They say all good things must come to an end. As philosophical as that sounds it’s not exactly what we want to hear when it comes to our training progress. Yet at some point or another most of us are faced with this harsh reality. Thankfully, there’s no need to worry, because in 5 Reasons Why You’ve Hit A Training Wall, you’ll probably relate to these points below allowing you to take the first steps towards breaking through this frustrating wall!
1. You only do what you enjoy
The reason you squat four times a week isn’t because you enjoy the pump it gives your quads or because you’re a competitive Olympic weightlifter. It’s because you’re good at it. It’s human nature to do what we enjoy but often our physiques lack in the areas which we don’t like exercising. If you really want to get past your sticking point it is crucial to occasionally take an objective approach towards training and see what’s really missing. A training partner who doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to your weak links is another solution.
2. Diet
This doesn’t come as a surprise by any stretch of the imagination. In recent times the concept of “dirty bulking” in which you eat anything and everything in sight has taken over. Often by the time all the excess fat has been cut down, next to no muscle has been built! On the other hand if you’re to stand any chance of building muscle you must be in a caloric surplus, there is simply no other way. Our bodies need the correct fuel in order to perform and function optimally. However, you won’t last very long if you have chicken and broccoli for every meal. As with most things the stimulation of variety and balance is crucial.
3. Lack of intensity
This may be a tough pill to swallow but the fact remains that many of us just don’t train hard enough to get the desired results. Once you’ve scrolled through Instagram and ogled the pretty girl/guy doing deadlifts, you’ve already been in the gym for half an hour and not even started your workout! Stop WhatsApping for a little while, switch the notification sounds and the ringer off, or try leaving your iPhone or Android device in your bag or, God forbid at home (you’ll survive a few times without your favourite workout playlist, trust me)! You may be surprised how the lack of distraction increases the intensity of your workout.
4. You keep changing direction
As hard as you might try it’s impossible to row in two different directions at once. Blunt metaphor maybe, but it’s difficult to express just how complicated it is to simultaneously build muscle, increase aerobic capacity and gain strength. Try to take a step back and prioritise what you really want to achieve, starting slowly and building your way up, step by step. Set short term goals and long term goals. The triathlon can always wait until next year, if it’s not critical to you!
5. Listening to others more than you listen to yourself
Just about everyone and their dog has an opinion on how you should be training, what type of technique to use and what type of sweat bands you should be wearing. In spite of the wealth of information available online these days, only you really know what works for you. Take advice from one or two committed people you trust with similar goals and find out everything else through self experimentation.
Remember, no two people have exactly the same anatomy, levers or organ capacities, thus what works for person A may not always work for person B and so on. Listen to your own physiological ‘sat nav’ and set to work!
