I have read a fair bit recently about the need to switch some sort of variable in your workouts to further your gains and to stop yourself getting stale but how big do these changes need to be. can they be as small as just changing the order of the exercises you do, or the angle that you set your bench? .
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If so wouldnt it be possible just to progress using the exact same exercises and never changing them? just by altering the order they are done every few weeks or every session? ordo you really need to alter the workouts radically to get more out of it?
Norvegicus
When I am training…I tend to spend 3 weeks on 1 exercise before changing it completly…
Take Chest for example…I would do 3 X 8 reps on Bench Press 1 week…4 X 8 reps the 2nd week…and 5 X 8 reps the 3rd…
After the 3 weeks…I would then move onto Flyes OR Dumbbell Press and repeat the following pattern above…
After those 3 weeks…i would switch back…
It is also an idea to do Bench Press for a month…then change to Press Ups for a month…then to Dumbbell Press…then back to bench press…
The idea is to trick the body…around about a month I find for me personally…my gains tend to drop and I have to change otherwise it takes me 2 weeks to begin to see changes again.
It will be alot of trial and error as although the rule applies to all serious gainers…I have found that the length of time it takes differs between people.
Let me know how it goes though.
Many Thanks and Keep Lifting.
I agree with Premium.Fitness. I’ve found that 4-6 weeks is my tolerance limit. I injure easily from overuse if I go longer than that.
[quote]Norvegicus wrote:
If so wouldnt it be possible just to progress using the exact same exercises and never changing them? [/quote]
yes, at least for a while;if you are still progressing dont change anything; if you stop progressing; that is the time to change things up…Have you stopped progressing?
Additionally, you may not necessarily need to change one exercise for another to change things up. For example, you can alter your rep range from heavy (5 reps or lower) to light (8 to 12 reps) and this will give a different effect on your body even though you are doing the same exercise. There are a lot of ways to change things up; but if you are still progressing, why not just go with what is working.
It depends on the program. Leaning I can go 8-12 weeks before changing up. Building I modify workouts every 3-5 weeks.