Muscle Confusion

[technique88]

I wanted some opinions on my methods of training. First, I will state that in terms of strength I am content. I feel that I am very strong and my main focus is to better sculpt my body.

Changing things up seems to be a very important theme in weight lifting to induce muscle confusion. I have realized that I never keep things the same! Every time I step into the gym I do different types of exercises for each body part. Is this a bad thing? I am always doing different routines such as drop sets super sets low reps high reps etc. I know thy in terms of seekg individual lifts improving this isn't favored but like I said, I am happy with strength and am working on the sculpting part.

Thanks for everyone's input!

 

[BigShadow]

I wanted some opinions on my methods of training. First, I will state that in terms of strength I am content. I feel that I am very strong and my main focus is to better sculpt my body.

Changing things up seems to be a very important theme in weight lifting to induce muscle confusion. I have realized that I never keep things the same! Every time I step into the gym I do different types of exercises for each body part. Is this a bad thing? I am always doing different routines such as drop sets super sets low reps high reps etc. I know thy in terms of seekg individual lifts improving this isn't favored but like I said, I am happy with strength and am working on the sculpting part.

Thanks for everyone's input!

I know exactly what your talking about! For the last 5 years I've just been jumping around, mostly free weights and cables. But for the first 5 years that I trained I trained under a strict training session with barely a hint of deviation from it. I logged everything and always carried a stop watch to time rest, tempo etc. I think I really need to get back into a more set routine and run it for a couple months. I think I would see amazing results . Check out Lane Nortons PHAT! I'm thinking of going down this road.

 

[jimbuick]

I wanted some opinions on my methods of training. First, I will state that in terms of strength I am content. I feel that I am very strong and my main focus is to better sculpt my body.

Changing things up seems to be a very important theme in weight lifting to induce muscle confusion. I have realized that I never keep things the same! Every time I step into the gym I do different types of exercises for each body part. Is this a bad thing? I am always doing different routines such as drop sets super sets low reps high reps etc. I know thy in terms of seekg individual lifts improving this isn't favored but like I said, I am happy with strength and am working on the sculpting part.

Thanks for everyone's input!

My understanding is that muscle confusion is broscience. The moat efficient way would be to.use a.set routine and then change when gains stall, as opposed to whenever you feel like changing, this could be 8-12 weeks or it could be every 8-12 months but to keep with what's working until it doesn't work is generally the best way IMO.

 

[ThunderHumper]

muscles dont have brains they cant be confused, its totaly broscience mixed with marketing

the thing about changing your exercises is it forces your body to adapt to new forms of stress. if you were to repeat the same routine every single time u went to the gym, your body would adapt to those movements and become much better at doing them. changing them up forces different adaptations, and thus makes you feel more sore

 

[technique88]

My understanding is that muscle confusion is broscience. The moat efficient way would be to.use a.set routine and then change when gains stall, as opposed to whenever you feel like changing, this could be 8-12 weeks or it could be every 8-12 months but to keep with what's working until it doesn't work is generally the best way IMO.

The thing is, this works for me and very well to. Not to mention its fun. I was just looking or the opinions on whether I could be sculpting more efficiently if I stiick to some routines.

 

[ZiR RED]

I HATE the term muscle confusion. Its a term that was coined as a marketing ploy and now thrown around by inept trainers who haven't the slightest idea of how the body functions. Will you avoid plateaus more by switching around your training - yes. Is randomly switching things up the most efficient way to make progress - hell no.

It all comes down to action and reaction. You provide a stimulus (the training) the body reacts via some sort of alarm-resistance mechanism (adaptation) and you make progress. Eventually you provide the same stimulus for too long and you either bring about stagnation (a plateau) or exhaustion (over training).

If we look into the research and the writings of the greats, there appears to be a 3-4 week window of optimal adaptation before stagnation or exhaustion sets in. This is pretty wide spread, whether you look at eastern block periodization or westside, etc. 3-4 weeks appears to be how long you should stick with the same exercises and/or sets/reps scheme.

Now, the exercise professional has a plan, or a map, of what type of stimulus the workouts provide and how the body will adapt. He/she also knows how to use one adaptation to improve another desired adaptation. This is what you get in most of the well designed programs available (5/3/1, Phat, WS4SB, etc.). There's a method to the madness of "switching it up".

For what you are looking for, and by sculpting do you mean improving body comp? Then your weight training and conditioning are going to have to compliment each other, such that each phase of one improves the other, manifesting in a better overall physique.

Br

 

[Torobestia]

What Zir said, basically.