how often should you switch up a routine?

[logan]

Right now I'm doing a Max-Ot type of workout. I'm curious as to how often should you switch up a routine??? a friend of mine is saying 6 months!! to me this sounded like way too long!! I was thinking more along the lines of at least every 3 months, maybe even 2. Let me know what you guys think

cheers

 

[RobInKuwait]

Right now I'm doing a Max-Ot type of workout. I'm curious as to how often should you switch up a routine??? a friend of mine is saying 6 months!! to me this sounded like way too long!! I was thinking more along the lines of at least every 3 months, maybe even 2. Let me know what you guys think

cheers

I don't ussually change it based upon time. I change it when:

A. A bodypart is lagging. I then change my routine to give that bodypart more attention.

B. I stop getting results with the old routine, so I try new exercises to spark growth and break monotony.

If a routine is working fine and I keep getting results, I see no reason to change it.

With stuff like this, there is no golden rule of muscle growth, just a bunch of ideas that have worked for others in the past but may not work for you. Only you can figure out what works for you.

 

[CDB]

Right now I'm doing a Max-Ot type of workout. I'm curious as to how often should you switch up a routine??? a friend of mine is saying 6 months!! to me this sounded like way too long!! I was thinking more along the lines of at least every 3 months, maybe even 2. Let me know what you guys think
cheers

When you notice lagging body parts. There's a lot of nonsense out there about fooling muscles and such with different exercises and it's just that, nonsense. If you're not getting results from a routine there could be several reasons. One, you've hit a plateau of conditioning where you need to adjust the intensity and/or volume to overcome it. Two, certain muscles aren't getting effectively trained and are limiting and even holding up progress for the rest of your body. Three, not eating enough or enough of the right stuff to allow muscles to develop would lead to a plateau or even regression.

A muscle fiber contracts one way, the main and most important determiner of whether or not you're getting results is the load you're using and how much of it the muscle 'sees' and for how long. Switching exercises might give better results because you've shifted to an exercise that has a better balance of work between the target muscle and its synergists. CNS also comes into it but mainly in terms of strength.

Basically if the routine you're using is giving you results don't change it. If it isn't or stops giving results first find out why and then change it as needed to account for that reason. And of course that's all dependent on what your goals are.

 

[logan]

wow, great replies, thanks a lot guys. Yeah a have done one simple thing so far, I never feel my lats, I took pull downs out in favour of pull ups, and BAM!! did I feel my lats, and more of my back!, leg day is fine the weigth keeps going up, so I'm leaving that just the way it is. Chest and tricep day is the day that seems to be suffering the most. Not seeing as good of results as I hope to, things have slowed down.
I do:
barbell bench press: 3sets- 4-6 reps
Incline DB press: 2sets 4-6 reps
Incline flies: 1 set 4-6 reps
skull crushers: 2 sets 4-6

I really feel it during Incline DB press, not so much during the bench press. So what I'm thinking of doing is making Incline DB press my main chest exercise and do 3 sets.
That is for sure, the rest I'm a bit unsure, don't feel the triceps much either. Just not responding, any ideas???

my diet is really good, I'm eating 6 meals a day and getting lots of protein and carbs.
looking to build muscle size, as much as possible, that is the goal.
I'm 23, 6'4 and weigh 214lbs with around 14% bodyfat.

 

[CDB]

my diet is really good, I'm eating 6 meals a day and getting lots of protein and carbs.
looking to build muscle size, as much as possible, that is the goal.
I'm 23, 6'4 and weigh 214lbs with around 14% bodyfat.

Try and increase the weight as much as possible by at least 5%. As for your triceps try going for overhead extensions with a barbell or dumbbells, or close grip bench presses. Both seemed to hit my tris better than crushers.

 

[RobInKuwait]

Chest and tricep day is the day that seems to be suffering the most. Not seeing as good of results as I hope to, things have slowed down.
I do:
barbell bench press: 3sets- 4-6 reps
Incline DB press: 2sets 4-6 reps
Incline flies: 1 set 4-6 reps
skull crushers: 2 sets 4-6

DIPS. Dips are the shiznit. I found them to be the best overall mass builder. If theyre too easy with just bodyweight, then do some weighted dips.

 

[hypo]

Logan- Max OT recommends, if i remember correctly, somewhere around 7-9 sets total per muscle group. I interperet that to mean 7-9 for both tris and chest, even though most chest exercises incorporate the triceps. Maybe you need a few more sets? I would switch the flies with dips as well. Here's my workout, I seem to be making great progress...

Incline DB: 3x4-6
Flat Bench: 2x4-6
Dips: 2x4-6
Reverse grip bench: 3x4-6
Tricep Extensions 2x4-6
Skullcrushers: 2x4-6

 

[bigpetefox]

I may be the only one who doesn't go for these fad "routines".. I started powerlifting, and to a degree I still lift heavy on compounds.. My routine? Don't have one, I train what I want, when I want, if I have the energy to train that part..

 

[Chunky]

I'm switching program every 4 weeks. I change the tempo, the number of reps, the volume, the order of exercise every 4 weeks because I found lately that I plateau pretty fast, so I keep switching things up.

My program is split into 4 phases, targetting different kind of hypertrophy, also one phase is for strength gain.

 

[Skark]

I switch both exercises AND programs (rep ranges) every month. It doesn't have anything to do with "shocking" the muscles, but I want to attack things from different angles. Here are my 3 chest workouts:

#1
Flat BP with DBs
Flat Flyes

#2
Incline Smith machine BPs
Decline Poliquin grip Flyes
Crossovers

#3
Decline Smith BPs
Incline Flyes
Incline Crossovers