimuli while my forearms are dead set on never changing. Despite your best efforts, sometimes those smaller muscle groups just aren’t playing ball, and that’s when prioritizing muscle groups comes in handy.

First of, you need to identify which muscles or muscle groups are lagging behind. This will help you with the planning of your entire week/workouts. You can dedicate the beginning of your week after you’ve become well rested to those lagging muscles to make sure you hit them with all you’ve got. You can also target the weaker muscles at the beginning of your exercise if you’re training different muscle groups on the same day. At the same time, you can also start progressively increasing the workload on those lagging muscles while reducing or maintaining the workload on your other superior muscle groups in order to prompt more growth in the lagging parts. I realize about 10 guys reading this just shat out their pre-workouts as they read the word “reducing” but I can assure you that despite how much of a step back that may seem, maintenance of muscles is much easier than building them in the first place!

image source: www.bodybuilding.com

Another issue seems to be that most people perform their workouts in the 8 - 12 reps range. While that’s all good and dandy, your body can become too used to this set up to influence any drastic changes. I hereby bring you…...the pyramid sets!

The beauty of pyramid sets is an amazing mixture of low, mid and high-repetition training which will leave your muscles in tears - and primed for growth! You can employ pyramid sets with virtually any kind of workout that requires resistance. There are three kinds of pyramid sets which one can incorporate into their workout routine to invigorate their training and push their body to new and uncharted limits to break out of that plateau.

The ascending pyramid set for instance relies on the premise of you increasing the weight with each set. Suppose you’re performing four sets of barbell chest presses or squats. On the initial set, you’ll dish it out using a weight that will enable you to hit 16 repetitions. On the second set, you’ll add more weight but only aim to dish out 12 repetitions this time around. By the third set your weight should progressively increase and aim for 8 repetitions and by your last and fourth set, you should be lifting at your maximal capacity and aiming to hit 4 repetitions - at full functional range and perfect form of course! Conversely, the descending pyramid set works the other way around with you starting out with the heaviest weight and lesser reps and working your way down from there. The third type is the full pyramid which is mostly restricted to more seasoned veterans or experienced bodybuilders and this one sees an average 6 - 10 sets per exercise with a split that’ll look something like 16-12-8-4-8-12-16 in terms of repetitions with weights changing as your reps change.

image source: www.bodybuilding.com

Another trick in the book is using one’s near-maximal workloads when lifting weights. What does that mumbo jumbo mean? Basically that you should lift way heavier than you normally would, and that the weight should be challenging enough that your maximum reps - ensuring perfect form - could not surpass 2 to 5 repetitions. The majority of your muscles are composed of fast twitch muscle fibers which I’ve written about before. These fibers react best and are most recruited with heavy loads. That doesn’t mean that your other muscle fiber types are neglected with these lifts, on the contrary, they are most definitely involved, but since the majority of your muscles are made of the earlier type and you’re aiming for speedy growth, heavy lifts can definitely be a big game changer for you. Obviously this isn’t something you should do day in day out every day for weeks but rather something to incorporate for lagging muscles every now and then to break through the plateau.

And finally, let us not forget everyone’s favorite pastime event - cardiovascular training. 90% of us probably perform the usual run for 30-60 minutes on the treadmill or use the stationary bike using the same speed/resistance for the entire period of time. While this is all fun and dandy, it can become quite tedious and in fact counterproductive if carried on for a long enough period of time. The above constitutes as LISS cardio. Low Intensity Steady State cardio or LISS for short, labors under a simple premise; steadiness. Basically, to get a specific rate going and hold on to it for prolonged periods of time. Example: Perform 5-minutes of brisk walking to get your muscles warmed up and ready for what’s to come. Then, finding a suitable jogging speed (usually between 6-9 km/hr for most people) maintain this for a period of 30-45 minutes followed by 5 minutes of brisk walking for cool down.

What you need to be bringing to the table is some HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training if you like longer conversations at your local gym. HIIT focuses on something else entirely; intervals. After a nice 5-minute warm up brisk walk to get your muscles ready for what’s to come, alternate walking/sprinting speeds in set periods of time. Example: Sprint for 30-60 seconds followed by 2 minutes of brisk walking/jogging and repeat these intervals for 15-20 minutes followed by 5 minutes of brisk walking for cool down. You can apply that same basic premise to virtually any cardio activity, be it running, cycling, swimming, rowing the EFX machine, the treadmill, stair-master or otherwise. HIIT can even be applied to weight lifting where you dish out a set of 10-12 reps followed by 20-30 seconds on the stationary bike. The weight lifting bit is technically the slower interval here so you get the basic gist of it.

“Breaking your plateau can also mean that you’re getting closer to taking more instagram selfies with significantly lesser clothes”

image source: www.bodybuilding.com

HIIT has the benefit of triggering a hormonal response which sheds body fat as well as adds on muscle. It’s preferable not to perform HIIT exercises more than three times a week (and always AFTER your weight lifting routine) with rest days in between as it has an impact on your muscles. You should avoid performing HIIT workouts on an empty stomach as it depletes your carbohydrates stores rather quickly.

