Adding a Little Variety to Your Weight Training Routine

If you've read any of my previous posts on weight training or ever trained with me, you might know that my approach to weight training is to increase build muscle mass and increase strength....period.  Over the years I've tried a lot of different approaches to training, yet what I have found to be the best bang for your buck training modality is low reps and high weight.  To go a step further, I combine 2 compound exercises with 2 auxiliary/isolating exercises for a total of 4 exercise per body part.  Each week I strive to bump the weight up a bit, at least on my last set of 4 reps.  I've religiously trained this way for the last several years and I am consistently putting on muscle and keeping my body fat percentage relatively low.  That isn't to say that I don't see a need in changing things up from time-to-time to stem new growth and to allow the mind a respite period from the week in and week out, heavy-as-you-can-go, style of training that I do and suggest.  So...... how can you go about spicing things up you say?  I say get creative.  You can do super-sets (such as curls followed immediately with triceps extensions or leg extensions immediately followed by hamstring curls, etc.), giant sets where you do 3 to 4 exercises back-to-back-to-back, or as I prefer doing, a week of high repetitions for each exercise, for each muscle group.  I throw these weeks of high reps in about once every 8-10 weeks or when my mind and body need a little something different.  After that week though, I am right back to heavy weight, low reps.  You could also switch up exercises (keep the 2 compound, 2 isolating movement approach though), work muscle groups together more than 1 time a week such as combining back and biceps on one day, the chest and triceps another, legs and shoulders on a third day and doing this for 6 workouts during a week period or something. 

Again, experiment around here and see what works best for you, but only change things up no more than every 8th week of training, and for no longer than a week at a time.  Sometimes we all need a break and even though most of us exercise fanatics are creatures of habit, you'll reap some serious benefits from changing up your game a little from time to time!


Stay Focused and Happy Training Y'all!!!!!