Erin, one of the “Crush’s” elite athletes had a major concern that as hard as she works out, she’s not physically exhausted and not sweating much anymore. Could it be a plateau that she’s hit? That dreaded word that you do not want to hear, let alone experience. We have all experienced a plateau at some time, yes, even Alex and I! When you hit a plateau, Akuna matada! Below are 4 Plateau Busting Basics:
R.I.P.P.E.D. Remix
We created R.I.P.P.E.D.- The One Stop Body Shock so your body experiences the most well rounded workout on the planet because we realized that if you do not vary your workout routine your body will eventually run on cruise control, and you will experience a plateau. Simply by changing the order of the sections makes a BIG DIFFERENCE and when Season 2 hits, your body will once again get shocked and will take a long time to adapt. When you want a different intensity level, yell out “REMIX” and we’ll give it to you!
CHECK “D” for DIET
During your Nutrition education with Chuck he has preached time and time again that you must get the fuel in your body because as your fitness level increases, your “fat furnace” (aka metabolism) will increase along with your calorie requirements. You may need to eat more than you have in the past for your body to continue to increase its fitness level. If you find you are often hungry, this is a clear sign you need to eat more to sustain your exercise program.
REST
On your days off, take DAYS OFF! We know you can’t get enough of the beautiful Renaissance Club Sport and that you just want to be a part of “The Scene”, but you MUST rest. Do laundry, take your kids to park, walk the dog, give your husband/wife a massage while he’s watching Sportcenter highlights. When you don’t take the designated rest days and decide to workout, you will go backwards.
CATCHING Z’s
Sleep is essential and you need it. Your muscles must repair and recover from the intense training you’ve been doing, from the grind at the office, and from chasing kids around. The right amount of sleep will ensure that your body is recharged and has the energy for another challenging R.I.P.P.E.D. workout.
If you are still experiencing a plateau, sometimes your body has to catch up to its new fitness level or weight and is in a holding pattern to see if your new routine is going to persist. Once it realizes that you’re not a quitter, it will proceed to take break you out of Plateau Prison and continue on its journey down Results Road!
9 comments
Erin Woodbury says:
October 14, 2008 at 7:48 am (UTC -8 )
Great info. Thanks. I think I’m guilty of not getting enough sleep (and possibly not taking my days off).
I was definitely a sweaty mess the night you guys reversed the order of class and made us do our reps nice and slow.
Thanks for the pep talk!
-Erin
Nancy says:
October 14, 2008 at 8:00 am (UTC -8 )
Thanks for posting this Terry. The timing is perfect.
Nancy
gabrielle tschopp says:
October 14, 2008 at 10:07 am (UTC -8 )
Very timely. Thanks! I was just thinking that I wasn’t sweating last night as much as I had last week. The remix is a great idea, and of course I love the new music!
Carina says:
October 14, 2008 at 10:47 am (UTC -8 )
Very, very timely. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Terry, this plateu subject has
been in my mind since before I started the RIPPED CHALLENGE.
Thank you for your input!
GO BLUE TEAM!
lauren says:
October 14, 2008 at 10:51 am (UTC -8 )
Great info. I vote for Remix for Wed. New warmup and then mixup of Season 1, very anxious for Season 2!!! Love the music, post the lyrics so we can all sing along!
Alex says:
October 14, 2008 at 11:50 am (UTC -8 )
Great tips Terry!!!
Another suggestion for your workouts to help from plateauing is to go into each R.I.P.P.E.D. workout with a PURPOSE. Ask yourself, “What am I going to focus on today? What sections of the format do I want to improve on? For example:
- I want to challenge myself and lift heavier weights than what I am used to.
- I want to reach my maximum effort level on each burst during the Interval and Endurance sections.
- I am going to focus on form and technique.
- I want to drop lower and jump higher.
Don’t just go into the workout and go through the motions, but set a goal and stick to it. Each class you should pick something different to work a little harder at doing.
Tina says:
October 14, 2008 at 11:16 pm (UTC -8 )
Great stuff Alex and Terry, you guys rock! I’m with Lauren on the plan for Wednesday!!
Rochelle Veturis says:
October 15, 2008 at 9:14 pm (UTC -8 )
Fantastic plateau-busting tips guys. Keep the content coming, it’s timely, relevant and oh so helpful.
Debbie Savae says:
October 16, 2008 at 11:05 pm (UTC -8 )
Wow, plateau is not a problem for me that is because I am trying to get my sorry but back in shape! The class is still kicking my behind. I love the energy in the class. It gets me so pumped and motivated! Today, I felt a lot stronger and I loved it! I know what are my weak spots and seeing you guys showcasing proper form helps me make those body adjustments in class so I can really FEEL it.