1 step back, 2 steps forward
When you hit plateaus in training it’s not always the wisest option just to attempt to force your way through, sometimes the best thing you can do is take a step backwards in order to progress forwards.
Training plateaus are a pretty well assumed inevitability when it comes to exercise and typically a change to the training stimulus is what is required in order to push past it whether that be a change in volume, frequency, resistance or exercise variation. It may also be the case that you need to pay more attention to how you fuel and recover from workouts e.g. looking at your sleep and nutrition. Or it could be that a combination of all of the above needs to be looked at and adjusted. Having said all of that however, one often overlooked aspect that may need attention could be your form/technique itself.
If poor technique is the limiting factor it can be difficult to identify especially for inexperienced lifters mainly because even bad technique can work up until a point but once it hits that point it will go no further regardless of what changes you make to any of the previously mentioned variables. If you have some experience and understanding of the technique it may just be a case of filming yourself in order to identify the problem. For more inexperienced lifters it’s often a good idea to seek out the aid of a professional who can analyze your technique for you.
If you’ve identified that your technique is the problem what then should you do? Keep trying to force progress using poor technique or do you make the wise decision of taking a step backwards and attempt to fix/relearn your technique for the lift in order to progress? Of the two options the best would be the latter. At first glance this can seem like a great deal of annoyance but I promise you it’s nowhere near as annoying as continuing down the same path you were going and never making progress.
Another worry for some is that it may take them a long time to fix/relearn the movement technique but the reality of the matter is that taking one step backwards in order to go two steps forward is always going to be faster than going nowhere at all.
It should be stated that not everyone is the same and some will be a little bit different with how much of a step backwards they need to take. It could be the case that a simple well placed cue from and experienced coach could help correct your technique or you may need to work with your coach in order to rebuild the movement from the ground up. Whatever your particular situation is whether it is a simple fix or something more complicated, it’s always going to be worth your time.
So the next time you hit a plateau be sure to check that your technique is correct before changing anything else and if it isn’t then spending the time fixing it will produce infinitely greater results down the road then trying to force your way through.
Remember that success is built upon a strong foundation.
