From 2000-2011, I was a fairly serious powerlifter, and the sport taught me more lessons about lifting and life than I can ever remember.
But one lesson has withstood the test of time – learning to love the plateau.
Now I know what you might be thinking:
“But Mike…isn’t a plateau just a point of stagnation? Or no progress?”
Which then makes me think of good old Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars…
“Yes…from a certain point of view.”
You see, from my first meet in December of 2000 to March of 2002, I squatted somewhere between 370 and 390 pounds at every meet I lifted in.
Now I don’t know about you, but if I’m training my ass off and really working to get better, 20 pounds over the course of 1.5-2 years doesn’t cut it – especially when I was just getting started!
But then I started to tweak my thought process and approach.
I realized that even though my progress wasn’t showing up on the platform (yet), I was putting in the work in the gym, and doing all the little things that would make me better over the long haul.
I figured out what squat stance and technique worked best for me (as well as what didn’t).
I created my Modified 5×5 squat routine, which gave me a perfect blend of stress and recovery.
And perhaps most importantly, it taught me how to really approach the squat as a craft – learning from masters like Brad Gillingham and Ed Coan about the intricacies of the lift.
And over the course of the next couple years, my squat numbers went through the roof.
418.
446.
474.
490.
515.
530.
Now anyone who is serious about powerlifting these days may not be impressed by those numbers, but that time and dedication taught me to think of a plateau as setting you up for the next big step forward.
Now let’s flip this around – how does this thought process apply to you?
Maybe it’s in the form of shedding pounds towards your weight loss goals.
Adding pounds to your big lifts.
Or seeing the kind of real progress you’ve always hoped for in your career.
Now there’s a key distinction that I need to make: Too often, people assume that it’s the plateau that’s the launching pad for success.
It’s not.
You see, you could plateau for one of two reasons:
- You’re working your butt off, logging the hours, and your body/life are getting ready for that next big step forward, OR
- You’ve hit that plateau because you aren’t really doing anything to move the needle forward, and instead, you’re just waiting for success (or dumb luck) to pick you up and pull you along for the ride.
This is a logical fallacy I see people make all the time – whether it’s in the gym, in rehab, or just in life, they think it’s simply time that drives success.
They assume that once X amount of time has gone by, they’re ready to unlock that next level.
For their progress to hockey stick.
But please, for the love of all that’s holy, please stop thinking like that!
The plateau itself isn’t magical – it’s all the hours upon hours of focused, hard work you’re stacking during that plateau that are setting you up for success.
So that’s it – that’s the message for today.
Put in the work.
Dedicate yourself to craft.
Work on getting better every single day.
And if it doesn’t happen as fast as you’d like?
Or you feel like you’re just treading water?
It’s easy…learn to love the plateau.
Because unlocking that next level of success is probably right around the corner!
All the best,
MR
P.S. – If you’re looking to unlock your next level of success, here are a few ways I can help you make that happen
1. The RTS Montana Workshop at Revo
Want to learn more about my assessment, program design and coaching process?
Want to learn in real-time, distraction-free, and with other awesome fitness pros?
And want to do it all in one weekend?
If so, be sure to check out my Montana Workshop where I’m going to give you the confidence you’ve always wanted as a coach.
2. The RTS Program Design Mentorship
Are you serious about upgrading your program design skills?
Want to learn how to put all the pieces together?
And are you looking to simplify your approach and make program design easy?
If so, this is the mentorship for you – click the link above to learn more.
3. My Unlocking Mobility FREE Masterclass
Want to learn how to unlock your body?
Improve your mobility and start feeling great again?
In this FREE masterclass, I’m going to show you why some people see great success with their mobility training – while others struggle for months or years with little to no progress.
