when I changeup my routine I "lose" strength

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rob_base
rob_base Posts: 97
in Fitness and Exercise
Here's what I mean

maybe I will do like 5 weeks of bench press for chest and will get heavy (for me benching 225 for 5 reps)

Than I will do 2 weeks of dumbbell presses (with the bench and weird angles - different angles than flat and the normal incline bench ) to change things up as people recommend

but then when I go back to normal bench press after this 2 weeks I can barely bench 22 for 2 or 3 reps

does that mean I am not pushing myself enough on the dumbells?

I have the same experience when I change things up and than change back also with leg presses, chin-ups, etc.....

Replies

  • rob_base
    rob_base Posts: 97
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    anyone?
  • judge69
    judge69 Posts: 13
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    i would think it works the same as exercising any particular muscle group, you need to keep the same exercise regime increasing bit by bit in order to improve
    with my running if i do hills for a few weeks they get easier, if i then run on flat no hills for weeks when i come back to the hills i struggle again. it uses a slightly different muscle group to run hills so on flats they don't get used and get weak again
  • Mayor_West
    Mayor_West Posts: 246 Member
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    maybe I will do like 5 weeks of bench press for chest and will get heavy (for me benching 225 for 5 reps)

    Than I will do 2 weeks of dumbbell presses (with the bench and weird angles - different angles than flat and the normal incline bench ) to change things up as people recommend

    I assume you mean that you're trying to buy into the whole "muscle confusion" thing, which for the most part is a myth. If you want to get a stronger bench, then bench. Same for your squat, deadlift, etc. There are TONS of programs out there for increasing strength and almost none of them require you to "change things up". Starting Strength, Stronglifts, 5/3/1all use varying forms of linear progression without any of this "muscle confusion" crap. I'd suggest following one of those programs and following it to the letter.
  • rob_base
    rob_base Posts: 97
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    any other ideas?
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    It's real simple - To get good at something, you have to practice it regularly.
    I have no problem with doing variations of exercises, but if you want to improve at something, you have to keep doing that exact movement. Otherwise it's like trying to improve a tennis serve by doing a volleyball serve. It's sorta similar, but not close enough to train the right skills.
  • rob_base
    rob_base Posts: 97
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    Ok but I guess the thing I don't get is I hear all these lifters talk about taking a week or 2 off once or twice a year and than they come back even stronger......for me I think this would be similar except I didn't take a break and it seems I come back weaker

    also when I do take a real break for 4 or 5 days I come back weaker...........
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    'changing things up' is as simple as adding more weight. you can just keep doing bench press - mabey add the other stuff as accessory exercises.

    OHP is good to add to compliment/balance your bench press also.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Training gains do not occur in a consistently linear pattern. It's more like a sawtooth with (hopefully) progressively higher peaks. What others have said is true: training gains are specific to the type of training being performed.

    However, there is also a limit to the "trainability" of individual muscle fibers. Because of that and the need for recovery, it can be beneficial to cycle through some different weight/rep combos and/or some alternate exercises. You will see a temporary decrease in performance in your "benchmark" numbers, but then reach higher "peak" numbers when you build back up.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Ok but I guess the thing I don't get is I hear all these lifters talk about taking a week or 2 off once or twice a year and than they come back even stronger...

    That's probably because they were over-training and weren't recovering fully between workouts. It happens with runners and other athletes too.
  • Buckeyt
    Buckeyt Posts: 473 Member
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    Ok but I guess the thing I don't get is I hear all these lifters talk about taking a week or 2 off once or twice a year and than they come back even stronger...

    That's probably because they were over-training and weren't recovering fully between workouts. It happens with runners and other athletes too.

    Exactly. Muscle grows during rest and recovery. If you over train you never give them time to repair and grow, they are in a constant state of breakdown.
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
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    Interesting, I've always heard/read about "muscle confusion" and thought it was a reality. What you guys are saying makes sense though. Learn something new everyday!

    I like the analogy of a sawtooth for gains rather than linear.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
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    different variations of exercises will sometimes only have limited carryover to each other.

    You may think dumbell bench pressing is the same as barbell bench pressing but it's not, you are in a slightly different position, the weights move over a different range of motion over a slightly different path and generally you can't use as much total weight.

    While it's true working on other variations can improve your main lifts you need to still train those lifts.

    Want to be good a barbell bench - then barbell bench
    want to be good at back squatting - then back squat

    you get the idea.
    It's real simple - To get good at something, you have to practice it regularly.
    I have no problem with doing variations of exercises, but if you want to improve at something, you have to keep doing that exact movement. Otherwise it's like trying to improve a tennis serve by doing a volleyball serve. It's sorta similar, but not close enough to train the right skills.

    didn't see this before I posted -- agree 100%

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