Do you ever get stuck on a certain lift and do not know how to break past that plateau? Have you been stuck on the same Bench Press, squat, or deadlift weight for months now?

Over the next couple of weeks I will be discussing some ideas for plateau busting that certain lift.

The first will be intensity. Do you use the same set and rep scheme every time your work out. If you are always training at 3 sets of 10 reps, then eventually your body will adapt and will see no reason to change or become stronger. After your body has adapted, it will always use the least amount of muscle mass possible to complete the lift.

The same can be said if your rep scheme is 5 sets of 5 reps. If you read my article about Intensity is everything you will understand why. If you constantly train in one rep scheme it will only hypertrophy those muscle fibers and after a while you will tap out on all your Strength in those fibers.

If you constrantly lift in the Neural Range, then after you see no gains in a couple of weeks try the Neural and Hypertrophy range for a while. When lifting in the Neural range you will only see sarcomere growth, which is functional growth. Now give your body some sarcoplasmic growth to induce further gains.

Same for the Hypertrophy and endurace range. If you constantly train in this range there will only be sarcoplasmic growth. Try the neural range for a couple of weeks for some sarcomere growth.

Here is an example

Guy A Typically trains in Hypertrophy and Endurance Range

1. Squat 4×12

2. RDL 3×10

3. Walking lunges 2×12

Has not seen growth or increase in strength in 2 months. This is what he should do for the next month.

1. Front Squat 5×4

2. Elevated Deadlift 4×5

3. Bulgarian Split Squats 3×6

After a month I gurantee they will see growth and strength increases if their diet is ok and stick to the program.

Guy B. Typically stays in the Neural range

1. Bench Press 8×3

2. Weighted Pull ups 8×3

3. Incline Bench Press DB 4×5

4. 1 arm row 4×5

Has not seen growth or strength gains in two months

1. Closed grip Bench 4×8

2. Low Row 4×8

3. Floor Press 4×6

4. Wide grip low row 3×12

After a month he will see an increase in strength and growth because of a new stimulus.

Remember, intensity is everything, but it must be manipulated for your strength and mass goals.

Come back on Thursday for the next excert on progression of exercises.

Until next time,

Adam