Use shock tactics

The body adapts quickly to its training environment, so if you do 5 sets of 8 every time you perform a particular exercise, you’ll get good at doing 5 sets of 8 and very little else.

One way to avoid that is by switching up how many reps you do per set. This is where progressive overloading comes in.

For the next workout, try lifting the same weight for more reps, for instance 4 sets of 10. For the next workout, you want to increase reps again while lifting the same weight – 3 sets of 12 reps, for instance. Then, you simply increase the weights, and follow the same principle in terms of sets and reps. Change things up to shock the muscles.

Fatten up

Use fat bars or fat grips to stimulate weaker links. The muscles in your hands and forearms are smaller and weaker than in your shoulder and back.

By using bigger grips, you will recruit and train these muscles, with the effect that when you go back to your normal lifts – with regular grips – they will feel easier.

Embrace change

Change your method. If you lift dumbbells and barbells, try strongman. If you do strongman, try Olympic rings. Or, if you use rings, try aerial silks. Such easy gains are to be had by trying something you aren’t practiced in.

Go grab the low-hanging fruit. You’ll be amazed at how different types of strength may transfer to help you progress your main focus in strength training.

To increase strength and size, the body needs be given a whole host of stimuli to allow it to continually adapt and progress.

That includes a power stimulus: your ability to overcome resistance in the shortest period of time (e.g. jumps and power cleans for 1-3 reps); a speed stimulus: your ability to move lower load for speed, generating fast muscle contractions (e.g. sprinting and barbell cycling; and a strength stimulus: your ability to overcome resistance to lift weight for a given amount of time or number of reps (e.g. a 3 to 5 to 10-rep max).

Increase instability by using earthquake bars, rhino flex bars or bamboo bars. Similar to using fat bars, these will stimulate the body to recruit different muscle fiber.

During the lifts, your actual loads might be lower, but when you switch back to a normal barbell it will be easier – especially good if you’ve hit a bit of a wall with your training.

Think about it

Visualization is a powerful technique to improve your lifting. By thinking how the lift feels and how you are going to move it helps the brain reinforce and improve neural connections.

Close your eyes, imagine what the bar feels like and what your perfect movement would be. Repeat, and mentally add weight to your bar.