Why am I getting weaker? Where to go from here?

I've been in your shoes, friend. It's so frustrating to put in the hard work at the gym but not see the results you expect. Believe me, I get it - the plateau can feel like a brick wall, no matter how much you push. But the good news is, there are some key reasons this happens, and steps you can take to break through. The core issue is often that your body has adapted to your current training routine. When you first start lifting, simple changes stimulate muscle growth. But over time, your body gets used to the demands you place on it. So you need to constantly switch things up to keep challenging yourself and trigger new adaptations. One powerful framework is what we call "deload weeks" in our Plateau Breakthrough guide. Every 4-6 weeks, you purposefully reduce your training volume and intensity for 5-7 days. This gives your body a chance to recover and reset. Then when you ramp back up, you often see a surge in strength and size. Another key is to examine your nutrition. Make sure you're in a slight calorie surplus, with enough protein to support muscle growth. Many people underestimate how much fuel their body needs, especially when training hard. Tracking your intake for a couple weeks can illuminate any gaps. Finally, don't overlook the importance of sleep and stress management. When you're run down, your body diverts resources away from muscle building. Aim for 7-9 hours per night, and find ways to actively manage anxiety and tension. When you nail these fundamentals, you'll start to break free of that frustrating plateau. Before long, you'll be hitting new PRs and seeing the hard-earned changes in the mirror. Stay patient, trust the process, and know that the breakthrough is coming.