Lets talk about plateaus

One of my goals for the last year has been to increase my bench press and my squat. I wrote down these specific goals. I wanted them so badly and I felt like I have been working really hard towards accomplishing these goals. Last week, I finally achieved my long- term squat goal that has taken me a year to reach. And let me tell you, I am still on cloud nine about that. It was a huge mental barrier for me and I finally broke through it. I can’t help but smile now just thinking about it  :)

My bench press on the other hand… I can’t really believe how much progress I have made towards my squat but not my bench? It completely baffles me. Every chest day I leave the gym feeling defeated and it just sucks. Chest used to be my favorite body part to work and now it makes me feel the worst about my progress and myself.

Leaving the gym today I thought about my goals. I thought about why is it that I cannot seem to reach this specific goal that I set for myself over a year ago. I sorted through a checklist in my head:

▪   Is my diet where it needs to be? Check.

▪   Are my workouts intense? Check.

▪   Am I tracking my progress? Check.

▪   Am I hitting my macros (specifically protein?) Check.

▪   Are my goals realistic? No.

When I first began squatting, I had a huge mental barrier. I was terrified of barbell squats for whatever reason and that was something I just had to overcome. I never doubted my strength for that. I knew my legs were strong. When I finally let go of my fear, my progress skyrocketed and I was through the moon. Chris even told me that I could have been doing that weight all along but I was just too afraid.

Bench press was something that I have always struggled with strength wise. My upper body needed a lot of work which I have worked hard on over the past two years. I have continued to progress and it has been hard work but it has been amazing. The past few weeks I have been stuck at the same spot. Today, I realized that I was setting myself up for failure with unrealistic goals. I have been comparing myself to someone else. I was using their goals as my own. I believe in having high expectations for yourself. But, I also believe that your expectations need to be set by you and you only. Your progress is your progress and I have come a looong way from barely being able to do a tricep extension with 5lbs to doing it with 50lbs. I needed to remember that my journey is MY journey.

So, here and now I am making a vow that I will not compare my progress to someone else’s progress anymore. Comparison really is the thief of joy!