an unorthodox work out to screw with muscle memory?

[mylo]

i've been following the simple 4 days split

monday: back, biceps, and deadlifts
tuesday: rest
wednesday: chest, triceps, and general bench presses (incline, decline, and flat)
thursday: rest
friday: squats (on smith machine using a little chair, had my ACL reconstructed, so i try my best to slightly break the 90 degrees), leg work
saturday: abs & calves
sunday: rest

but i guess i've plateaued, so i'm planning on trying something different for a week and then switch back to the split above. basically an unorthodox split like:

monday: chest and back
tuesday: rest
wednesday: squats/leg work
thursday: rest
friday: general arm and shoulder work
saturday: abs & calves
sunday: rest

does this sound good?

[asooneyeonig]

bodybuilders it seems just like to change everything so often. i have a friend that just got done with a year of doing the same workout, 5/3/1 with the BBB assistant lifts. he added 50-100lbs on his major lifts and shed 100lbs of bodyfat.

he basically did the same thing a year and saw constant progress. the only thing that can be said for something different, or muscle confusion as bodybuilders put it, were extra workouts. yes in addition to not in place of. on sundays he started doing strongman workouts and did some highland games training. he is thinking of continuing with the base template but trying to hit weak links on his lifts for accessory work.

in other words if you like the movement split you have try other variations like changing percentages, rest, specific exercises, etc.

[SLW2]

I completely agree with the above post. The idea behind "muscle confusion" is really a myth that has been perpetuated by p90x. You dont confuse your muscles. They simply respond to the stimulus placed upon them. Just as the previous poster pointed out in his example of his friend doing the same thing for a year. I know someone you has been following the same program for 3 years and is still making progress just by varying the percentages he is working with.

[mylo]

thanks for the feedback guys. so i guess there's really no benefit to a change in work out?

i think i'll try it though, just to see if i get some better pumps. nothing pumps me up like working opposite muscles back to back, for example i LOVE doing one set of barbell curls and then one set of tricep pull downs over and over again.

that's basically what i'm going for with this split.

[asooneyeonig]

change is ok. its just be aware what you need to change and that this change will help you reach your goals. dont change cause someone said so. and change can be reps, sets, intensity, frequency, etc. not just exercises.

[mylo]

change is ok. its just be aware what you need to change and that this change will help you reach your goals. dont change cause someone said so. and change can be reps, sets, intensity, frequency, etc. not just exercises.

yeah when i started lifting my friend told me it's good to max out every day. well after i plateaued, i did my research and i found it's best to raise your % of max every week and do lower reps until you max then restart. i only max at the end of the month now and go back to high reps and it's helped me gain a LOT more muscle.

max deadlift:405
max squat: 365 (with ACL recon)
max bench press: 255 (which is my weak point :[)

i've only been lifting for a year and 2 months, and i'm basically just a little bit stronger than what i was before ACL reconstruction 6 months ago...