Do you fear legs day at the gym? Have you mastered perfect technique and mobility, but you still can’t seem to improve your squat game?
There is a good chance you’ve hit a plateau despite your best efforts. It’s time to consider these three strategies to help you break through that barrier to boost your performance.
You’ll fall back in love with legs day in no time at all.
1. Strengthen Supporting Muscles
Even with flawless technique and mobility, your squat performance may be held back by the strength of supporting muscles. You should aim to focus on:
- Glutes and Hamstrings: Strengthen these crucial muscles with Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, and glute bridges to enhance your overall squat power.
- Core: Improve core stability with exercises such as planks, Russian twists, and hanging leg raises to better support heavy lifts.
- Quadriceps: Build quad strength with front squats, lunges, and leg presses to ensure they contribute effectively during squats.
2. Incorporate Variations
Adding different squat variations to your workout routine can stimulate muscle growth, and avoid your muscles becoming accustomed to the same movement.
- Box Squats: Use a box or bench to practice depth and explosive power from the bottom of the squat.
- Pause Squats: Incorporate pauses at the bottom of the squat to build strength and control, which can also help with heavier weights.
- Goblet Squats: Holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of you helps reinforce good form, as well as targeting your quads and core.
3. Focus on Recovery, Nutrition, and Rest
Recovery and nutrition are critical for overcoming a plateau.
- Recovery: Ensure you’re allowing enough rest between intense squat sessions to avoid overtraining. Use rest days and active recovery methods, for example, stretching or foam rolling.
- Nutrition: Consume adequate protein to support muscle repair and growth, and maintain a balanced diet. A calorific surplus provides the extra energy and nutrients needed to fuel intense strength training, supporting muscle repair and growth, and enhancing overall performance and recovery.
- Sleep: Prioritise 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night to support muscle recovery, as well as your overall performance.
Is it time to switch up your workouts? Do you need help in breaking through a plateau at the gym?
Elite Fit Bali members can grab themselves a complimentary personal training session with Rey by collecting a voucher from reception. Get them before they are gone!