3 Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Stronger

Hitting a plateau in your strength training journey can be frustrating. You're putting in the work, but the gains seem to have stalled. If you're wondering why you are not getting stronger, it's time to take a closer look at your training approach.

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Are you neglecting accessory work?

Why do accessory work in the first place?! It's what makes your weakest links in the chain stronger. When you feel little progress is being made on your main lifts. Start by giving the accessory work the same attention and effort as the main lifts. Gains will start to happen!

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Are you pushing yourself close to failure?

I like to use RIR (Rep in Reserve) to measure the exercise's stimulus.

When performing a main lift like a back squat on a max effort day, I would still keep 1-0.5 RIR, meaning I like to end on a good rep, thinking I might be able to do a little more but will keep it for the following week and not be greedy.

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Are you training both components of the Force Velocity Curve?

Equal work weekly training should include both Sub/max effort and Dynamic effort. Sub/max efforts are the heavy lifts where you work with loads above 85% of your 1RM. On the other end of the curve, we find speed. Here, we will use lighter loads anywhere between 30-70%. The focus is keeping the velocity of the bar high. On dynamic days, you want to add some plyometrics to your session.

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Final thoughts

Understanding why you are not getting stronger is the first step towards breaking through your plateau.

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By incorporating these three elements into your training routine - focusing on accessory work, pushing yourself appropriately close to failure, and balancing your training across the Force Velocity Curve - you can reignite your progress and continue to build strength. Remember, consistent and thoughtful training is key to long-term success in strength development.

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