Started a new class but haven’t seen progress? Have you reached a plateau and are no longer seeing results like you once were? This can be discouraging and frustrating, and many times can lead to poor decision making like crash dieting, dangerous workouts or giving up. Take a look at a little Q and A with inBalance founder and creator, Hope Pedraza, says about what it means when your workout isn’t getting easier.
- What advice would you give to your class attendees who are struggling with improving?
First and foremost, a private session or 2 can really make a difference. Getting a little one on one attention from an instructor or trainer allows you to really focus on form, get instructions and cues for the correct form and the ability to ask questions. Many times this is all it takes; a little time to have someone look at you one on one and correcting so you feel yourself doing the correct form and gain more knowledge on correct muscle activation. - What are some reasons that class attendees might not see immediate improvement? Should they try a new workout? Try other workouts to increase their muscle?
Change doesn't happen overnight. As cliche as it sounds, it is true and many of us have to be reminded of that on the daily! Change takes time and commitment. So the first step should be to assess your goals and expectations. Losing 20 pounds in 90 days is a lofty goal and not realistic; set realistic goals before throwing out your workout routine entirely. If you have started a new workout and haven't seen results at all, chat with the trainer or instructor to make sure you are doing the movements correctly, or if they have recommendations on how you can challenge your body more. A good instructor can give variations for exercise in their class to make them more or less challenging and can help change things up. If you have reached a plateau and are no longer seeing results, that usually means you need to either change it up or amp it up. That might mean grabbing the heavier weights for class, moving a little faster in your circuit so you are getting in more reps, or maybe just changing up your workout and trying a new group class to keep your body guessing. The body learns how to adapt, so every 4-6 weeks you should evaluate your workouts and figure out ways to change it up with the weights, reps or just a new workout altogether. - Does not improving week over week necessarily mean you aren't improving? What are some ways of telling you are improving, even if you don't feel it's getting easier?
A week is far too short to find meaningful improvements in exercise. 3-4 week should give you a good idea of your body is getting stronger or you are improving. Even if it doesn't feel easier, another sign that you are improving is your recovery time; a quicker recovery can mean that your body is getting stronger and adapting well to your new exercise. And the best change of all of course, is finding that your clothes are fitting differently (in a good way!). - How can class attendees stay motivated and keep pushing through when a workout gets tough?
Looking around and knowing you are not in it alone is usually the key! A group class is a great motivating factor for people; misery loves company, right?! Also remind yourself how much good you are doing for your body. The results are always worth it. - What are some suggestions you have to your class attendees when they are struggling with a workout?
Stick it out! Power through and you will thank yourself on the other side. The feeling of accomplishment after a tough workout makes all the sweat, struggle, hurt and self doubt worth it. Own the struggle and walk out of class feeling empowered!