Breakthrough Plateaus: Mixing Up Your Workout Routine

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link!  I appreciate the support!*

Have you ever reached a point in your fitness journey where progress seems to stall? Trust me, I’ve been there, and it can be incredibly frustrating.

If you’ve faced this challenge too, don’t worry—there are effective strategies to break through these plateaus. By mixing up your workout routine, you can reignite your progress and keep getting stronger.

It is very important not to do the same thing every day when working out. When your body gets used to the same reps and exercises, it becomes very efficient at them, and as a result, stops progressing and getting stronger.

That’s why it’s crucial to mix things up and keep your body guessing. By introducing variety into your routine, you can challenge your muscles in new ways and continue to make gains.

In this blog post, I will share some effective strategies for mixing up your workout to help you break through plateaus and reach new fitness heights.

You can breakthrough plateaus by mixing up your workout routine.

Try New Moves

Mixing up your workout routine if you want to break through a plateau is very important. When you first start working out, your body undergoes stress that causes your muscles to tear, and as they heal, they become stronger.

However, if you consistently perform the same exercises over months, your body will adapt to that stress, making the exercises seem easier and less effective. For instance, if you’re a runner, integrating strength training can significantly benefit your muscles and enhance your running performance. To learn more about how strength training can benefit your health read my post on Top Benefits of Strength Training for Women.

This cross-training approach not only bolsters your overall conditioning but also prevents muscle imbalances and reduces the risk of injury by allowing your body to recover between sessions. To continue seeing progress and building stronger muscles, it’s essential to challenge your body in various ways.

Move in Different Planes

One effective strategy for mixing up your workout routine is to incorporate movements in different planes. Our bodies naturally move in three planes: the sagittal plane (front-to-back movements), the frontal plane (side-to-side movements), and the transverse plane (twisting movements).

To mirror these natural movements, your workouts should include exercises in all three planes. For example, you can do lateral movements like side lunges or skaters, bilateral movements such as goblet squats or deadlifts, and unilateral movements like lunges or single-arm bicep curls.

Training in multiple planes not only helps to strengthen different muscle groups but also enhances functional strength, which is crucial for preventing injuries in daily activities.

Change Up Time Under Tension

Another technique to break through a plateau is to alter the time under tension during your exercises.

Instead of performing bicep curls or any exercise with a quick one-count up and one-count down, try modifying the tempo. For instance, lift the weight on one count, but lower it slowly over three counts. This extended duration under strain forces your muscles to work harder, engaging them in a new way and minimizing reliance on momentum.

This method ensures that your muscles do all the work, providing a new stimulus for growth and strength.

Workout in Different Sets

Variety in workout sets can also help you break through plateaus.

Traditional straight sets are common, but you can also try drop sets, which involve reducing the weight to push your muscles to failure, or supersets, where you perform two exercises back-to-back without rest.

These variations keep your muscles guessing and ensure continuous adaptation and growth. By incorporating these strategies into your routine, you can effectively overcome plateaus and continue progressing toward your fitness goals.

Increase Intensity

Breaking through plateaus and mixing up your workout routine can be effectively achieved by increasing the intensity of your exercises.

There are numerous methods to elevate the intensity, ensuring your muscles are consistently challenged. For instance, you can increase the weights you lift and shorten rest periods between sets, which makes your muscles work harder from the get-go. Incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is another excellent strategy; runners, for example, can alternate between walking and sprinting to add variety and challenge.

You can mix up your workout by increasing the intensity.

Adding plyometric movements, such as alternating regular squats with jump squats, is another way to get your heart rate up and boost your metabolism. Circuit training, where you perform a series of exercises targeting different muscle groups consecutively without rest, is also highly effective. For example, you could do squats, bent-over rows, and bicep curls in quick succession.

Increasing your time under tension or varying your set structures, like incorporating supersets, can further enhance the intensity. These strategies ensure that your workouts remain challenging and effective, preventing them from becoming too easy and helping you to consistently break through plateaus.

Add Variety with Equipment

You can also mix up your workout routine by using different equipment for different workouts.

Increasing the weight of dumbbells or barbells you use is a good way to add variety, but not the only way. You can also add resistance bands to add some intensity, or use a kettlebell instead of a dumbbell. Exercise balls can strengthen your core, improve balance and stability, and increase your range of motion. You can add a weighted vest to your walk, run, or pull-ups. If you use a treadmill to run or walk on, change the speed and incline.

There are many ways to add variety and intensity to your workout just by changing or adding equipment to your routine. Just remember, the more your muscles have to work, the stronger they are going to get. With increased muscle comes an increased metabolism, which will help you break through your weight loss plateaus. I’m including a list of equipment that I use and recommend below.

Conclusion

Breaking through plateaus is an essential part of any fitness journey, and mixing up your workout routine can be the key to unlocking new levels of progress. By trying new exercise moves, you not only challenge your body in different ways but also keep your workouts exciting and engaging.

Increasing the intensity of your sessions can further push your limits, helping you build strength and endurance.

Additionally, incorporating different types of equipment introduces variety and targets different muscle groups, ensuring a well-rounded fitness regimen.

Remember, the path to overcoming plateaus lies in continuously evolving your approach; stay curious, stay committed, and watch as you achieve those breakthrough moments in your fitness journey.

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*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link! I appreciate the support!*

List of Equipment

Fabric Elastic Resistance Bands

These are my go-to bands for legs workouts because they offer excellent resistance and stay in place exceptionally well! One of my favorite features is the convenient bag they come with. They also include an exercise card with examples of different exercises you can perform using the bands.

Elastic Resistance Bands

These bands are my go-to for exercises that require extra stretch. I’ve owned them for several years, and they have proven to be both durable and budget-friendly. They come in various resistance levels to suit different workout needs and include a convenient bag to keep everything organized.

Beast Gear Core Sliders

These really enhance my core workouts. These are an affordable fitness accessory that features a double-sided design, so they glide effortlessly on both hardwood and carpeted surfaces.

Coated Rubber Hex Dumbbell Pair

These are the dumbbells my boys and I use, and we really like them. They have an easy-to-grip design, and the hexagonal shape prevents them from rolling around. This stability allows me to perform exercises where I need to rest my hands on them or even elevate my heels for squats without worrying about them shifting. They are reasonably priced and available in a variety of weight sets, ranging from 5 lbs. to 60 lbs.

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Faith, Family, and Fitness with Rachel