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What is a Fitness Plateau? 5 Ways to Overcome The Feeling

August 09 2024 8 min read

No matter where you are in your fitness journey, hitting a plateau can be incredibly frustrating. But there’s no need to worry; it’s a completely normal part of the process and a sign that your body is ready for new challenges. 

In this guide, we’ll dive into everything there is to know about fitness plateaus, including why they happen and, more importantly, how you can break through them.

What is a fitness plateau?

A fitness plateau is one of those moments in your journey where progress seems to grind to a halt. You’ve been hitting the gym regularly, sticking to your workout routines and eating right, yet the gains and improvement just aren’t coming like they used to. 

Plateaus are common experiences for fitness enthusiasts of all levels, from beginners to seasoned athletes. When you first start out on your fitness journey, your body responds quickly to new challenges, and you might see rapid improvements in strength, endurance and muscle tone. However, over time, your body adapts to the routine, and the progress slows down. 

This adaptation means your body has become more efficient at handling your current workout routine, which, ironically, is a testament to your hard work and dedication.

Why does a fitness plateau happen? 

There are a whole range of reasons why fitness plateaus happen, but understanding why can help you put your best foot forward. 

  • Adaptation — Our bodies are incredibly smart and efficient. When you start a new workout routine, your body sees it as a challenge and works hard to meet it. But when you keep doing the same exercises at the same intensity, your body gets used to them and adapts to becoming more efficient and expending less energy to complete the same tasks. 

  • Lack of variety — Doing the same workout over and over not only leads to physical adaptation but can also cause mental fatigue. Your muscles need new challenges to grow stronger, and your mind needs variety to stay motivated. If your routine becomes predictable, that means it’s time to mix things up with new exercises, different intensities and varied workout formats. Try something new and book a visit to one of our Fitness First gyms today and see what we have to offer. 

  • Insufficient recovery — Recovery is just as important as the workout itself, and if you’re not giving your muscles enough time to repair and grow, you might end up hitting a plateau. Overtraining can lead to fatigue, decreased performance and even injury. So, make sure you’re getting enough rest and proper nutrition to support your fitness goals. 

  • Nutritional needs — As you progress in your fitness journey, your nutritional needs might change. You may need to adjust your calorie intake or add different sources of protein to your diet. If you’re not fueling your body correctly, you might not have the energy or nutrients to make proper gains. It’s important to make sure your diet is aligned with your workout goals. 

  • Stress and lifestyle choices — Life outside the gym can impact your progress inside. High stress, poor sleep and other lifestyle factors can contribute to hitting a plateau. Stress can affect your hormones, which in turn can affect your ability to recover and build muscle. 

What period of time is considered a fitness plateau?

Fitness plateaus can vary in duration, but generally, it’s considered a plateau if you’ve been consistently working out and following your fitness routine for about 3 - 4 weeks without seeing any noticeable progress. 

It’s important to remember that this timeframe is a bit of a guideline, and it’s perfectly normal and a natural part of any fitness journey.

How can you break through a fitness plateau?

Hitting a fitness plateau can feel like hitting a brick wall, but don’t worry; it’s common for most people to experience this. Essentially, your body is signalling to you that it’s ready for a new challenge, but how exactly do you break through this? 

1. Mix up your routine

Doing the same workout day in and day out? It’s time to add a new lease of life to your routine.

  • Try new exercises — Your muscles get used to the same moves. Try adding new exercises like box jumps, kettlebell swings or different variations of squats and lunges to reignite your progress.

  • Switch the order — If you always start with cardio and then lift weights, try flipping it around. Your muscles will be challenged in new ways, and it’s also a great way to improve your mental well-being as you don’t get used to the same old routine. 

  • Vary your reps and sets — Changing your rep and set structure can make a big difference. If you usually do 3 sets of 10 reps, try 5 sets of 5 reps for strength or 2 sets of 20 reps for endurance.

2. Increase your intensity 

Give your workouts a little extra oomph to kickstart progress and switch up your routine. 

  • Add more weight — Gradually increasing the weight you’re lifting will challenge your muscles and help them grow stronger. If it feels possible, try adding 5-10% more weight each week.

