Tips for beating a workout plateau

It is a fairly common experience: You jump into working out. Maybe it is the first time ever, or the first time in a long time, or the first time you are trying something you heard about from a friend or magazine.

Within a week, you notice that you are feeling stronger and can see visible changes in your body. You feel excited, so you continue with your workout, but the rapid progress slows, and soon enough you feel like your workout just isn’t working anymore. This can be frustrating, but it is not a difficult problem to solve.

Here are some tips to keep seeing results from your workout:

– Change your workout every three to four weeks

– You can make a major change, such as from running to swimming to the elliptical. However, you may love running so much that it’s hard to give up, so you can simply run a different route or run your same route backwards to give your body a change.

– Try a class such as cardio kickboxing or boot camp. The trainer who leads the group will change things up enough to challenge your body differently each time you meet, allowing you to continue your normal workout on the interim days.

Don’t get frustrated

However you try to make your workout work for you, don’t get frustrated. This is not an exact science, so finding the right balance can be a challenge. Working with a personal trainer is a great way to try different ways of getting the most out of your exercise routine.