Are You Still Making Progress in the Gym? Part 2

Hi,

Yesterday we talked a little about your progress in the gym and how plateaus can affect your fitness goals. 

One of those ways that progress stops is because you have pushed yourself too much and your body needs a rest. 

For most people this isn't the problem.

For most it is the fact that your body adapts very easily.  What worked in the beginning does not work as your get a little stronger and fitter. 

So your body stops growing.  For most that isn't a problem.  They have attained a certain level of fitness and are happy with that. 

The problem is that they think they can maintain this same level of fitness by doing the same thing over and over again for years. 

Sorry, but the body doesn't work that way. 

Your body adapts.  Let's use an example with biceps curls.  If you started out with ten pounds and ten reps for 3 sets your body soon adapted to that.  It got stronger. 

Pretty soon you moved up to 15 pounds, 20 pounds and so on.  Let's say you are happy with the strength in your arms when you reached 20 pounds. 

When you are getting stronger your are building muscle and there are certain physiological things happening in your body.  Fibers are getting bigger and stronger, your hormones (like growth hormone) are changing and there are many chemical interactions (like fat burning) going on. 

If you decide to stay at the 20 pound level the body adapts.  And pretty soon the fibers stop getting bigger, they stop growing stronger, your hormonal and chemical interactions stop changing.  That is because it is too easy.  There is no stimulus. 

If there is no stimulus you will not get stronger and you will not even be able to maintain what you have.  That is because there will be no growth hormone or other hormonal changes that help build, or keep you strong. There will be no chemical changes or fat burning happening. 

All these behind the scene changes will cease.  When they cease progress ceases and regression occurs. 

The bottom line is in order to maintain you have to make progress.  Now it doesn't have to be much, but there has to be some progress. 

So here are a couple of things you can do.  Add more reps at one workout.  Change the weights, add more and use less.  Increase the reps or decrease them.  Do more sets.  Rest less time between sets. 

Try lifting 25 pounds for 5 reps and immediately do 15 pounds for 15 reps.  There are thousands of variations that you can come up with.  The goal is to make sure your body does not become complacent and goes into the same old, same old mode. 

Keep reading this blog for more info on continuos progress in the gym.

Thanks,
Mike Val
http://www.valshealthsite.com/