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In A Rut?

Why is the scale not budging? Why are the workouts that I normally do just getting so easy?

You have hit a PLATEAU! Your body will acclimatize to any fitness regime after a certain period of time as there are many different types of "training principles." Training to improve an athlete's performance obeys the principles of training: specificity, overload, recovery, adaptation and reversibility.

While there may be other 'principles' of training you will find on the web and in text books, these 6 are the monumental in being with your effective training methods. These cover all aspects of a strong foundation of training. Once put together, the most logical training program involves a periodized approach which cycles the intensity and training purposes. The training must be specific not only to your sport or activity, but to your individual abilities, such as recovery time, outside obligations...etc. You must increase the training loads over and you must train often enough not only to keep a detraining effect from happening, but to also force an adaptation.

A PLATEAU generally occurs within six weeks of your fitness program! "What to do?!"

There are a lot of fitness terms out there that trainers and coaches use to assist their clients and teams with to get through these phases of lulls.

The best two ways I can phrase it are..."SHAKE IT UP!" or "TAKE A BREAK!"

Many people stay in the exact same fitness programs for years and although some exercise is CLEARLY better than nothing, you can improve your health and wellness by leaps and bounds by challenging your cardiovascular system and your muscular system to new things.

Try a new set of exercises completely! Try circuit training. Incorporate cardio intervals into your regular strength training program, or for a couple weeks try to attending a completely new fitness class! That will shake up your program for awhile, and you might just have some fun!

Another way to shake it and rest at the same time, is to try:

Week one Your regular week of strength training

Week two ALL CARDIO (Get out of your comfort zone!)

Week three Go back to your strength training program and increase your intensity

Week four OFF (WHAT??) Yes.....take a week off......sometimes your body just needs to take a rest and that might be just the shake up you need!

Hopefully this may help some of you push past your New Years resolutions and into a great 2010!

Are you listening to your body?

Yours in health,
GI JANE

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In A Rut?

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