NEW FAD 5: Plateau

ahh yes.

"I've hit a plateau, I should switch it up"
"my bench isn't going up, I should do more"
"I'm not losing weight, I should do more cardio and eat less"

yes, I have touched on these subjects in the past, but not only are they worth going over again, its maddening to see the amount of times I still hear this.

to me, this is what a plateau is:

once EVERYTHING IS IN CHECK, which means:
sleep is good.
mood is good.
meal plan is good.
training routine is good.
THEN, and ONLY THEN can you look at if you've hit a plateau.
so no that isn't my definition, BUT, providing all those factors are in order, then maybe you have.

plateau is when something has halted.

whether it be:
progressive resistance aka you aren't doing more weight or more reps in each workout.
fat loss has stopped - combination of skinfold calipers, photos, clothing, scale have ceased to go in the correct direction
if it is a sport, so as in still gassing out in the 3rd period for hockey for example.

THEN YES. something needs to change.

BUT DON'T GET ON YOUR BRAND NEW PROGRAM AND CHANGE IT.
I have done the same program for almost a year once.

why?

it wasn't broken. i was progressing.

BUT ALSO, to touch on this issue, as long as SOMETHING is progressing, that is still not a plateau.

for instance, if I am doing my program, and my leg exercises are still going up, then things are STILL progressing! (provided technique isn't being compromised)

it would seriously be a PERFECT world if EVERYTHING flew up, and fat FLEW off you!

having said all of this, and you're still following my writings hah,

this is generally geared towards the new person to the gym.

providing technique is there as i said, things should be flying up/down. everything. this is BRAND new stimulus! and the better you can slam dunk the weights and the nutrition, the more you'll set up for success. this is the most adaptation you'll EVER see in the gym (outside of some powerful illegal drugs.)

and don't be spinning your wheels scratching your head. get a second opinion (MEGA MARTY!) to go over everything with you to maybe point out something you may have missed.

good luck!