Routine time length

[jimm]

How long do you guys usually stick to a routine for I'm thinking 3-6 months?

I've just started a new routine and it's going good so far just wondering how long people woul reccomend to stick to it before switching it up again!!?

 

[Cork]

I used to prescribe to Poliquin's "every 4-6 weeks you have to change", but I ran 531 for 2 years before I changed. "Don't fix what isn't broken" has become my motto.

 

[Dath]

For myself I switch up my routine up after 6 wks give or take a week either way.
Certain lifts flat bench, military presses, deadlifts, squats are always in the mix even with a variation.
I do it for a couple reasons...helps keep things fresh and new to me, I don't get bored but just like change. The main focus of changing routines, reps for me is to stimulate different muscle fibers and not become accustom to the same 4-6 lifts in a giving chest or leg routine.

 

[jasoncohenrn]

i really think it depends on what you are trying to achieve results wise I can see chanaging your routine everyday to create that muscle confusion

 

[Tuco]

I change up my workout every week. By change I mean different grips, handles, routine of movements. Never do I have a workout consecutively the same.

 

[caaraa]

For myself I switch up my routine up after 6 wks give or take a week either way.

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

How long do you guys usually stick to a routine for I'm thinking 3-6 months?

I've just started a new routine and it's going good so far just wondering how long people woul reccomend to stick to it before switching it up again!!?

How Long

3-6 months is too long to stick with a program.

You need to make changes about every 3-4 weeks.

Non-Linear Periodization

The traditional method in the past was to stick with a routine/program for long periods of time. While it worked, Non-Linear Periodization has demonstrated to be more effective.

Non-Linear means you make changes more often. How often you change things up is something you need to experiment with.

I've make great gains over the last two decades by chaning my program up every three weeks. If things are going well, I will push it to a fourth week...but never more than that.

Kenny Croxdale

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

I used to prescribe to Poliquin's "every 4-6 weeks you have to change", but I ran 531 for 2 years before I changed. "Don't fix what isn't broken" has become my motto.

The 5/3/1 Non-Linear Periodizaton Program

Actually, you do change your program up weekly by chaning your repetitions.

On your fourth week, you drop the weight back down and restart. You drop the weight and increase the repetititions.

While you program appear the same, changing the repetitions each week make it different.

Kenny Croxdale

 

[Sabrina21]

The main focus of changing routines, reps for me is to stimulate different muscle fibers and not become accustom to the same 4-6 lifts in a giving chest or leg routine.

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[jimm]

How Long

3-6 months is too long to stick with a program.

You need to make changes about every 3-4 weeks.

Non-Linear Periodization

The traditional method in the past was to stick with a routine/program for long periods of time. While it worked, Non-Linear Periodization has demonstrated to be more effective.

Non-Linear means you make changes more often. How often you change things up is something you need to experiment with.

I've make great gains over the last two decades by chaning my program up every three weeks. If things are going well, I will push it to a fourth week...but never more than that.

Kenny Croxdale

cheers kenny taken on board mate.


well ive just started a push/pull routine its my first time doing it..

i was stuck in a rut with the old back n bis chest tris type of routine.

what im doing now is very different to how ive trained befoe for instance on my heavy days im doing 8x3 and on the light days 4x6 or 2x12.

its going good so far i really love the heavy days.

so lets say after 4 weeks i was to "switch it up" could i still stick with the push/pull princables but change the exercises and maybe the rep ranges?

Or should i do something different?

 

[Snarff]

What is the consensus as regards folk who are on a cut for say 16 - 20 weeks, or unfortunately maybe longer ? lol

As far as I'm aware, there isn't as much scope for switching up routines (I.e Rep / Set Count) as the aim is to keep the weight on the bar in order to retain as much muscle as possible while cutting

Dropping the weight to push out more reps (eg 3 x 8 rather than 5 x 5) wouldn't apply here would it, or how do you suggest changing routine while cutting ?

Thanks

 

[jimm]

What is the consensus as regards folk who are on a cut for say 16 - 20 weeks, or unfortunately maybe longer ? lol

As far as I'm aware, there isn't as much scope for switching up routines (I.e Rep / Set Count) as the aim is to keep the weight on the bar in order to retain as much muscle as possible while cutting

Dropping the weight to push out more reps (eg 3 x 8 rather than 5 x 5) wouldn't apply here would it, or how do you suggest changing routine while cutting ?

