June 2002

The question-of-the-month for June comes from David in Virginia, a 43 year old who wants to gain mass and get his weight to around 180-190.  He has reached a plateau and wants to know how to overcome it.  His question is:

Dear Mike:

I started back lifting 6 months ago after a 25 year layoff, gained 20 lbs. and seem to have leveled out at 143 lbs.  I have changed routines, eat like a horse and just seem to have leveled out.  Any insight you can give me to overcome this would be greatly appreciated.  HELP!  

Dear David:

Thank you for your question.  I'm glad you are getting back into training - it is never too late.

Without knowing your specific routine, I can only give general suggestions to help you overcome your plateau.  I also encountered plateaus in my many years of training, and these things always helped me.

Note: The following suggestions assume you are in good health.

1) Consume more calories.  Gaining weight is all just a matter of calories in, calories out.  If you aren't gaining weight, you must be burning off all the calories you are consuming.  Increase your calories by 500 per day.  Do this for a 2 to 3 week period.  If you start to gain weight, stay with that caloric increase (500).  However, if you don't gain any weight, add another 500 and repeat.  I also want to mention that when I say 'calories' I mean good calories - not cheeseburgers and cheesecake.  Even when you are trying to gain weight, you still need to give your body good, clean foods (grilled meats, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, pastas, vegetables, etc.).  You would then supplement your diet with a quality weight gainer protein powder like Champion's Heavyweight Gainer.  Remember, when you are in the gym, you are tearing down your muscle.  It is when you are resting and providing your body with quality nutrients, that your muscles are growing.  

2) Incorporate the 3 basic power movements into your workout.  Make sure you have heavy squats, heavy deadlifts, and heavy bench presses in your workout program.  These are the essential basic movements for gaining mass.

3) Stop cardio.  If you are doing cardio - stop!  When you are trying to gain mass or healthy weight, cardio can be a hindrance.  Your healthy diet should keep most of the body fat off.  (Note: When your goal is to gain weight, you may carry some bodyfat.  This is okay.  It is virtually impossible to gain weight and get 'ripped' at the same time).

4) Change your routine.  I have found that some plateaus are nothing more than a result of boredom in the gym.  Many people gravitate toward the same workout every time they go into the gym.  This is a big mistake.  It not only can lead to boredom, but it also does not stimulate the muscle as much as a variety of exercises would.   NEVER DO THE SAME WORKOUT!

5) Do not overtrain.  Most people, in fact, do overtrain.  Especially when they feel they aren't getting the results they want.  They then think they must not be doing enough so they start doing more sets and more reps.  They were probably overtraining to begin with!  Workouts should be short and intense, lasting approximately 45 minutes.  Even when I was getting ready for the Mr. Olympia, my weight training sessions lasted no more than this.

Good luck, David.  Give these things a try and I'm sure it will help you overcome your plateau.  Thanks again for your great question.

As always, don't forget to visit the Past Qs & As and my Training Tips section for more great tips and training info.

Until next month, train hard and stay healthy.

Mike Francois

Do you have a training question for Mike?  If so, visit our Ask Mike section and submit your question.

Note: Before embarking on any nutrition, supplementation, and/or training program, consult with your physician or other licensed health-care professional.