Programming Strategies Overcoming Plateaus

You are here: Home » Cardio » Education » Programming Strategies Overcoming Plateaus

When you first began your cardio program your body was unfamiliar with the movements and intensities; however due to thegeneral adaptationsyndrome it is no longer an amateur.  It is time to present new challenges to you body.  Congratulations!  This is a good thing if corrected ASAP.  If you continue with the same activities that are not working, your metabolism will plateau and progress will not occur.

My Professional Experiences With Weight Loss Plateaus

The name of the game is “keep it random and progressive.”  I have had a hand full of clients in the past who lost 20-50 pounds in several months time but then hit a plateau.  The plateau on set because the client had tremendous ambition to obtain their goal; they performed nothing but high intensity workouts while eating minimal calories.  Performing resistance training with me three days a week, taking spinning class, medium intensity cardio class, and working hard on the cardio equipment.  This activity is commendable, but in the long run ineffective.  Low intensity recovery is MANDITORY!  The typical cardio or aerobic class will act as the medium intensity day.

The overcoming plateaus cardio program consists of 3 intensities:

Day 1 overcoming plateaus- low intensity day:

You will never leave zone one for recovery purposes.  The goal is to increase your cardio strength while primarily burning calories from body fat.

Suggested Time: 30 minutes of cardio

Day 2 overcoming plateaus- medium intensity day:

you have the option of doing a group exercise class or the cardio routine posted.  The goal is to keep you in zone 2 while increasing the variety of movements performed and their duration.  It is preferred you use different pieces of equipment  every 5 minutes so if you are exercising on cardio equipment it is recommend you change it up every 5 minutes.

Suggested Time: 30-60 minutes of endurance

Day 3 overcoming plateaus- high intensity day:

With weight loss programs the goal is to increase the metabolism, like day 2 cross training is preferred.  You will spend the majority of your time in zone 2 with the occasional spike into zone 3, up to a minute at a time.

Suggested Time: 30-45 minutes of cardio on a bike or stair machine

Course Directory:

Beginning: Introduction To Cardio Respiratory Fitness 101

Lesson 1: The purpose of cardiorespiratory training

Lesson 2: Primary cardiorespiratory measurements

Lesson 3: The two energy systems: aerobic and anaerobic

Lesson 4: Heart rate training zones

Lesson 5: Interval training using personal heart rate training zones

Lesson 6: Cardiorespiratory assessments used to determine an appropriate stage for you

Lesson 7: Cardiorespiratory program design (choose the one that matches your goal):

• Cardiorespiratory programming strategies for weight loss
• Cardiorespiratory programming strategies for overcoming plateaus
• Cardiorespiratory programming strategies for weight gain