Commentary - Avoid fitness plateaus Published Dec. 5, 2011 By Bill Goins 8th Medical Operations Squadron KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Has it been a while since you first started a strength training or cardiovascular program and you have stopped seeing improvement? This is a common occurrence often referred to as a "plateau". A plateau is inevitable if you do not continually update your program to reflect the changes your body has already experienced. Plateaus generally occur after about three to six months of training adaptation. What this means is that once you begin a new program or you become more consistent with your existing program, your body will adapt to that new stimulus within a few months. Once it adapts, that same stimulus will no longer result in improvements because your body has become more efficient and does not need to work as hard to complete that same workout. Before we talk about ways to break through that plateau, keep in mind that a lifetime of consistent exercise will not result in the same amount of improvements over time. In other words, let's say you just started exercising consistently. When you started, you were 230 pounds and 25 percent body fat. Over the first three months of your program you drop 30 pounds and 7 percent body fat. That's awesome! BUT, do not expect to continue to lose 30 pounds and 7 percent body fat every three months you work out consistently. The next three months may result in eight pounds and 2 percent body fat lost. That is still excellent improvement. You must be realistic with your expectations. The more fit you become, the smaller the improvements will be. Keep in mind that you are not doing it for the next 30 days. You are doing for the next 30 years! Breaking through a plateau is actually fairly easy. Below are a few tips on how to get off that big fat plateau and on your way to your best fitness ever. Vary Your Program Plateaus are often the result of continuously using the same training approach. Maybe you've been doing the same exercises, same number of sets and reps, running the same route over and over. You can vary your routine by simply changing the exercises that you do, running a different route, or try a new exercise that you haven't done before. Turn Up the Frequency, Intensity, or Time If you've been exercising 30 minutes and three times per week, increase your frequency to four to five days per week. The Center for Disease Control recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise five days per week for everyone to receive the associated health benefits. Yes, even if you scored a 100 on your PT Test you can plateau. If you've been doing the same amount of weight training or running at the same pace, crank up your intensity by adding some resistance or doing some speed work. After creating a good solid fitness foundation, it is critical that you incorporate some intensity training at least once per week to continue to increase your performance. Finally, begin increasing your time. If you've reached strength plateaus, don't stop at doing one minute of push-ups or ten reps on the bench press. Try to do 12 or 15 reps or two minutes of push-ups. If you've been running for 30 minutes on a consistent basis already, increase your runs to 33 minutes this week. Then increase them again to 36 minutes the following week. Continue doing this until you are performing 45 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. Keep in mind that most research indicates you should increase frequency and time first so that you have an adequate fitness base before you ramp up intensity. While intensity is a critical aspect to pushing your performance limits, you are much more prone to injury if you begin increasing intensity without a solid fitness base. Add Cross Training to Your Routine Some people hit plateaus because they are bored or lack motivation to push themselves. Adding cross training can be an excellent way to break through a plateau. Cross training keeps your program interesting and will generally utilize a wider variety of exercises in each routine. Another alternative is to simply change the sequence of the exercises you are already doing and place two to three minutes of cardiovascular exercise between sets. Again, this will force your body to adapt to new stresses that it is not used to and result in a higher level of fitness. If you have stopped gaining strength, endurance, or simply have lost the motivation to push yourself through that plateau...you need to try something different. The human body is an amazing piece of machinery, capable of adapting to just about any circumstance or stimulus. Just by making a few adjustments and varying your program, you can start seeing those improvements again in no time. For additional guidance on exercises that can be done and/or resources breaking through that plateau, please see one of your unit physical training leaders or call the Health and Wellness Center at 782-4305.