Switching up exercise to confuse the muscles....help....

AdorablePanda
AdorablePanda Posts: 125 Member
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi fellow MFPers!
quick question. You know how we are suppose to change up our exercise routine so that we confuse our muscles and help to make the workouts stay effective? Well my question is...if I do a kickboxing DVD for example, if I switch to a different kickboxing DVD is that enough of a difference? or should I switch it up with zumba? or a completely different type of DVD?

Replies

  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    well, according to a couple of the instructors at the gym i go to, just a little change in routine can make a big difference....so im thinking that yeah, just a different dvd could help.
  • mlemonroe2
    mlemonroe2 Posts: 603
    i'd say change your workout completely. even if it's a different dvd, you are still using the same muscles if it's the same exercise. id go for zumba or something elce you've been wanting to try. i like leslie sansones walk at home dvd's. she does different moves that surprise your muscles. she's all about getting a better calorie burn for your buck! plus they are only like $10 a dvd.
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
    is the other kickboxing DVD more intense? Does it have moves you don't know yet and will have to figure out? Also pacing and duration would make a difference. I'm not an expert though haha but I was thinking the same thing when I went from P90X to P90X Plus, especially with the kenpo DVD and it's like doing a completely different work out from the original one even though there are similarities
  • truckie332
    truckie332 Posts: 11
    muscle confusion is just that, muscle confusion, so as long as you have some variety, for each muscle group, you should be fine, for example, if u do chest twice a week, on the bench, the next week just do bodyweight stuff, like pushups, and body flys, kickboxing and zumba are both excellent cardio workouts, but some resistance training , no matter if its, machines, body weight, or free weights, will optimize your results. the purpose of muscle confusion is to avoid plateaus.
  • blockhead922
    blockhead922 Posts: 23
    Well, I don't think you have to change it up every other day, I believe that as long as you're still feeling challenged the exercise is still effective.
  • bstamps12
    bstamps12 Posts: 1,184
    It depends how different the other kickboxing DVD is. I've never done kickboxing so I don't know the variety you can get from different DVDs. It's all about using muscles in different ways. I would suggest doing a Zumba or other dance workout DVD to switch it up from kickboxing. You will use lots of the same muscles, but in a different way. Just don't let your body get comfortable with a workout!
  • Harrar10
    Harrar10 Posts: 116
    Well, I don't think you have to change it up every other day, I believe that as long as you're still feeling challenged the exercise is still effective.

    I agree with this statement. I usually switch up my treadmill walk/run routine once I am able to get through it with minimal effort, that way i don't get used to it and I continue to constantly challenging myself. With my Abs, lower body, and upper body, I do the same routines but add more reps to each set every other week that way I am always pushing myself and leave the workout thinking Gosh that was" difficult!"
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    I would try something totally different. The point is to get your muscles doing something they aren't used to. A different dvd will add some change, but I'd try for something totally different to really get the most benefit out of it.

    I really really love Cathe's Intensity DVD - it's awesome!! Try searching collagevideo.com You can see a preview of all the dvds and tons of user reviews. And they break down all the videos so you know what to expect.
  • AdorablePanda
    AdorablePanda Posts: 125 Member
    Thanks guys! :-D Your comments have been very helpful.
  • AdorablePanda
    AdorablePanda Posts: 125 Member
    i'd say change your workout completely. even if it's a different dvd, you are still using the same muscles if it's the same exercise. id go for zumba or something elce you've been wanting to try. i like leslie sansones walk at home dvd's. she does different moves that surprise your muscles. she's all about getting a better calorie burn for your buck! plus they are only like $10 a dvd.

    I love Leslie Sasones walk at Home DVD. They are fantastic. I occasionally like to get various workout dvds from netflix though, just to keep it interesting. :-) I wasn't sure how often I should switch them out though...>.< But thanks again everybody.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    There is a difference between "varying your training intensity" and "muscle confusion".

    The concept of "muscle confusion" as it is expressed these days is mostly nonsense.

    Varying your training intensity is one of the foundational concepts of fitness training.

    If you want to keep workouts effective, combine endurance workouts, tempo workouts, and interval workouts in your routine. If you enjoy kickboxing, then choosing a different video that is more intense might be helpful. Or figuring out ways to increase the effort in the current routine (not a kickboxer, so I can't really provide specifics). One of the challenges with exercise classes is that the duration of different segments and the entire workout is fixed--it's hard to get the range of intensities that would really be beneficial.

    If you want to add an alternate activity, it's best to choose something that complements the current routine--uses opposite muscle groups, for example.

    If you want to go off in a completely different direction, that's fine too, but don't do it because you feel like you need to "confuse" your muscles. Randomly changing routines or changing them too often means you may never develop the skill necessary to perform at a higher level--a higher level that will REALLY make a difference in how effective your program is.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    There is a difference between "varying your training intensity" and "muscle confusion".

    The concept of "muscle confusion" as it is expressed these days is mostly nonsense.

    Varying your training intensity is one of the foundational concepts of fitness training.

    If you want to keep workouts effective, combine endurance workouts, tempo workouts, and interval workouts in your routine. If you enjoy kickboxing, then choosing a different video that is more intense might be helpful. Or figuring out ways to increase the effort in the current routine (not a kickboxer, so I can't really provide specifics). One of the challenges with exercise classes is that the duration of different segments and the entire workout is fixed--it's hard to get the range of intensities that would really be beneficial.

    If you want to add an alternate activity, it's best to choose something that complements the current routine--uses opposite muscle groups, for example.

    If you want to go off in a completely different direction, that's fine too, but don't do it because you feel like you need to "confuse" your muscles. Randomly changing routines or changing them too often means you may never develop the skill necessary to perform at a higher level--a higher level that will REALLY make a difference in how effective your program is.

    thankyou! :happy:
  • mideon_696
    mideon_696 Posts: 770 Member
    excellent post Azdak!!!!

    thanks here also!
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