No spoilers here (it’s been out for over two years, after all)—but there was this show called Ted Lasso. On paper, it had a pretty ridiculous premise: An American football coach with zero experience in soccer gets hired to manage a struggling English Premier League team, AFC Richmond. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right?

Crazy idea, sure. But that’s the whole point. The show isn’t about soccer—it’s about leadership, belief, and finding the best version of yourself, even when the odds (and an entire country of skeptical fans) are stacked against you.

And weirdly enough, that’s exactly how a plateau in the gym feels sometimes. You’re doing the work, showing up, and still getting nowhere—while that voice in your head (or imaginary British crowd) keeps calling you a wanker.

Here’s the thing: Ted Lasso didn’t just teach us about soccer (thankfully, because… well, he’s terrible at it). He taught us about resilience, curiosity, and small wins that add up to big changes—lessons that apply just as much in the gym as they do on the pitch.

Let’s dive into how to break through your fitness plateau—Lasso style.

🐾 1. Call in the Diamond Dogs (a.k.a. Your Support Crew)

In the show, whenever things got tough, Ted, Coach Beard, Roy Kent, and Higgins would huddle up for an emergency meeting of the Diamond Dogs—a no-judgment zone for sharing problems and brainstorming solutions (often with some weirdly insightful jokes thrown in).

You can do the same with your fitness journey by building your own support crew:

• Coach Beard (Consistency Guru): Reminds you that real progress isn’t always exciting—it’s built through relentless consistency. Just keep showing up.
• Roy Kent (The Tough Love Enforcer): Offers that no-nonsense reminder: “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t, everyone would do it.” Plateaus are part of the process—embrace the challenge.
• Higgins (The Encourager): Helps you recognise the wins that aren’t tied to numbers: better form, improved stamina, or even just showing up when you didn’t want to.

At Round 1, this could be your coaches, training partners, or even a playlist that pumps you up—whatever helps you push through when motivation dips.

✨ 2. The (GYM) Equivalent of a “Believe” Sign

In Richmond’s locker room, Ted sticks a bright yellow BELIEVE sign over the door—a constant reminder that belief isn’t just about results; it’s about trusting the process, even when things aren’t going your way.

You can create your own version of that sign:

• Write your goal on your bathroom mirror
• Set a reminder on your phone with a motivational quote
• Stick a note in your gym bag that says: “Show up today. The rest will follow.”

It’s not about cheesy self-help mantras—it’s about anchoring your mindset to something bigger than the frustration of a plateau. Because sometimes, just seeing a reminder that you believe is enough to get you through one more session.

📬 3. Set Up Your Own “Suggestion Box”

One of the show’s best moments comes when Ted, despite being heckled daily, sets up a suggestion box for the team. Most of the feedback? Pure insults. But one small, helpful comment leads to fixing a broken water pressure issue in the showers.  Which he immediately acts upon and shows his willingness to take on feedback (however unrelated to his primary role) and make things “BETTER”.

Lesson? Even when everything feels stuck, one small change can make a huge difference.

Instead of overhauling your routine, focus on one thing you can tweak today:

• If something “isn’t working” (like the pressure in the showers) – change it.  Get some new shoes, buys some new gloves, change the time you are training, add a recovery stretch, increase your weights, reduce your weights…seemingly irrelevant things can make a massive difference.

Be POSITIVE.  Small things can have a big impact…don’t get frustrated…move forward.

🥊 Final Thoughts: Plateaus Aren’t Punishments—They’re Progress

Ted’s biggest lesson isn’t about winning games—it’s about believing in yourself, staying curious, and trusting the process, even when you feel stuck. Plateaus aren’t signs of failure; they’re signs that your body is adapting and preparing for the next level of growth.

As Ted would say:

“Be curious, not judgmental.”

So build your Diamond Dogs crew, stick up your version of a BELIEVE sign, and don’t underestimate the power of one small change to shift your momentum.

Oh, and when in doubt? Hit something heavy. The boxing bag’s always waiting.

You’ve got this.