Rest assured, plateaus are a very natural part of the fitness life. Your body will get used to what you do. You have to continuously give it something new, keep it guessing and challenge it and set new limits. If you keep doing what you’ve always done, nothing will change.

There you have it folks, some tips and tricks and classic lifehacks which can trigger your body into breaking out of a fitness plateau. Worst case scenario, you’re stuck in a plateau, nothing is working for you, rob a bank, get plastic surgery, bang a stranger, become an alcoholic, develop a festering ecosystem of yet to be discovered STDs in your genitals, become a scientific success story, die a happy yet unapproachable celebrity figure.

The Worst Kept Secrets in the Fitness Industry (Part 2): Abdominals

Now that we’ve established a mode for you to start shedding off body fat in an efficient manner, it’s time we loop back to our original topic of conversation and the most desired muscle group in the field of aesthetics; abdominals.

Your abs are no magical muscle. They needn’t endure thousands of repetitions or hundreds of sets to pop out anymore than your chest, leg, back or arms require a dozen repetition over three or four sets. It is however, about understanding your abs from a scientific perspective. Many times you’ll hear people (including self-proclaimed fitness pros) refer to abs by region, i.e. upper abs, lower abs, etc. and while yes certain exercise exert more stress on specific parts of your abdominals, it’s very important to realize it’s all one big connected hunk. It does not operate separately from one another.

That being said, I wish we’d all focus on the concept of “core development” rather than abs. Yes abs are arguably the most aesthetically pleasing bit of your bootylicious physique but there’s a big difference between having popping abs and having a functional and strong core. Just take a look at skinny people. We all have that one friend who’s naturally skinny, they can crunch out two large pizzas followed by a bucket of KFC and a Double Big Tasty combo, head over to Baskin Robbins and devour a tub of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream and still look ready for a modeling shoot. We hate them. We loathe their existence. But science calls them ectomorphs and it’s not their fault, they’re just born that way. But do you notice how they always seem to have popping abs? More importantly, do you notice how they’re more often than not, completely unfit for physical exercises demanding a strong dependency on the core area of the body?

This is why core development is so much more important than worrying about the aesthetic development of abdominal muscles. If you have a strong core, the abs will undoubtedly follow. But instead of having a hollow exterior, you’ll also have the power from within.

“What the shit is the core? Isn’t that like filled with magma and lava super deep inside the Earth? What does this have to do with anything? Oh my God do I have lava inside of me? Am I a mutant?” Once again young Padwan [Boom! Star Wars reference] you worry too much about unnecessary details.

According to the much beloved Wikipedia, “the core refers, in its most general of definitions, to the body minus the legs and arms.Functional movements are highly dependent on the core, and lack of core development can result in a predisposition to injury.” Your core carries you through most workouts. Are you doing push ups? Your core is engaged. Are you doing squats? Core. Deadlifts? Core. Trying to balance yourself on one leg with a glass of beer on your nose during a party? Core.

So instead of situps and crunches (which can still be utilized) we ought to focus on more wholesome exercises that benefit your entire core. The cool thing about abdominal workouts and other body-weight type exercises is that you can perform them virtually anywhere; no gym membership necessary! Let’s begin with my personal favorite; the infamous Plank.

The above video shows how the plank is performed. Naturally, like any other exercise, it can be tweaked to increase its difficulty, whether its via a raised leg in the air, a raised arm, a combo of the two or by doing it with the legs resting on a large stability ball for increased core engagement. The more you find yourself having to squeeze your core in order to maintain balance and perfect form, all the better. Planks are static exercises, which unlike dynamic exercises (those requiring motion) rely on the strength of your core and its constant engagement for performance (i.e. you don’t move)

This exercise - like all others - relies on your ability to execute it in perfect form both to reap out its benefits and to avoid potential injury resulting from poor or improper form. Another variation which can help target your obliques (those much sought-after V-shaped curves on your waist) is the side plank. You can watch it being performed here and it can also be made more difficult by raising one leg in the air or it can be done dynamically by squeezing your obliques to lift your body up and down by its side.

A good start for you is trying to maintain the plank position for 30 seconds. If you find that you're doing so in perfect form with significant ease, prolong it till failure and set that time as your standard set time. Dish out 3 to four sets of those with 30 seconds of rest in between.

Next up on my list of favorites is the Hanging Raises.

Do keep in mind this workout is usually reserved for individuals operating at more advanced levels. Many, even experienced folk, make the mistake of utilizing momentum to drive the movement in this exercise but that’s something you should strive to avoid. This workout engages your entire core area by virtue of your abs raising your legs and lowering them (in a controlled motion) rather than a spring action in which the legs are driving the movement.

There’s a wide variety of other exercises you can throw into your abdominal workout routine in a variety of format (supersets, interval sets, pyramid sets, etc.) such as crunches, heel touches, flutter kicks, scissors, alternating elbow-to-knee bicycle kicks and many more. Just be sure to consult someone with experience in order to show you how these moves are executed in perform form to ensure benefits and avoid injury.

