14 replies to this topic

[ajdos]

Its been an interesting year- after a shitty off season and being in a perpetual state of inflammation and pain. I thought my bbing days may be drawing to an end- I made very little progress in the offseason- seemed like every time I got going something was hurting so bad I was sidelined again.
Then I decided to diet and I really new without the additional muscle gains from the offseason I would have to really be smarter and get by with less so to speak.
Well I was brainstorming and going back through mags, and posts and came across the article in MD- "mixed up is just right"
The article dealt with hammering the body with a new stimulus in order to get out of a rut.
Homeostasis is the bodies mechanism of adapting to stress in terms of bodybuilding and resistance training...homeostasis is a bitch in short.
It is the very mechanism that inhibits us from making gains indefinitely on the same program. Many of my friends who bodybuild run into this problem, as to have I many times.
We all fall in love with certain exercises and routines and we hammer away at them while watching a diminishing return of gains.
Whats the answer?
Changing it up. You can change the order of exercises for a given body part, you can do high reps, employ some intensity techniques, anything to make the stimulus unusual to the body.
The more the stimulus is new and unusual the more the body reacts as it did when you first started training and the gains were seemingly unending.
Now the trick is once you do change the program is to stick to it for a time, UNTIL it becomes old hat for the body and homeostasis is re achieved.
So it works, but not for long.

Here is an example of how I have changed up a workout recently for legs.

My last 4 weeks were Squat, Leg SLED, Leg Press, and extensions- ALL heavy with drop sets.
Last week I noticed it was stale as hell- I was strong but the workout sucked- so I decided then to change it up.
So today I went and did this.
Extensions 4 sets heavy-Squats set of 20 - set of 14 -set of 6 set of 2
Front squats-set of 17-set of 10-set of 2
and Leg Press- set of 25-set of 12-set of 8

I can tell you that my quads and glutes were on fire- it hurt to even sit between sets and the breathing was freakin intense- but Ill bet tommorow Ill be a crippled man.

So look over your routine and ask yourself what can I do to surprise my muscles- drop your ego and really think it over- what would be different- try it I believe that this is one of many of the pitfalls and keys to bodybuilding success and failure.

[Thinkbig]

WHATS A LEG SLED, SOMETHING YOU CALL THE HACK?

MOST GUYS I KNOW CALL THE LEG PRESS THE SLED, WHEN I SAW YOU LISTED BOTH LEG PRESS AND SLED, IT GOT ME WONDERING.

[ajdos]

WHATS A LEG SLED, SOMETHING YOU CALL THE HACK?

MOST GUYS I KNOW CALL THE LEG PRESS THE SLED, WHEN I SAW YOU LISTED BOTH LEG PRESS AND SLED, IT GOT ME WONDERING.

SLED IS 45 DEGREE PRESS HAS A MORE ARCING MOTION TO ME- JUST MY WAY OF DIFFERENTIATING THEM IN MY HEAD IS ALL- I THINK MOST CALL THEM BOTH LEG PRESS.

[Thinkbig]

AHHH, YEAH I SEE, I HAVE ALWAYS PREFFERED WHAT YOU REFER TO AS THE SLED.

[deadweight]

Good post man........!dw

[DGAF]

I switch my workout up every week. One week I will do all dumbell work and the next week I will do all machine work. I also switch up the order and the exercises. I will take an exercise out and put in a new one or start from the back and work forward. I just try to keep my muscles guessing so the dont become accustomed to the workout.



DGAF

[Kartel]

Great advice as usual bro.

I find that I mix things up alot. I tend to get bored with things really easily so i am changing my program very frequntly.

Sometimes I will even leave the gym completely and train GPP.I use my homemade sandbags(squats,lunges,cleans,toss,carries),sleds,tire flips.

My neighbours love watching me push my car up the street LOL

Once again great post bro thanks

Kartel

[juiced2damax]

Thanks for the post...I'm in a rut mentally and have not been training like I should be to grow...I will mimic your leg routine tomorrow or Wed.

[goal200]

This kinda message can't be bumped enuf....good post AJ

[piotr]

good post ... i never do the same workout twice in a row for any bodypart ... even if its a modification of just one exercise but still a modification nevertheless to keep things fresh

piotr

[MissKBuff]

Yes, I totally know what you mean. I am having to re-vamp my entire routine now as I hit a major plateau coming off my last cycle...

Here's to change, and a good healthy kick in the ass for the routine!

[diese1]

I try to change things up every 2-3 months. I'm also looking for different types of workouts for body parts.

At the moment I'm doing 50 reps of everything. Usually 2 sets of 15 then 2 sets of 10s to complete an exercise. 4 different exercises per body part, 4 day on and 1 day off, repeat. It's been a killer workout, especially doing deadlifts!

We should start a sticky for what type of workouts for what body part

For ex:

Shoulders -
DB shoulder press - 15x, 15x, 10x, 10x
Front DB raises - Same
Side Laterals(?) - Same
DB or Barbell shrugs - Same

Etc...

I love to know what other exercises I can switch up to for any body parts to incorporate into my workouts.
Mixing it up/shocking the muscles is the best way to go.

Good idea?

[bambam9193]

I think it's extremely important to switch things up often. I always change my exercises with each workout. But every 2-3 weeks I will change the reps I strive for. Lately I've been going 10-8-6-15 with each workout. It's been working really good for me. I've also started taking creatine again.
But sometimes I try to perform higher reps with each set using less weight. When I'm trying to get more lean I stick with the higher reps method sometimes even going as high as 20 reps per set. But then I have those days I burn out more quickly.
I used to think being female that higher reps was the way to go. But the last 2 years I've tried heavy weight and performing only 6 reps. I've never had a problem getting too big. The only thing I watch is my legs where I tend to perform more reps with less weight.

[Streetdawg]

great post!

Bodybuilding or Strength training: intensity - whether hi or low reps/weight etc over time is an issue as well that was being pointed out here. I tend to train intense for 10-12 wk cycles then go 4-6 wks low intensity. regardless of sets, reps wt etc. then repeat. in my case 10-12 weeks heavy in plotted out progression week by week on top sets of core movements & some de-loading every 4th week even (where you drop down for one week to 60% of volume or intensity overall) then 4-6 weeks lighter intensity on everything in general, less sets with less weight etc. the end goal for me is to get stronger every yr - yr after yr.

another factor so many do not take into account is what else is going on in your personal life. change in job, new kid at home, relationship issues, type of work you do daily, how much rest you get daily, diet etc. it all adds up together. diet/rest/training & then additional supplementation.

SD