Dr. Andy Galpin

That's just going to be hard to make progress like that.

Yeah, this is actually a really cool question. I did an entire podcast on this exact topic.

Yeah, this is actually a really cool question. I did an entire podcast on this exact topic.

Yeah, this is actually a really cool question. I did an entire podcast on this exact topic.

It's like two and a half hours probably. So you can go into all the details. What are the signs? What are the symptoms? What do I measure? What do I pay attention to? Like, how do I know it? And then what do I do about it? I'll try to condense it into just a couple of minutes.

It's like two and a half hours probably. So you can go into all the details. What are the signs? What are the symptoms? What do I measure? What do I pay attention to? Like, how do I know it? And then what do I do about it? I'll try to condense it into just a couple of minutes.

It's like two and a half hours probably. So you can go into all the details. What are the signs? What are the symptoms? What do I measure? What do I pay attention to? Like, how do I know it? And then what do I do about it? I'll try to condense it into just a couple of minutes.

Give me a one minute version of it.

Give me a one minute version of it.

Give me a one minute version of it.

In general, the reason for plateaus is lack of intentional progression. That is simply it. You don't have a plan for how you're going to add weight or reps or many ways you can do it. You just kind of are working. And sometimes you work really hard, but there's no intentional judicious plan of saying this is how we're going to get to that number. Second big thing that causes it is distraction.

In general, the reason for plateaus is lack of intentional progression. That is simply it. You don't have a plan for how you're going to add weight or reps or many ways you can do it. You just kind of are working. And sometimes you work really hard, but there's no intentional judicious plan of saying this is how we're going to get to that number. Second big thing that causes it is distraction.

In general, the reason for plateaus is lack of intentional progression. That is simply it. You don't have a plan for how you're going to add weight or reps or many ways you can do it. You just kind of are working. And sometimes you work really hard, but there's no intentional judicious plan of saying this is how we're going to get to that number. Second big thing that causes it is distraction.

And what I mean by that is you did that lift. Oh, and then also you popped into an extra Pilates class this week. And then you did that extra 16 mile hike. And you're like, okay, there's not enough energy reserves left to put the stressor in that intentional spot. And so the body just kind of recovered everything a little bit. There's no intentionality there.

And what I mean by that is you did that lift. Oh, and then also you popped into an extra Pilates class this week. And then you did that extra 16 mile hike. And you're like, okay, there's not enough energy reserves left to put the stressor in that intentional spot. And so the body just kind of recovered everything a little bit. There's no intentionality there.

And what I mean by that is you did that lift. Oh, and then also you popped into an extra Pilates class this week. And then you did that extra 16 mile hike. And you're like, okay, there's not enough energy reserves left to put the stressor in that intentional spot. And so the body just kind of recovered everything a little bit. There's no intentionality there.

You have to train something hard, hard-ish, and then not distract it with other adaptations and other things that deplete energy reserves. So if it's not that, those first two things, then the third big thing that it comes down to is are you making some grand limitation in the other big rocks? You just don't have enough calories. You're not getting enough protein.

You have to train something hard, hard-ish, and then not distract it with other adaptations and other things that deplete energy reserves. So if it's not that, those first two things, then the third big thing that it comes down to is are you making some grand limitation in the other big rocks? You just don't have enough calories. You're not getting enough protein.

You have to train something hard, hard-ish, and then not distract it with other adaptations and other things that deplete energy reserves. So if it's not that, those first two things, then the third big thing that it comes down to is are you making some grand limitation in the other big rocks? You just don't have enough calories. You're not getting enough protein.

You're having big limitations in your sleep or something like that. So if it's not the stress input, which is those first two, then it is the stress output side of it, which is you're not allowing enough recovery capacity to actually build any structural change. So as long as you're taking care of those big things, most people will go right past plateaus.