Exercise for Beginners - Avoiding Plateaus

Avoiding Plateaus

Plateaus suck, don't they? And they happen to the best of us. Your body will adjust to any exercise program over time, so you need to fool your body into continuing to progress by changing your program every six weeks or so. Not only should you change your cardio workouts, you should also change your strength training routines as well. This will keep your muscles confused so that they're constantly challenged. There are many ways to change your routines including:

• Changing the frequency (adding a day or subtracting a day of workouts)
• Changing the intensity (adding more or less weight to your exercises, or working harder or easier on your cardio)
• Changing the amount of time your exercising (if you usually walk for 20 minutes, try walking for 25 or 30 minutes)
• Changing the type of activity (for strength training, changing the exercises, for cardio trying something completely new)

Keeping track of your workouts can help you determine when you need to change them. Use a calendar or a workout log and write down your workouts for six weeks. At the end of that time, sit down with your log and create a new routine by changing the elements mentioned above.

More Resources:

Understanding Exercise Plateaus
Get Out of the Rut
Break Through Exercise Boredom
Workout Center

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