After only SIX times?

farmgirlsuz
farmgirlsuz Posts: 351 Member
edited December 24 in Fitness and Exercise
So they just said on "The Biggest Loser" that if you have done the same exercises for six times your body has adapted to it and you aren't getting the most out of your work out anymore and you should switch it up. REALLY???? Wow-i had no idea after only SIX workouts you need to change it up. I thought it would be more like a couple of months.

Heck-I can't come up with one decent routine and now i have to switch it up every six times!

Replies

  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    You might want to research that a little more before accepting it as fact - just a thought.
  • crobl
    crobl Posts: 380
    personally, I think that's a bit of an over-exaggeration, but there is some truths to it.

    Think about it....if you've been doing bicep curls, 3 sets of 6, with 15 pound weights for six days - you're not making any progress really. You need to continually challenge your body, whether you increase weight/reps or something along those lines.

    But yes...you're body eventually becomes adapted to a routine - sometimes something as simple as changing the order of your exercises is change enough!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    TBL is a cool, motivating show and all, but no one should use anything from it as actual workout advice.
  • camiah
    camiah Posts: 146
    That sounds odd.. I've always heard more like six weeks or so. But that might just be the length of time it takes to plateau. I suppose that some adaptation, ,at very minor levels, can occur within six workout sessions, but it may not be significant enough to worry about.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    For running it is six weeks. After that you need to increase the intensity or volume.
  • angeldaae
    angeldaae Posts: 348 Member
    They say that because they want to sell you a new workout DVD as soon as humanly possible.
  • camiah
    camiah Posts: 146
    They say that because they want to sell you a new workout DVD as soon as humanly possible.

    This.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    I think it sounds about right. Maybe more than six but not much. I have done my cardio kick boxing class for 3 weeks. My calorie burn is already lower!! I am already needing to kick up the intensity.
  • BOLO4Hagtha
    BOLO4Hagtha Posts: 396 Member
    I have heard Chris Powell from Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition say this too. It might be true, but I get bored easily so I try to do something different each day.
  • Susan_Marie67
    Susan_Marie67 Posts: 23 Member
    They say that because they want to sell you a new workout DVD as soon as humanly possible.



    BINGO!
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
    So they just said on "The Biggest Loser" that if you have done the same exercises for six times your body has adapted to it and you aren't getting the most out of your work out anymore and you should switch it up. REALLY???? Wow-i had no idea after only SIX workouts you need to change it up. I thought it would be more like a couple of months.

    Heck-I can't come up with one decent routine and now i have to switch it up every six times!

    Absolutely NOT true. Your body adapts to the load quickly but you can do the same exercise for weeks as long as you are always increasing the weight. You can also change up the rep/sets every few weeks while doing the same exercises. I recommend giving any good program about 12 weeks before changing.
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
    personally, I think that's a bit of an over-exaggeration, but there is some truths to it.

    Think about it....if you've been doing bicep curls, 3 sets of 6, with 15 pound weights for six days - you're not making any progress really. You need to continually challenge your body, whether you increase weight/reps or something along those lines.

    But yes...you're body eventually becomes adapted to a routine - sometimes something as simple as changing the order of your exercises is change enough!

    Yes, you should be increasing weight every workout. The last few reps should always be a struggle. And changing rep/set scheme also helps.
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
    Yup! They said it on Extreme Makeover: Weightloss Edition last night too! Crazy huh?
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
    I'm pretty sure it is every 6 WEEKS that you should change up your routine, not just because your body is used to it, but you probably start getting bored with it. I know it took at least that long for my body to not ache constantly when I started biking last year.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    I believe the OP is talking about 6 workouts with exactly the same loading parameters, not the same workout with different weights, sets, reps, etc.

    I seriously doubt there is a magic number of times you can do exactly the same workout before it stops working that will apply for everyone, but I would say, in general, 6 is a good estimate. When your body has grown accustomed to doing a certain amount of work, that amount of work no longer serves you in the same way that it did initially. You'll still get some benefit from the activity, but you're no longer going to see any noticeable IMPROVEMENT.
  • teez52
    teez52 Posts: 104 Member
    That sounds like a whole lot of "broscience" to me. Ask most professional athletes and you find that they have been doing a very similar workout for most of their lives. If you get bored, mix things up, but I'm willing to bet that unless you are a professional model, athlete or bodybuilder, that statement won't ever become a reality for you.

    Also, like was said before they need you to believe them so they can sell you a new book of workouts or a new DVD.
  • Romans624
    Romans624 Posts: 822
    I think if it is getting easy for you, then that is what you should go by.

    I have done several times worth of workout dvds (not 6 days in a row yet) but they are all still hard to me. When it gets easier, I'll push myself harder. When that gets easier, I'll do something else or a hybrid. So I think they may be stretching the truth, but that's just my opinion :)

    Of course you will get used to a basic workout that is shorter or easier faster than one that is more difficult, and longer for you.
  • snlperdue93
    snlperdue93 Posts: 210 Member
    So they just said on "The Biggest Loser" that if you have done the same exercises for six times your body has adapted to it and you aren't getting the most out of your work out anymore and you should switch it up. REALLY???? Wow-i had no idea after only SIX workouts you need to change it up. I thought it would be more like a couple of months.

    Heck-I can't come up with one decent routine and now i have to switch it up every six times!

    I have heard that from several different people as well. That's why I like Jillian's Body Revolution because it rotates workouts so you never have to worry about getting used to something.
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    My understanding is that you have to switch up most workouts after 6 weeks (not six times).
  • jpoulsen2
    jpoulsen2 Posts: 65 Member
    Now that I have a HRM I find I burn fewer calories if I do the same work out two or three days in a row. I think my mind knows what's coming and tells my body not to work as hard, allows me to slack off a little bit because I'm familiar with the routine. I like switching it up and doing something different as often as possible for this reason. Might be worth throwing on a HRM and seeing if you have a similar result?
  • Blaineyyy
    Blaineyyy Posts: 151 Member
    You'll never do the exact same workout everyday anyway. You work at different paces and probably work a variety of muscles more than you did the previous day. Don't take this so literally. :)
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