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33 Ways to Crush a Plateau

Stuck in a rut with no idea how to get out? Let our expert panel help you learn the telltale signs of an approaching plateau and teach you how to bust through it with ease to keep your big-muscle gains on track.

Tricky Jackson, IFBB Pro

Tricky Jackson

Birthdate: Aug. 31, 1967
Hometown: Louisville, KY
Height: 5´5˝
Weight: 235 lbs. offseason, 193 lbs. contest
Contact: www.trickyjackson.com

24. Death, taxes, plateaus

“They’re definitely going to happen. Even if you make changes, you’ll still hit a time when things are kind of stale.”

25. Find your motivation

Why do you train? How bad do you want it? Sometimes, finding your mojo again is just a matter of answering these questions. “Early in my career I was so hungry when it came to winning titles and getting to the next level. Every single thing I did kept me motivated — reading mags, going to contests, learning from other people. After a while, those same things don’t seem to do it anymore. I found that I have to draw energy from other places. Now, I get more energy from average everyday Joes who post stuff on Facebook — guys who reach a new best on the bench press, stuff like that. Just following some of these people helps me get remotivated. I see the hunger and motivation in people who aren’t where I am and it makes me remember how that felt and that helps me get to the grassroots of it.”

26. Don’t dwell on strength

Some guys still get caught up with how much weight they can move but without proper periodization [cycling your training] and coaching, you can expect to level out in the strength department pretty regularly. “For me it’s not about lifting heavy weight and trying to be stronger and stronger like it used to be. For me, it’s about trying to maintain and not lose strength and size.”

27. Keep healthy

One area that may be overlooked if you’ve hit a plateau is your overall health. Luckily, you can take some preventive steps to avoid ruts brought about by inflamed tendons and aching joints. “During the season, I get to a certain level of intensity and I try to keep it up to the contest. After that, I take 2–4 weeks off completely. When I come back, I try to do it differently — low intensity, low volume to get back into the swing of things. It’s helping me to make sure that my muscles and joints don’t get overworked. It tears up the ligaments and tendons to train hard and heavy all the time. People think they need to train as heavy as they can right away after some time off but that’ll prevent gains or get you injured.”

28. Chest checks

Chest checks

Your pecs not growing? Check your routine. “What are you currently doing? Probably the same thing you’ve been doing forever,” Tricky says. “Use forced reps. Use partials. I try to mix it up every couple of weeks. I’ll do two workouts where I’ll do straights sets, then two straight with drop sets or something else.” The pecs also allow for a lot of angle work, he says, so take advantage.

29. Let your partner lead

“Sometimes, I’ll let my training partner lead the workout,” Tricky says. “Typically that burden is on me. But if you’re close-minded and don’t think you can learn from anybody you’ll never break through that plateau. Or I might pick up a magazine and follow Ed Nunn’s routine or something like that.”

30. Clean it up

Nutritionally, that is. “When I’m eating clean, I feel good about my training. So if I plateau, I may eat more protein and fewer carbs so I get looking a little leaner and that in and of itself is motivating.”

31. Energize

Don’t be afraid to look for a solution on your supplement shelf. Sometimes, the right fuel is all you need. “I started implementing MHP’s DREN and it’s helped me get through workouts for the last couple of weeks. It gives me energy and helps me burn fat. Some of the supps that help fuel your pump, like MHP’s N.O. Bomb, are good to help you get that pump that you’re used to getting, which you may be missing because you’re in that rut.”

32. Compete

No, you don’t have to sign up for a contest but it’s a good idea to tap into your inner competitor to keep you pushing hard. “I may shoot a text to David Henry, saying, David I’m pounding legs today, I’m coming for you! I try to do that every once in a while to keep some camaraderie and the competition going.”

33. Get crazy

Sometimes, going slightly off playbook can pay big dividends. “One time me and my partner did dumbbell overhead presses all the way up to the 100s and all the way back down. There were dumbbells all over the floor. Sometimes, you have to step it up and do something out of the ordinary to get a bodypart back on track.”