"Changing up" your exercises

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iceycoldhot
iceycoldhot Posts: 72 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know they say your body gets used to the same exercises and it becomes less effective. Well when I weight train, I always do deadlifts, squats and lunges. Does this mean my body will "get used to" these moves and it will no longer benefit me as much?

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  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
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    Not if you're on a linear progression workout program.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    No. Unless you are using the same weight & reps every time. That whole "muscle confusion" thing is ridiculous
  • Ironmaiden4life
    Ironmaiden4life Posts: 422 Member
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    ^^^ what they said
  • fivelongmiles
    fivelongmiles Posts: 54 Member
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    I've been dancing for 25 years and it still works, so... ;)
  • iceycoldhot
    iceycoldhot Posts: 72 Member
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    Thanks soo much. I really hate the 'muscle confusion' stuff too. My thing was if I still feel like it's hard work, how could it not be working? Yes it takes me quite a while to increase my weights but it still kills me when I do it so I assume I am doing something right.

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I have the same concerns. The only exercise I do is walking. At least 10 miles everyday. I don't think I could squeeze in any more..
  • mauriscool
    mauriscool Posts: 8 Member
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    Your body will get use to the movements but as long as you have some sort of progressive overload then you won't plateau. This could be increase in reps, weights, sets or shorter rest breaks
  • Drewlssix
    Drewlssix Posts: 272 Member
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    iceycoldhot wrote: »
    Thanks soo much. I really hate the 'muscle confusion' stuff too. My thing was if I still feel like it's hard work, how could it not be working? Yes it takes me quite a while to increase my weights but it still kills me when I do it so I assume I am doing something right.

    It's all psychological, we have been taught to expect certain things and sound advice has consistently been distorted and misrepresented. I used to change my exercises constantly and identify "burn" as a sign of effectiveness.

    Do you log your progression? And can you share your routines? The assumption you stated leads me to believe you are following some less than ideal processes.

    The fact that your progression is "killing" you points to a process I'm more and more convinced is pretty much wrong.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Does this also count for walking? Do I have to keep walking more and more every week?
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
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    christinev297 wrote: »
    Does this also count for walking? Do I have to keep walking more and more every week?

    I've jogged the same 2 miles on my treadmill for years but I try to change it up. I do one minute sprints interspersed. Then a 2 minute one once in awhile. Maybe you could add in some fast walking?

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    fiddletime wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    Does this also count for walking? Do I have to keep walking more and more every week?

    I've jogged the same 2 miles on my treadmill for years but I try to change it up. I do one minute sprints interspersed. Then a 2 minute one once in awhile. Maybe you could add in some fast walking?

    yeah, I was thinking of adding in sprints here and there. It's pretty much the only thing I can think of..

  • Drewlssix
    Drewlssix Posts: 272 Member
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    christinev297 wrote: »
    Does this also count for walking? Do I have to keep walking more and more every week?

    If you want to progress yes, or alter some other aspect of the exercise. Just like with calories if you simy stick to a set number you will eventually reach an equilibrium. That's not bad so to speak, just know that walking the same loop at the same pace/intensity will eventually become just maintenance.
  • iceycoldhot
    iceycoldhot Posts: 72 Member
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    Drewlssix wrote: »
    iceycoldhot wrote: »
    Thanks soo much. I really hate the 'muscle confusion' stuff too. My thing was if I still feel like it's hard work, how could it not be working? Yes it takes me quite a while to increase my weights but it still kills me when I do it so I assume I am doing something right.

    It's all psychological, we have been taught to expect certain things and sound advice has consistently been distorted and misrepresented. I used to change my exercises constantly and identify "burn" as a sign of effectiveness.

    Do you log your progression? And can you share your routines? The assumption you stated leads me to believe you are following some less than ideal processes.

    The fact that your progression is "killing" you points to a process I'm more and more convinced is pretty much wrong.

    When I said "kills me" I meant it kicks my *kitten*. I push myself and lift heavy despite people claiming females shouldn't lift heavy. It wasn't meant in a negative way
  • dlm7507
    dlm7507 Posts: 237 Member
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    Has nothing to do with muscle confusion, but as you get more efficient at an exercise is becomes less effective. If your progress stalls you might want to change something. Assuming that you do push, pull, hinge, squat and carry, you could change exercises within a class; bench to overhead press, pullup to rowing, deadlift to swing, back squat to front squat, etc. Not forever, the basics are the foundation for us all, but a routine change can be good. Weights, to a bodyweight season, or a sandbag season, etc. Again, it has nothing to do with confusion.
  • Drewlssix
    Drewlssix Posts: 272 Member
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    iceycoldhot wrote: »
    Drewlssix wrote: »
    iceycoldhot wrote: »
    Thanks soo much. I really hate the 'muscle confusion' stuff too. My thing was if I still feel like it's hard work, how could it not be working? Yes it takes me quite a while to increase my weights but it still kills me when I do it so I assume I am doing something right.

    It's all psychological, we have been taught to expect certain things and sound advice has consistently been distorted and misrepresented. I used to change my exercises constantly and identify "burn" as a sign of effectiveness.

    Do you log your progression? And can you share your routines? The assumption you stated leads me to believe you are following some less than ideal processes.

    The fact that your progression is "killing" you points to a process I'm more and more convinced is pretty much wrong.

    When I said "kills me" I meant it kicks my *kitten*. I push myself and lift heavy despite people claiming females shouldn't lift heavy. It wasn't meant in a negative way

    Ah, understood. I thought you were referring to DOMS and judging progress based on how sore you got. That's how I grew up exercising and I quit countless times because I would progress to the point that achieving DOMS every time was difficult and I was convinced I was failing.

    I have been on a bit of a crusade against these flawed ideas wherever I find them lol.
  • Drewlssix
    Drewlssix Posts: 272 Member
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    dlm7507 wrote: »
    Has nothing to do with muscle confusion, but as you get more efficient at an exercise is becomes less effective. If your progress stalls you might want to change something. Assuming that you do push, pull, hinge, squat and carry, you could change exercises within a class; bench to overhead press, pullup to rowing, deadlift to swing, back squat to front squat, etc. Not forever, the basics are the foundation for us all, but a routine change can be good. Weights, to a bodyweight season, or a sandbag season, etc. Again, it has nothing to do with confusion.

    How do you figure they become less effective? How are you measuring effectiveness?

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