How many of you follow a regular workout schedule? Monday legs, tues chest, etc…? I do each body part once a week. I like to mix up the days and exercises, quads and tris, back and calves and shoulders, chest and bi’s and hams. I work a staggered schedule and like to do quads on my day off. Do any of you think that push muscles should be worked together and pulls worked together? I’d like to think that by doing different exercises on different days and mixing body parts it keeps the muscles “guessing”. Also, I feel that I can work all parts equally hard instead of trying to do tris after heavy chest. What do you think? Am I thinking too much or not enough?
I am very consistent in what is done on what days, although I keep a journal and always change at least 2 exercises per body part lest I get in a rut. Weight and reps change about once every 4 weeks for no other reason then my journal has room for 4 workouts, then it’s a new page (scientific, I know!) This also keeps me setting new PR’s and keeps me motivated.
Of course I have my Favorites but I fear “adaptation” so some change is in order.
“He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery”
~ Harold Wilson
Your body will adapt to any type of program you do for an extended period of time. Your strategy of working one bodypart per week is flawed. It’s just not possible and the idea of thinking that you “can work all parts equally hard” is also not true. Though you might not be isolating a certain muscle group on one day, it will still receive work. For example, in a chin-up, mostly used to build the back, you are also training the biceps, grip, forearms.
My suggestion is to pair antagonistic muscle groups and prioritize according to your individual goals and needs.
For the first 1.5 years of my training, I couldn’t imagine the point in pairing anything but back/bi, chest/tri, and legs. Only within the last year have I started supersetting opposing muscle groups, to much success.
My routines aren’t constrained to 7 day splits. Seven is an inconvenient number; I respond best to 4 days of rest on the larger groups, so I’ve used a repeated 5 day split.
The real problem is forgetting all the great stuff I’ve used in the past. 5x5 routines have become so ingrained, it’s getting more difficult to think and accept outside the box.
DI
Weider Instinctive Training Principle
I have been doing The Oscillating Wave Program recently and I LOVE it!! Each workout is different. You never do the same rep range, tempo, or rest periods two workouts in a row!! I went through one whole cycle which is two weeks and I am going to complete two more cycles before moving on to another program. This particular program uses antagonizing muscle groups (chest/back, bi’s/tri’s, etc) and it is amazing! Give it a try, especially if you are the type who gets bored easily.