hi community I'm new here I am personal coach did it for more than 5 years wanted to say hello with a valuable post wish it to be helpful.
Plateaus rarely come from not doing enough. They come from doing too much of the wrong things especially when time is limited.
If you only have 3–4 hours per week, progress depends on precision, not volume.
What I see over and over with plateaued lifters:
- Too many junk sets that kill recovery
- No clear progression rules (just “train hard”)
- Adding more exercises instead of tightening structure
- Changing programs instead of fixing the bottleneck
What actually works when time is limited:
- Fewer exercises, executed with intent
- Clear rules for progression (what to add, when, and why)
- Removing low-return volume before adding anything
- Training that respects recovery as much as effort
When structure is right, progress becomes predictable again even with limited time.