Why You’re Plateaued and What We to Do About It

Let’s get one thing straight: Plateaus are a normal part of weightlifting.

But staying platued, isn’t.

You’re showing up, you’re training hard, your recovery is locked in and the numbers still aren’t moving. That’s not bad luck. That’s a sign something in your system needs to change. As coaches, this is where we come in.

We don’t guess. We assess.

Because plateaus aren’t random. They show up for a reason and once we know why, we can actually do something about it.


First, We Figure Out What’s Actually Holding You Back

When a lifter stalls, it’s usually because of one of two things:

1. You’ve hit a technical ceiling.

The way you currently move has maxed out its potential. You can’t load more until you clean it up.

2. You’ve hit a strength ceiling.

You’re moving well but you simply don’t have the physical strength and power to go heavier.

Most lifters try to train through it without knowing which one they’re stuck in. That’s where we start losing time and making noise without making progress.

So instead at MWBC we look at the actual data:

• What are the ratios between your Olympic lifts and Accessory Strength lifts.

• What is the gap between your full lifts and your powers, hangs, blocks.

• What percentage can you consistently hit on any given day.

• What your positions look like at 85–95% vs 100%.

• Whether you need a big peak or taper just to scrape your best numbers.
  

All of that tells us what kind of problem we’re dealing with—and how to actually fix it.

If It’s a Technical Ceiling: We Raise Your Movement Standard

You don’t get to muscle your way through sloppy lifts forever. At some point, the weight you want demands better movement.

So if you’re stepping every snatch, pressing out, jumping all over the platform or just needing the perfect playlist, perfect day, and perfect taper to make 90%—we’re not chasing more load yet.

We’re chasing repeatable quality.

What that looks like:

• Pauses, complexes, tempo reps, and positional work that force control, not just completion.

• Holding your receive like you mean it. No more saving lifts that shouldn’t have passed.

• Programming to build consistency at 85–90%, not just throwing darts at a max out every eight weeks.

It’s not sexy. But it works, because you don’t need a new PB. You need the capacity to hit your current ones consistently, cleanly, and under fatigue.

|If It’s a Strength Ceiling: We Build the Base

You’re moving well. You’ve got good positions. But the bar’s not going anywhere once we load up 100%.

Now it’s time to shift focus. This is where we stop pretending your Olympic lifts will magically improve with more drills and start training like someone who needs to get genuinely stronger.

What we do:

• Structure a strength-biased block that prioritises squatting, pulling, and pressing.

• Introduce hypertrophy or bodybuilding phases to give your joints and structure some muscle and support.

• Accept that, for a little while, your snatch and clean & jerk might feel flat—and be okay with that.

At MWBC we have coached lifters through months of strength work where their comp lifts barely moved then watched them add 5–10kg to their PBs once the base caught up.That’s long-term coaching. That’s what actually gets you somewhere.

Sometimes It’s Both—And That’s Fine

You might be cleaning close to your best front squat but also inconsistent in your technique. You might be strong and power but very messy.

It’s our job to figure out which needs the most attention, build a plan that addresses both, and stop wasting your time on stuff that isn’t helping.

Because plateaus don’t mean you’re not working hard. They just mean you’ve outgrown the system you were using.

And if you want to keep moving forward, you’ve got two choices:

• Keep pushing the same approach and hope it magically works next block.

• Or, look under the hood with a coach who actually knows what to look for.
  

Here’s What We Do at MWBC

We’ve coached beginner lifters to their first 50kg snatch. We’ve rebuilt national-level athletes to the podium after flat years with ZERO kilograms on their total. We’ve helped frustrated lifters finally break past that “one number” they’ve been chasing since 2021.

And we’ve done it by actually coaching. Not just writing programs. Not just adding volume. Not just crossing our fingers.

So if you’re plateaued?

We’re not worried. We’ve got systems for that.

If you’re ready to do the work to overcome your plateau, express interest here for working with an MWBC coach.

Coach Caity