Avoiding the Workout Dead End

Every now and then people hit a roadblock in life. Sometimes the obstruction is a bit more obvious—remember that bumper-to-bumper traffic when you were trying to make it to your anniversary dinner? Other days, the obstacle is a little less visible, like when another lap around the track feels like an impossible feat.

When it comes to a plateau in your workout plan, health expert Jason Ferruggia, author of Muscle-Gaining Secrets, says there are a few tactics to employ when looking to clear a hurdle.

If weight lifting has become ho-hum, Ferruggia says a man should begin to increase his poundage in small amounts. This means taking your typical 25-pound weights to 27 or 28 pounds, rather than raising it a full five pounds.

Another way to bust through a plateau is to learn to take a few deep breaths. For example, if you can only lift 225 pounds for five reps, then crank it out, put the bar down and take deeps breaths for about 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise again, squeezing out as many reps as you can; take a few deep breaths and repeat one more time. The point is that even if you can only squeeze out a few reps each time, the next time you hit the bench you may be able to beat your tally.

Most importantly, Ferruggia says, an exerciser should never repeat the same workout back-to-back.

What are your tips for overcoming a fitness plateau? [Men’s Fitness]