Yeah, I'm talking about the feeling of being stuck, peaked, leveled out or whatever you want to call it...A lot of people encounter this "peaking out" dilemma, and it is actually perfectly normal. Unfortunately, when some people get stuck in progress while trying to build muscle or achieve certain physical fitness goals, they often lose interest or just throw their hands up and quit working out altogether.
...But before I say anything else about this subject, maybe you need to ask yourself, "what are my goals?" Maybe you're fine with your current level of fitness and would like to spend more time on other things, perhaps even go out and have some fun - ha!
Anyway, many times when a person experiences these "plateau effects" and seem to be stuck in progress, they either need to take some time off, change their routine or completely alter the type of exercises they have been performing. For example, several years ago, I felt that I was tired of lifting the same ol' weights, doing the same boring bench presses and exercises, and was having to drag myself into the workout room because it got to where I dreaded lifting all that heavy weight. So, I decided to buy a Power Tower and started to build muscle without weights (pull-ups, dips, etc.). When I needed extra resistance, I would simply use a weighted vest. Now, after using the Power Tower for a few years, I'm about ready to start lifting heavy weights again and now I wished that I wouldn't have sold my damn weight bench to begin with! Ha-ha! But that's just an example, as changing the routines and exercises often temporarily rescues people from the "muscle building plateau" status.
Taking a break can also be great... Don't worry about losing muscle mass during your transitory hiatus; plus, if you've been working out for a few years, try to remember the points that were being made in the post "the mystery of muscle memory," as this should help you rest assured that your body will have no problem gaining what little muscle you may have lost during your period of inactivity.
When you do feel "leveled out" or whatever, this may also be a good time to become quicker & more flexible with the muscles you already have. Being bulky isn't everything; in fact, many folks find that it slows them down and actually hurts their overall level of physical fitness. However, not everybody has the same goals, but I'm just saying that it might be a good idea to get out there and utilize your muscles in more natural movements as opposed to basic lifting, curling, pressing, etc. You know, things like calisthenics (dips, pull-ups, etc.), shadow boxing, martial arts, various types of stretches, manual labor that replaces automatic gadgets (like chopping down trees with an axe instead of using a chain saw, using a push mower instead of a riding mower), and so on...
Speaking of boxing and martial arts, you may also be interested in my "picking out the right heavy bag / speed bag stand" entry, in addition to the "body opponent heavy bag" post.
Personally, I think some people may just need a little additional motivation. For example, when I used to feel stuck or in a rut, I'd just look at some motivational posters for my workout room, and alter the way my weight room looked by buying bikini posters, pictures of barely clad women, etc. Yep, throw in some nice visuals along with some motivational music, and you may be well on your way to new physical fitness goals that will free yourself from that "peaked" feeling you're suffering from.
Update (2024): Wow! After coming back to this post 13+ years later, I realize that it was nothing more than an internal link job that was self-promoting prior blog posts. I think I'll just start over, and properly address the "peaked, stuck, leveled out in progress & muscle gains" nonsense:
#1) If you really feel that way, there are many things you can do to jump-start yourself into new gains. For one, try harder! However, one of the easiest ways to tackle this (if you're lifting free weights) is to buy those expensive micro weights. They come in .25, .5, .75, and 1 lb. plates. It is like a sneaky way of slowing pushing yourself more, albeit incrementally, but it all adds up.
#2) Find your sticking points, weak spots, etc. For example, if you are constantly failing on the bench-press after a certain number of reps, notice what area feels like it gives out first. Is it your chest, triceps, front delts? Once you pinpoint your weakness, do separate, isolated exercises for those areas. On the same note, it may not be as easy for bodyweight exercises (that involve a multitude of muscles - primary, secondary, stabilizers, etc.) like pull-ups. Often times what fails first is due to a lack of support from your other muscles, and so on. For example, if you strengthen your rear deltoids, your biceps and lats wouldn't have to work as hard during the pull-up. Many times, it really calls for a total body self-analyzation to combat these moments when you really feel stuck in progress.
#3) Are you at a slight deficiency in caloric intake or energy during your workout? Maybe you need creatine, ginseng, extra calories (for energy), more fat (for hormones), additional protein (for building muscle), or something? It is well worth a look, when concerning why you are stuck in a plateau or have apparently leveled out in progress. If making gains are not happening anymore, you may want to assess your workout, as well. What I mean by that is simply the query of "are you more or less on a maintenance workout routine or is it geared for progressive gains?" It is easy to be content with what you have already accomplished, but are you really done with your fitness goals? Does the plan you have really encompass constant progress?
#4) If your body is really acting stubborn, you could also integrate heavy half-reps, cheat movements, etc., to tease your body into exerting more force. Yeah, well, form isn't always everything, but those shocks you can give your central nervous system when trying wilder, bolder alternatives can really pay off. Now, I don't mean to go too crazy and blow your back out; I'm just saying that there are options to break past those stagnant times of no gains. You can even add "static holds" into the mix, which are also great at strengthening your tendons, for example.
#5) If all else fails, just try the other stuff I mentioned in the original post above...
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Older Post: "Creatine is a waste of money - for most people!"
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Older Post: "Creatine is a waste of money - for most people!"
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