  • Reduce rest times — Shorter rest periods keep your heart rate up and your body guessing the next move. Instead of resting for a minute, try 30 seconds and watch how your body reacts. 

  • Try HIIT — High-intensity interval training involves exercises like sprinting or squat jumps at full effort for 20-45 seconds at a time, then resting for anywhere between 10-30 seconds. Repeat this for a 20 or 30-minute session for a powerful workout.

3. Fuel your body right

Nutrition is key for helping break through a plateau and support your body in the right ways.

  • Boost your protein intake — Protein helps repair and build muscle. If you’re looking for good sources of protein, opt for chicken, fish, beans, chickpeas and protein shakes. You should aim for about 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. 

  • Balance your macros — Carbs fuel your workouts, fats support hormone production, and protein helps build muscle. If you’re starting a new routine, make sure your diet includes a healthy balance of all three.

  • Stay hydrated — Hydration is crucial for every bodily function, including muscle repair and recovery. The NHS recommends that people should aim to drink 6 - 8 glasses of water a day. If you’re physically active for a longer period of time, you may need to drink more to help replenish the fluids you’ve lost.

4. Prioritise recovery

Don’t forget rest is just as important as the workout itself!

  • Get quality sleep — Sleep is when your body does most of its repair work, and it’s important that you properly rest to aid your fitness journey. Aim to get 7-9 of uninterrupted sleep a night. If you’re trying to exercise when you’re tired, you’ll find you’re falling into fitness fatigue and won’t be performing at your best.

  • Take rest days — Rest days allow your body and mind to recover from a workout. They help stop you from burning out and losing your mojo and give your muscles time to recover and grow. Make sure you’re including at least one or two rest days in your weekly routine, ideally spread out between sessions. 

  • Active recovery — Active recovery involves performing low-intensity exercise following a few days of strenuous workouts. It’s great for keeping your blood flowing and helping your muscles recover and rebuild from physical intensity. Opt for low-intensity exercises like waking, yoga and swimming to keep active on your recovery days.

5. Set new goals

Sometimes, a mental reset can provide just the right amount of motivation you need to get back out there.

  • Reassess your goals — If you’ve hit a plateau, it might be time to set some new, specific goals. Instead of just ‘get fit’, try ‘run a 5K in under 30 minutes’. It’s also important to make sure your goals are attainable for you. 

  • Track your progress — Use a fitness journal or an app to monitor your workouts, diet and progress, as you’ll be able to visualise the changes you make. Seeing your improvements on paper can be incredibly motivating and sometimes just the thing you need to track your progress and keep going. 

Can overtraining cause a fitness plateau?

Absolutely, overtraining can definitely cause a fitness plateau. When you push your body too hard without giving it enough time to recover, you can actually hinder your progress. 

Overtraining leads to fatigue, decreased performance and even injuries that can be hard to come back from. It’s important to remember that your muscles need to repair and grow stronger after a workout, and without sufficient rest, they can’t do that effectively. So, if you’re feeling constantly tired, sore, and not seeing any improvement, it might be a sign that you’re overtraining.

Should you take a break if you experience a plateau?

Sometimes, taking a break can be exactly what your body needs to overcome a plateau. A short break or incorporating more rest days into your routine can give your muscles the time they need to repair.

This doesn’t mean that you should stop activity altogether; you can switch to lighter, lower-impact exercises like stretching, rowing and tai chi. This can help you come back stronger and feel more motivated for the next stage in your fitness journey. Plus, a mental break can refresh your enthusiasm and help you reassess your goals, so don’t be afraid to listen to your body.

Get out of a plateau with Fitness First

Breaking through a fitness plateau might seem daunting, but with the right approach and a positive mindset, it can be an exciting opportunity for growth and improvement. 

Remember, plateaus are just a sign that your body has adapted to your current routine, and it’s time to introduce some more challenges. Find them here at Fitness First — whether it’s setting a new personal best with our personal training sessions or smashing a strength class you didn’t think you could do, we’re here to help.

Book a visit, find your nearest gym today or head over to our blog to find out everything there is to know about fitness, nutrition and more.