This plateau, which many experience in their training, is commonly referred to as a “sticking point.”

The first thing to consider is whether or not you’re over-training. If you’re constantly feeling tired, out of energy and not wanting to go to the gym, it’s time to back off for a little while. Check out your sleep habits. If you’re not getting at least 8 hours per night, you’ve probably discovered your problem.

Especially if your’e exercising, you need to get adequate rest for your body to recover and get ready for the next exercise session. If you truly feel you’re getting enough rest and still have the blahs, you’re definitely over-training and need to lay off for a week or two.

On the other hand, you might be one of those people that gets bored with the same old routine and needs frequent change to stay “fresh” and excited about going to the gym.

If you want a change, need to get past that “sticking point,” or are ready to come back after that all-needed rest, here are some possible ways to change your “old” workout:

If you were lifting heavy weights with few reps, radically change your tactic and shift to extremely lighter weights with lots of reps. A number of times I’ve done month-long training periods with sets of 75 to 100 reps. Talk about a shock to your body. You will probably lose strength, as I did, but that’s okay. (What’s a month?) The lighter weight and high rep scheme prepares your connective tissue (ligaments, tendons) to better handle heavier weight. In the long run, your body will benefit.

You can probably guess my next recommendation. If you were doing relatively light weight with sets of 20 or more reps, add on the weight. Cut down on the number of sets, use heavier weight and adopt a pyramid scheme. Your first set do 12, second set do 10, third set do 8 and fourth set do 10-12. Again, this is a very different feel for your body. It works!

Change the body-part order of your workout. There are various ways to work out that all have supportive reasoning. Here are some:

Push/Pull Theory – do all pushing movements one day and all pulling movements the next day. For example, work your back and biceps on the same day. The next workout do chest and triceps. The following workout do shoulders and/or legs.

Large Muscles/Small Muscles Theory – work your largest muscle groups on the same day. For example, work back and chest in the same workout. The next workout do arms. The next shoulders and/or legs.

Weakest Link First – work your weakest body part at the beginning of your workout when you have the most energy. If it’s your biceps, then blast them right at the start.

With these concepts as the basis for any workout scheme, you can come up with all kinds of variations when you vary the poundage, rep and set scheme, and exercise order. The variations are almost limitless, and you shouldn’t become bored. If you do, it’s your own fault.

Be sure that you have the following supplies:

•Bandages: Band aids of various sizes should be included. You should have tiny bandages, middle-sized bandages and even the big square ones. Large gauze bandages in various shapes and sizes should be included in your kit as well, as should a roll of gauze bandaging.

•Medical tape: Since it is made for use on skin, medical tape works very well when attaching gauze bandages to skin. It’s also useful when you have to tape together a fast finger splint.

•Antibiotic ointment: Normally these come in a tube, but sometimes they come in individual-sized packets. This ointment keeps germs out of the wound before application of the bandage. •Antibiotic ointment: Normally these come in a tube, but sometimes they come in individual-sized packets. This ointment keeps germs out of the wound before application of the bandage.

•Medical scissors: Normally these have dull tips so they can be used against skin without puncturing it, which is useful when you cut off a bandage. These will be helpful when cutting medical tape or bandages to the correct sizes.

•Alcohol wipes: It is possible to purchase these in individual packages. If wounds, scrapes or scratches need to be sterilized, these can be used for that purpose.

•Rubber gloves: It is always wise to play it safe. In case you have to handle bodily fluids, you should keep at least one pair of rubber gloves in your First Aid Kit.

•Tweezers: If thorns or splinters need removal, a good pair of tweezers is very helpful. A metal pair is preferable to a plastic pair.

•Sterile cotton pads: These normally come in individual packages. They are very helpful when wounds need to be cleaned.

•Instant cold pack: These can be purchased at any drugstore or pharmacy. Just use your fingers to snap them with or press them with your palm, and within seconds these plastic packages become a makeshift cold pack to help treat sprains and other injuries.

•Pain relievers: Keep a variety of these in your kit so that you have the right one when you need it. Include such things as aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

•First Aid manual: Even if you have training in first-aid or some other medical background, a manual should still be part of your First Aid Kit for possible use by a person without training.

Those are the items that should be included in each First Aid Kit. You may also want to include burn ointment, a flashlight and batteries, a CPR mask, safety pins, syringe, various little splints, Ace bandage, charcoal for toxins, bug bite treatment, blanket and thermometer.

Keep all your supplies in some type of vessel that is clearly labeled: “First Aid.” A well-stocked First Aid Kit should be kept in you home as well as in each vehicle that you utilize.