Are you showing up for your workout no matter what? Are you lifting heavier and pushing your limits? If you nod yes to both of these and still do not get the expected results, you may need to shift your focus to other factors.
Just lifting heavy weights isn’t always enough to attain your fitness goals, especially if you are making other mistakes along the way. It may include taking creatine but not hydrating enough, a lack of nutrition, and a poor muscle-mind connection.
Let’s find what relates to you more and the ways you can improve your fitness journey.
Reasons Behind Not Getting the Right Results
By the time you understand the reason behind your paused progress, you have already invested most of your time. If the below-listed reasons resonate with you, overcome the challenges as suggested:
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Not Recovering Enough
When you lift heavy, it breaks your muscle fibres. These bounce back stronger when repaired well. If you don’t give your body enough time to recover well, you skip growth.
Here is what you can do:
- Sleep for 7-8 hours a day and get quality sleep.
- Muscles need enough time to rebuild themselves. You should plan rest days accordingly to avoid burnout.
- Go on walks or practice deep breathing to maintain cortisol levels and manage stress.
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Poor Diet and Nutrition Planning
You can’t push your limits without a proper diet. Running low on nutrition won’t fuel your body to lift to your potential.
Here is what you can do:
- Hit your protein goals for maximum muscle growth, as it supports muscle recovery and growth.
- Avoid skipping meals, mainly post-workout. It is the right time when your body absorbs nutrients.
- Go for simple diets, as you may not always keep up with fancy diets. This is where protein powder can save you some time.
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Repeating Workouts
Even if you are lifting but doing the same workout every week, it won’t make the cut. Your muscles adapt fast, so sticking to just one routine is not a good idea.
Here is what you can do:
- Increase reps, weight, and intensity in your workout over time.
- Your body can adapt to challenges. Mix your workouts every week.
- Try doing variations for every muscle group.
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Incorrect Form of Exercise
Many people believe in lifting heavy weights, but forget about the right form of exercise. Poor form of exercise might result in poor results with an increased risk of injuries.
Here is what you can do:
- Maintain the right form even if you lift heavy. If not so, consider deloading.
- Focus on the full range of motion for any exercise, as ego lifting might not lead you anywhere.
- If you do any variation for the first time, do it with the lightest weight to learn to make mind-muscle connections.
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Being Inconsistent
Lifting heavy weights a week is good, but skipping the next two or three may put an end to your efforts. It goes with your diet, too.
Here is what you can do:
- Be consistent every week with weightlifting and diet maintenance.
- Adapt to healthy habits each day.
- Keep your mind focused and motivated to show up every day.
Summing Up
Lifting heavy but not getting visible results is a common concern for many individuals. Your strength training is just one part of your fitness goals. Many underlying factors include poor diet, sleep, inconsistency, bad exercise form, and lifestyle habits.
Putting in some effort to manage your lifting process and balance your diet can pay off in the long run.