Thanks

my consensus would be to start your own thread. bro.

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

cheers kenny taken on board mate.


well ive just started a push/pull routine its my first time doing it..

i was stuck in a rut with the old back n bis chest tris type of routine.

what im doing now is very different to how ive trained befoe for instance on my heavy days im doing 8x3 and on the light days 4x6 or 2x12.

its going good so far i really love the heavy days.

so lets say after 4 weeks i was to "switch it up" could i still stick with the push/pull princables but change the exercises and maybe the rep ranges?

Or should i do something different?

"Switch It Up"

Pretty much anything you are doing will work.

Example: Wide Grip Bench Press to Narrow Grip Bench

Even keeping the same exercise and changing your grip spacing will make the exercise something different.

Ice Cream

Think of an exercise as ice cream.

Let's say the wide grip bench press is strawberry.

The narrow grip bench press is chocolate.

Same Food, Different Flavor

Ice cream is ice cream, but strawberry is different from chocolate.

Changing your grip width and foot spacing in an exercise will make it a different exericise.

Reps, Sets, Rest Periods, Etc

Anything changes make it different.

Kenny Croxdale

 

[jimm]

^^ thanks kenny

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

What is the consensus as regards folk who are on a cut for say 16 - 20 weeks, or unfortunately maybe longer ? lol

As far as I'm aware, there isn't as much scope for switching up routines (I.e Rep / Set Count) as the aim is to keep the weight on the bar in order to retain as much muscle as possible while cutting.

Retaining Muscle

The goal of every training program is to maintaining and/or increasing muscle mass.

Non-Linear Periodization

That is what "Switching up routines" is all about.

Cutting

That means Non-Linear Periodization works for cutting, too.

Dropping the weight to push out more reps (eg 3 x 8 rather than 5 x 5) wouldn't apply here would it, or how do you suggest changing routine while cutting ?

Conjunctive Training

Non-Linear Periodization promotes Conjunctive Training. Conjunctive Training combines different type of strength training in one program.

Olympic Lifters

These are the poster children for Conjunctive Training. They combine power movements (Olympic Lifts) with strength training exercises (squats, shoulder press', deadlifts, etc).

Weekly Non-Linear Program

One of the recommendations is to mix up your training days during the week.

Example:

Monday-Hypertrophy (8-12 reps with rest periods of about 2 minutes)

Wednesday-Endurance (15 rep range with rest periods of 30-60 seconds)

Friday-Strength (1-5 reps with 3 minute plus rest periods)

Length of Non-Linear Training Program

Like everything, there are some different perspectives on this.

Larry Scott, 1st Mr Olympic

Larry Scott changed up his exercises, sets, and reps every work out.

Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky

Vladimir (Science & Practice of Strength Training) prefers Non-Linear program last about three weeks. Ironically, I have used that templet for since the 1990.

General Adaptation Syndrome, Hans Selye

This is the foundation of all Periodization Training Programs. Joe Weider recoined the phrase to "Muscle Confusion" and tatooed his name on Selye's work.

As a side note, most of the "Weider Principles" are ideas he stole from someone else and claimed as his.

Adaptation

At some point, the body will adapt to any exercise program. When it does that, progress stops.

Overtraining

Continuing with the same program too long lead to overtraining.

More Frequent Program Changes

Chaning your program more often allow you to recover and then push your limits.

Warm Up Sets, Warm Up Weeks

Think of each week as a warm up set for the next week. The goal is to pepare youself for your max all out week.

My Non-Linear Periodization Cycle

As I've mentioned, I run a three week cycle. Here is how the intensity of each week is broken down.

Week 1--Easy

Week 2--Moderate

Week 3--All out, push it to the limit.

Week 4 = Week 1.

This is an easy week. A week of recovery and perparation for Week 2, Moderate workout.

Cutting

You especially need to write a program that contains recovery weeks for cutting.

It is hard enough to recover when you "grazing".

It is EVEN HARDER to recover when you have a "Caloric Deficit Diet".

Research shows that part of the problem with "Calorid Deficit Diets" is that testosterone levels drop.

Kenny Croxdale

 

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