Changing up workout routines

Amwa77

I have been reading a lot of articles stating one should change their work out routine every 8-12 weeks. I have been doing the same workout for 12+ weeks and still seeing great results I think. My question is am missing out on better gains by not changing things up?

mmapags

If it's a good routine, no need to change until you are not getting results or are bored with it.

Amwa77

@mmapags Thanks for your input. It can be so confusing with all the information out there.

mmapags

Amwa77 wrote: »

@mmapags Thanks for your input. It can be so confusing with all the information out there.

Yes it can. The main thing to bear in mind is that the fitness industry is exactly that. They can't profit if you keep doing the same thing. I've been doing the same 4x per week upper/ lower split routine for more than a year. I modify it slightly from time to time to focus on certain things or to accomplish the same thing with a different exercise. But that is just to keep from getting bored mostly.

It is a really good, balanced and effective routine. I've deloaded a couple times on it and kept going. I'm still progressing...

Lolalikeslolagets

Well.. I know that deloads are important so maybe you could incorporate one every 6 or 8 weeks?

MT1134

To help put things into context a bit, I think it's important to understand that the fitness industry isn't the one telling you to change things up for progress just so they can make money. It's rooted in us as people that we need a progressive stimulus to grow.

The body responds to exercise by making the necessary adaptations for growth but the body will stop changing when it doesn't see a reason to change.

I'm not talking about random workouts from day to day but something more like just adding a little more weight every so often can be all you need or perhaps adding an additional set.

I wouldn't say change everything but just do something to make your body work a little harder than it's used to.

Example
Week 1: 3x10
Week 2: 4x10
Week 3: 5x10
Week 4: 4x10 (deload)

That's not an exact science. I'm just giving you a simple way to look at changing things.

There's thousands of ways to have variety without changing the bases of your program.

Justin_7272

There's an old adage; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

On the other side of the coin, you may be missing out on more beneficial/enjoyable exercises by staying on the same track.

Instead of dismantling your entire plan, maybe try incorporating/swapping in something new (one or two different lifts, exercises, etc.) in place of a current lift/exercise for a week or two and see how you like it. That way you keep what's working but add a little something to mix it up.

Amwa77

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the feed back. I will keep working on progressive over loads and add some extra booty work on leg days. I also read that you can change things up by shortening your rest times but lifting the same weight/reps. Any thoughts on that?

pierinifitness

I'm not a barbell or weight machine training type nowadays so am less likely to have a program sets and reps mentality. I do have several workouts that are part of my training rotation. They're all different despite being similar because I constantly change loads, recovery between rounds and pace when training.

A good friend, now deceased, American's greatest Olympic weightlifter Tommy Kono, frowned on programmed workouts because he said you never know how you're going to be or feel from day to day. He reckoned you didn't want to be boxed into a particular weight, set and rep scheme because that's what the program said you should do on a day. If he felt great, he'd go for greater load selections. If he felt no so great, he'd go lighter.