From Progress to Plateau - How to push through those sticking points

A simple but important (and timely?) message for you today.

I've worked in Sport & Fitness coaching for 16+ years now and I can tell you that every fitness and training journey has a few predictable phases.

At the start, everything works. You get stronger, fitter, sharper and more confident in a short space of time. You feel the results. You see the results. You start thinking, “Why didn’t I do this years ago?”

Then, at some point, the progress slows.

The question is, why?

You’re still showing up. You’re still working. But the jumps feel smaller. The numbers don’t climb the way they used to. The mirror looks the same. The weight on the bar feels the same. And your brain starts whispering, “Maybe this is as good as it gets.”

That phase is called the plateau.

Everyone hits it.

And most people fear it for no good reason.

A plateau isn’t a sign that your training has stopped working.

It’s a sign that your body has adapted to the work you’ve already done.

That means you’re ready for the next level - not stuck at the current one.
As I've said to you before - "What got you here, won't get you there...."

On that note - here are a few simple, practical ways to break through a sticking point and keep progress moving in the direction you want.

1. Tighten the basics before you add more complexity

Most plateaus happen because the basics drift. Sleep gets patchy. Protein dips. Water drops. Sessions get cut short. Intensity gets inconsistent. Before you change your whole plan, check the foundation. Small improvements at the base level often unlock big results again.

2. Add a little weight or a little effort - not both

Progress doesn’t always mean adding 10 kg to a lift. Sometimes it’s two extra reps. Or one more controlled eccentric. A pause. Or a cleaner set. Or higher focus. Slow progress is still progress. Pick one variable and push it gently.

3. Stop chasing novelty

Plateaus trick people into thinking they need a completely new training style. New exercises, new programmes, new everything. You don’t. You need consistency with small upgrades. The body gets better through repetition with intention, not randomness with enthusiasm.

4. Focus on strength, not soreness

A lot of people equate progress with feeling wrecked after a session. That isn’t progress, it’s punishment. If you want to break through a plateau, aim to get stronger, not sorer. Stronger lasts. Sore fades.

5. Train with proper intensity

A big reason people plateau is simply not training hard enough to keep adapting. This doesn’t mean wiping yourself or going to failure reps every set or week - hint: if you are 40+ you definitely shouldn't. It means honest effort. Leaving one or two reps in reserve. Moving the weight with purpose. Being present in the session rather than just attending it.

6. Look at your month or the last quarter - not your day or week

Instead of judging progress on one good week or one bad week, zoom out. If you trained 10 to 12 times this month, hit protein most days and slept reasonably well, you’re doing the right things. Breakthroughs happen when consistency stacks up, not when perfection or the old "all or nothing" approach rears it's head.

7. Ask for coaching feedback

A coach sees things you can’t see yourself - is it safe? is it effective? your grip, tempo, bracing, range, pacing, speed of the bar, intensity. A 30 second tweak can change everything. Sometimes the fastest way through a plateau is another set of eyes.

8. Accept that plateaus are part of the process

You don’t fail because progress slows. You fail when you stop doing the things that keep progress alive.
The truth is, most people never make it past the plateau stage because they assume it means something is wrong.

But for the people who push through it, it becomes the point where they build real, lasting strength and confidence.

If you’re a member, use this as a reminder to stay patient, stay curious and keep training with purpose. If you’re not a member and you’ve been stuck in the same cycle for a while - training hard but not seeing the change you want - These tips will hopefully help you to stay on track, stay focused and striving for consistency over time!

No matter what - Keep going!

David "Being strong isn't boring" Knowles
Gym owner
Coffee drinker
Almost 20 years coaching sport and fitness
Proud dad x5 amazing little humans
Wannabe musician still holding out for my big break