Sample abs workout at the end of your weight lifting/cardio routine:

• Super Set [perform both exercises after one another with no rest in between] - Plank (1 minute)/Hanging Raises (12 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Heel touches (15 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Side plank raises (12 reps per side) - 3 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Alternating elbow-to-knee bicycle kicks (15 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest

And for Christ’s sake, please stop dedicating an entire day to your abs. They’re a minor muscle group. All they need is 10-15 minutes of attention at the end of your chest or shoulder day routine or performed after cardio once or twice a week max. Don't forget to stretch out at the end of your workout.

You might fall flat on your face the first couple of times. The soreness the following morning might be a bit too much. Laughing may be a painful experience for a couple of days but trust me, it gets better, you get better. 

If you have any question on techniques or execution please comment below or reach out to me on Twitter on @Foxicakes I’ll be more than glad to assist!

Now go kiss that mat during a plank.

The Worst Kept Secrets in the Fitness Industry (Part 1): Cardio

“Oh my God! I totes read this article on OMG Insider that Britney Spears used to do like 4,000 crunches and Nelly used to blast like 1,000 crunches every hour on the hour! Well of course they do! Just look at their toned chocolate-bar style tummies!”

First of all, Britney got fat. Like, way fat. She’s fat with a Ph. And no, I won’t leave her alone.

Second of all, I need to demystify this odd belief regarding abdominals being some sort of magical muscle that can take on this kind of punishment. Do you whip out 4,000 bench presses on chest day? Do you normally find yourself or others in the gym dishing out 1,500 barbell squats? No? Did you never stop and wonder why you usually got between 6-20 repetitions for your other muscles but for some reason forego this type of exercise when it comes to your abs?

Frankly, it isn’t your fault.

Mainstream media is largely to blame for this false belief that the surest route to a six-pack is quadruple digit crunches and situps. After all, those fancy abdominal curl gimmicks you’ll find on the shopping channel had to have a sponsor. But before we delve into what is largely accepted by the mainstream fitness community as the #1 exercise for helping your abs get popping, let’s try and explain how the concept of a six-pack even works.

It’s about a simple muscle/body fat balance. And this first part of our “Worst Kept Fitness Industry Secrets” series will tackle the concept of cardiovascular training.

In the most basic terms, if you have too much body fat, you will not be able to see your abs. It’s that simple. You could have a glorified eight-pack brewing under that layer of blubber but you’d be shit out of luck to see it during your next beach visit if your body fat % exceeds a certain amount. What does that mean oh wise one? Cardio. Specifically, a decent mix between HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio.

What the fuck are you talking about? What do these acronyms mean? Why is there nacho dipping sauce in my navel? You ask, sweating while grasping your computer screen in doubt of life, yourself and everything you once held dear. Let me explain.

HIIT

HIIT labors under a fairly simple premise; intervals. After a nice 5-minute warm up brisk walk to get your muscles ready for what’s to come, alternate walking/sprinting speeds in set periods of time. Example: Sprint for 30-60 seconds followed by 2 minutes of brisk walking/jogging and repeat these intervals for 15-20 minutes followed by 5 minutes of brisk walking for cool down. You can apply that same basic premise to virtually any cardio activity, be it running, cycling, swimming, rowing the EFX machine, the treadmill, stairmaster or otherwise.

HIIT has the benefit of triggering a hormonal response which sheds body fat as well as adds on muscle. It’s preferable not to perform HIIT exercises more than three times a week (and always AFTER your weight lifting routine) with rest days in between as it has an impact on your muscles. You should avoid performing HIIT workouts on an empty stomach as it depletes your carbohydrates stores rather quickly.

LISS

LISS on the other hand labors under an even simpler premise; steadiness. Basically, to get a specific rate going and hold on to it for prolonged periods of time. Example: Perform 5-minutes of brisk walking to get your muscles warmed up and ready for what’s to come. Then, finding a suitable jogging speed (usually between 6-9 km/hr for most people) maintain this for a period of 30-45 minutes followed by 5 minutes of brisk walking for cool down.

My personal experience with LISS worked out best when doing it first thing in the morning before breakfast. All I would have was one mug of unsweetened dark coffee (no milk) or a single caffeine pill in order to add the benefits of metabolism-boosting caffeine to my run. You can also take a single serving of BCAAs before your run if you want to ensure no muscle loss. You should have a hearty breakfast following that long run!

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. What does that mean in the real world? When can we eat?” Calm your titties. Remember when I said you should have a combo of both HIIT and LISS in your workout routine? That wasn’t out of thin air, performing one or the other alone will result in you more or less adopting the morphology of either a sprinter or a marathoner.

“Well DUH I want to be a sprinter just look how healthy she looks in comparison to that marathon runner!” You say, ecstatic at this revelation and giggling to yourself about all those fools on the treadmills like hamsters on wheels doing nothing but LISS and heading towards a bleak future. 

Not so fast. While yes, sprinters have more muscles and appear to be “healthier” there are many benefits to LISS that HIIT cannot match; namely stamina. Marathoners are infamous for their amazing stamina and endurance while sprinters are renowned for their short-burst high-intensity performances. This is why I implore you to incorporate a combo of both techniques when it comes to cardio so that you can get both benefits and help your body adapt to both conditions.

Now get that ass moving.