Despondent about my lack of progress on my weights journey in gym

[Plateauwhy]

Just looking for some words of wisdom. I’ve exercised for 25+ years (mid-50s, post-menopause), moving from mostly cardio to bootcamps/HIIT, and for the past 2 years into more serious weight lifting.

I started barbell back squat, bench and deadlift (once a week each, plus accessories) and have followed a really solid 12-week block programme from an online coach for about 18 months now.

I’ve had good results. I’ve reversed osteopenia/osteoporosis scores, which was amazing, and I am stronger. But for most of this year I feel like I’ve plateaued. I just don’t feel strong anymore.

Current lifts (3–4 working sets building up):

• Deadlift: 67kg
• Bench: 35kg
• Back squat: 37kg

My squat form isn’t great—osteoarthritis and poor flexibility mean I lean too far forward. I’m thinking of going back to basics or switching to front-loaded.
But today my bench was particularly poor. I thought it might be not having a spotter, but even with one it felt off.

So, what’s going on? Diet is good (high protein), I eat a little before training, prioritise sleep, and train consistently 3x/week. I want to keep progressing, especially as bone health responds to load/progressive overload.

Do I need to reset? What would you change?

Thanks in advance.

Agree that a few PT sessions will help.

I’d maybe take a deload week too

Weight training needs a good amount of fuel too: I find eating before it really helps, happy to do cardio with nothing but weights need food!

Sounds like you’re doing brilliantly tbh, so do not despair!

You're welcome. Plateauing is normal after doing the same thing for ages.Switching programmes will help both physically and mentally. Start light, this will act as a deload and allow you to focus on good form and learning new movement patterns effectively. Make sure you are eating enough carbs before and immediately after training. Review your macros in general. I am in the middle of a PPL cycle at the moment and I'm seeing great results. A good one to follow is the Reddit PPL program. Wach session will start with a main compound lift followed by accessory work to build muscle.

It is normal for gains to slow down as you get stronger- it's still possible to make progress but it helps to add variety.

As a PT in training I'd suggest switching to a power focussed program for a bit - basically reduce your weights a little so you can move them much faster. You can get even more impact by doing an explosive concentric phase (worked muscle is shortening) and slow eccentric phase (worked muscle lengthening). For a squat that would mean lowering slowly and standing up almost like a jump. You could also experiment with different rep range/weight combos.

Getting some help with form is also useful - someone working with you hands on will be able to check your form and suggest adjustments or accessory exercises.

Will you keep getting stronger after a certain age though?
The OP already sounds massively fit but you arent going to be able to do the same in your 50s as you could do in your 20s surely?

Ah ok apologies I read your post half asleep this morning and thought you meant you’d only been doing it 12 weeks 🥴😆

I couldn't find the Reddit PPL program; are you able to link me, pls?

It's free on an app called Boostcamp. You can sign up for premium, but it's unnecessary. There are loads of other programs available for free on the app which can be tailored to your requirements. It'll track your training and progression nicely and is really easy to use.

Thanks so much, appreciate your swift reply!

You're welcome. It's technically a 6 day high volume program. I run it as: PPL rest repeat. If you can only workout 3 or 4 days a week don't worry too much, just cycle through it in order. Sometimes I need additional rest days, this is fine. Listen to your body as the fatigue can be real!

But it doesn't look free to me? It's free for 7 days, then £60 a year

It's free. Fiddle around with it. Can you type in the name of the program? There should be a way of cancelling the paid subscription prompt.

If you maxed out your potential strength in your 20s (maybe as a world class weight lifter) then decline from that point is probably inevitable. But most of us never get close to our full potential so there is always room to grow, and in most cases far more room than we think. Here's one inspiring example:

www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/fat-loss/a63067168/train-with-joan-strength-training/