Slowing and Plateauing Print E-mail


After an initial growth spurt the human body gives a smaller and smaller response to the same training - a kind of "physique law" of diminishing returns. Your physique does not continue to respond to training in the same manner as it once did. If so, you would see people with muscular 30-inch arms and 75-inch chests, with the ability to bench press well over 1000 pounds. But the body slows down and eventually plateaus. The body will react enough to handle a certain physical challenge, but not more. The body is very effective and only gives enough increase to meet, not exceed, the need. What this means is that if you start a training session, bench pressing 200 pounds for 10 repetitions, your body will respond by making the chest stronger and bigger. This happens as the body is shocked and the muscles are challenged beyond the level that they had been previously challenged. For the next several workouts the body will give some positive response. However, after a certain period, the body will downgrade the response to a maintenance level. That is, the continual use of the same weight and repetition range will cease to produce progressive growth in the physique. This is the reason why free-hand exercises such as pushups are limited in the development that they can produce. They use only the bodyweight, and after a period of time that ceases to be progressive. To get beyond a growth plateau, weight training is necessary and heavier weights need to be progressively employed.

Lee Labrada states, "You have to increase resistance in order to gain." More resistance means heavier weights and higher intensity. Arnold Schwarzenegger says that unless you use heavy strength training, you will never achieve a first-class physique. Roland Cziurlok trains with an "energy level that is swelling over like a current of raw electricity. What people have to understand is that Roland does the same exercises as the next bodybuilder. The difference is his intensity." In addition to intensity is a heavier weight load. That is how you stimulate the body to new levels -heavier weight, and higher intensity. Additionally, more focus needs to be placed on the supporting factors within bodybuilding.

Bill Pearl points out that in order to make continual gains you have to pay closer attention to your diet and the sleep that you get. In the upcoming chapters we are going to take a look at exactly how to use specific weight training for massive muscle increases, along with the other elements necessary for supporting that weight training.


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