Don't think this question has been brought up before...


I work out 3 or 4 times a week, with a typical weekly split looking like this:

Mon. Chest
Tues. Legs
Wed. Shoulders & Triceps
Fri: Back & Biceps


Now, whenever I hit a certain body part, I change up the exercises week by week. For example, monday #1, I'll do flat barbell bench, dumbell incline, and barbell decline. The following monday, I'll switch it up to dumbell flat, barbell incline, and a decline machine. Then the following monday, back to the schedule of #1.

For shoulders, I'll do dumbell presses, lateral raises, and upright rows one week, then a machine shoulder press, shrugs, and front raises the next, then back to the first weeks exercises.

Same thing for other body parts...you get the picture.

Now heres my question. Is this variation good? Or should I be more consistent? For example, should I be sticking with dumbell incline bench for a month or 2 or 3, then switching to barbell incline for another few months? Same question for the other body parts. Should I stick to preacher curls and standing dumbell curls for a while, then alternate to barbell curls and concentration curls? Is switching them on a weekly basis good, bad, or no difference?

I like the variation this method provides. It doesn't get repetitive, and maybe I'm working the muscle every way possible by switching exercises. But then I have this feeling that I might be stagnating and not improving my numbers as quickly by doing it this way.

Hopefully you guys understand my question and some of the knowledgable guys (ABreece, gavriil etc...) can chime in.

 

Anyone have thoughts on this?

 

I have no idea.

 

variation good

 

I like it. I did both with/without no variation and saw better results with variation.

 

Whever works for you..Me:
Monday - Cardio
Tuesday - Arms and Chest
Wednesday - Strength cardio (ex. ellipical at maxium resistance)
Thursday - Legs and waist
Friday - Spinning

 

Hey people i'm kinda new here, whats up


Variation is excellent for the muscles. Doing the same thing constantly will have your muscles getting bored with the same routine and end up not doing any real good. Also along with the variations increase weight too. my

 

Shoulders and back???

 

Included with arms and chest.

 

Variation is good, but maybe try to stick with one way for a month. Switch it up every other month. Or maybe go every other week.

In conclusion, variation is good.

 

split routine and variation is good. You dont want to work the same part more than once maybe twice a week (depending on how your body heals). You want to lift to fatigue. Your last rep should be the last rep you can physically do. If you are doing this (lifting heavy), you should have low reps, high sets.


Arms and chest...I would split the arms.

This may seem to split...but remember there are concentration and non concentration excerises. Target all areas of muscle.

Monday
Biceps
Forearms
Abs

Tues
Chest
Tris
Upperback
abs

Wednes
Cardio

Thurs
Shoulders
Legs
Lower Back
Abs

Fri
Cardio

Sat and Sun
OFF