
For people who are just beginning a lifting regimen, gains will come easily. Going from a sedentary state to any level of activity will inevitably garner results, but after a few weeks your body will adapt to the workout routine and your gains will diminish. In the weightlifting community these stagnant times are known as plateaus, and without the proper course of action, a plateau can last for several weeks or even months.
One of the best exercise tips—and one of the easiest to implement—is simply keeping a journal for your lifting. You can use the journal to monitor your progress and identify when you are plateauing. When this occurs, it is a sign that you need to switch up something in your workout routine. This can be virtually anything—from what muscle groups you workout on which days, to the amount of reps you do per set or even what exercises you perform.