The #1 Workout To Break The Plateau And Lose Weight, Trainer Says

Have you officially plateaued? If you've been on your fitness journey for a while now and aren't seeing results on the scale, you've likely hit the dreaded plateau. Ugh! As aggravating as it may be considering how much hard work and time you've put into your fitness routine, know that you're not alone—this is actually pretty common. How do you break the plateau and lose weight, might you ask? Well, it all starts with establishing a calorie deficit.

In order to create the deficit, you can eat less, train harder, or combine the two. If you've already cut as many calories out of your diet as you can, then consider increasing the difficulty of your training. Lifting heavier and/or performing a greater amount of reps will help you achieve this. Another way is by rotating some of your movements around so that your body has new stress to adapt to. By forcing your body to work in a different, challenging way, you will torch even more calories and fat and ultimately break the plateau.

As far as workouts are concerned, I personally favor full-body workouts with a cardio conditioning finisher at the end. You get the best of both worlds—a strength session and aerobic work to cap things off.

If you want to break the plateau, this workout will help with exactly that. Check it out below, and next, be sure to read The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Barbell Back Squat

woman doing barbell squat in gym to break the plateau — Shutterstock

To perform the barbell back squat, begin by placing the bar comfortably on your upper back (not your neck). Grab the bar with both of your arms outside shoulder-width, making sure the bar is absolutely secure. Un-rack the bar, take two steps back, and stand tall. Tighten your core, push your hips back, and squat straight down until your hips are parallel to the floor before coming back up. Complete 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

Dumbbell Row

For this exercise, position yourself parallel to a bench so that one hand and knee are firmly planted on the surface for solid balance. Grip a dumbbell with your opposite hand and your arm extended straight down toward the floor. Then, pull the dumbbell up towards your hip, squeezing your lats and upper back at the very end of the movement. Straighten your arm back down, and get a nice stretch at the bottom before performing the next rep. Complete 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps for each arm.

Bulgarian Split Squat

Position the top of your foot or the ball of your foot up on a bench. Step out about 2 to 3 feet. When you're in position, lower yourself down under control while keeping the back knee bent as you descend. Drive through with your front heel to return to a standing position, and repeat. Perform 10 reps for each leg.

Feet Elevated Dumbbell Pushups

fit man feet elevated dumbbells pushup — Shutterstock

Place a pair of dumbbells in front of you, and position your feet on top of a stable surface. Keep your core tight, hips high, and chest tall, and lower your body under control, coming down until your chest is an inch or two above the ground. Then, push yourself back up, flexing your upper pecs and triceps to finish. Complete 3 sets of as many reps as you can.

Air Bike Sprints

man doing intense workout on air bike to lose spare tire fat — Shutterstock

Hop on an air bike at your gym, and grab the handles. Start with a simple interval workout by sprinting for 10 to 15 seconds, then cruising at a lower intensity for 30 to 40 seconds. Repeat for a total of 10 to 15 minutes.