Taking Your Bodybuilding Workout Past The Plateau

You've been working your workout plan and are experiencing some frustration because you have noticed that you are maintaining your weight, staying at the same strength for months now and it's worrying you! Stop the frustration - you are not doing anything wrong, you have just experienced a "plateau" you need to take your workout plan to the next level; here is how to do that:

Your Warm up:

It is important to do a warm-up before each of your exercise sets. Utilize approximately 50% of the weight you are going to be using for your main workout. A good warm-up is to do 4 to 6 reps of this 50% weight. You want to do enough to just warm up your muscles.

Exercise Sets:

Work your plan of exercise sets based on your routine, which should include the following:

Abs, barbell bicep curls, barbell overhead shoulder presses, bench presses, dumbbell pullovers, leg curls, leg extensions, standing calf raises, squats, weighted dips, and also weighted pull-ups.

Workout Tips

Never, ever workout without a workout partner

Time your workout to last no longer than 45 minutes. This includes your rest periods in between sets. The caution here is that if you workout longer than 45 minutes the hormone, cortisol will increase and this will be counter-productive to your goal. The best results are seen when you make a time goal along with your workout goal. Stay focused on working your sets with rests in between sets and accomplishing your workout plan within your 45 minute time limit; get in, work hard, stay focused, get out.

Choose your weights based on achieving the number of reps and not any more than that number. You will know you have chosen wisely because you will physically be unable to complete another rep.

Do not cheat on your form - concentrate on achieving perfect form each and every rep. Use full range of motion and on the way down (2 seconds time span with 2 seconds on the way up). Absolutely no weight jerking allowed. You want a smooth up and down motion. If you experience jerks, move back down to the lighter weight.

Stay in motion during each set. Rest periods are for resting not during your sets. Watch especially during your squats to not lock your knees, arms or legs and rest even for a second. Keep the smooth motion going without a hesitation.

Do not stop when you reach bottom of any exercise. It's tempting at the bottom of a curl to stop - but do not give in to this temptation.

Taking Your Workout Plan Up a Level

3 day a week workout plans

Example:

Monday workout
Tuesday no
Wednesday workout
Thursday no
Friday workout
Saturday and Sunday no

Intermediate bodybuilders will benefit from a 2.5-day workout plan

Example:

Monday workout
Tuesday and Wednesday no
Thursday workout
Friday and Saturday no
Sunday workout
Monday and Tuesday no
continue with this one day workout, 2 days no workout.

Plateau Tips

You must increase your workout for your body to increase in strength.

Example:

Last workout 220 lbs for 10 reps
This workout 225 lbs for 8 reps
Next workout 225 lbs for 9 reps
Then next workout 225 lbs for 10 reps

Repeat the pattern with 5 lb increments on weight

In order to remember your workout plan, write it down. Do not rely on memory. Follow your plan, stay focused, and take rests in between sets and above all use a workout partner!

James Ack, Moderator at Just Bodybuilding, A bodybuilding forum, where you can get answers to all your bodybuilding questions.