At any point in a person's fitness journey (even in aerialists), they may run into a fitness plateau. What is a fitness plateau? Healthline describes it as "a stage of progress that happens when your body gets used to the demands of your current fitness routine, which causes your progress to level out. If you reach a fitness plateau, you may not see results even though you’re maintaining your workouts." Why do plateaus happen? Healthline continues to state, "Repeating the same type of workouts, especially if they’re not challenging enough, can cause enthusiasm and motivation to wane, leading to a plateau. Workout plateaus can happen due to overtraining, insufficient recovery time, and burnout." Additionally, other causes are; ineffective training routines, not pushing yourself enough, not progressively overloading your muscles, having inconsistent training, having an unhealthy diet and lifestyle, or other lifestyle factors like lack of sleep, increased stress or lack of nutrition.
To work through the plateau, there are many things you can try. The first thing you can try is switching up your routine and/or trying something new. This can be a new class (perhaps try a class at FLY Circus and Aerial Arts!) and if you are a current aerialist and/or member, maybe it is training on a different apparatus. Second, think about periodizing your training plan. This technique "involves using training cycles and altering variables such as intensity, volume, and duration." Third, incorporate progressive overload techniques. You will need to "strategize ways to train more often, increase your weight load, or do more reps — or maybe even all three!!" When you do this, be sure to do this in a safe way to avoid injury or overtraining. Also, look at training with a professional such as the great coaches at Fly Circus and Aerial Arts. They "give you fresh ideas, insights, and feedback. Plus, they provide encouragement, motivation, and accountability." And above all, Rest, Relax, and Recover!!!
For additional information on Fitness Plateau's, you can also visit :
Written by: Coach Alicia Schroder
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