Fixed format routines

iron addict

New member
Fixed format routines

This should be a sticky as it is a primary reason many peoples training is so irregular and SLOW. A very common way to put together a training routine is to select the desired lifts and perform them each week, hopefully with ever increasing poundage’s. For simplicity sake I will use an example of a very low volume routine done three days a week:

Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 3 x 6-8

Incline Press, or incline Fly 3 x 10-12

Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 3 x 6-8

Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2 x 10-12


Day Two:

Pull-Up 3 sets

Barbell Row 3 x 8

EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 3 x 10

Heavy Abs 3 x 10


Day Three

Squats 3 x 10

Leg presses 2 x 10

Stiff-Legged Deadlift 2 x 10

Pull-Troughs, Glute/Ham Raises, or Reverse Hypers 2 x 10

The trainee starts using a routine such as this where the lifts are the same every week, and if the volume, frequency and diet are matched to the trainee he begins to get progressively stronger each week. He is thrilled! And…….very shortly, usually within 4 12 weeks, it QUITS working. He is absolutely dumbfounded and often quickly loses interest and momentum with his training. Often he will change the rep range, diet, or just add some more lifts, and while that approach works sometimes, it’s usually lacking. What happened? Simple, the body adapted to the now familiar workload and quit responding.
At that point in time the trainee needs to TOTALLY revamp the loading parameters. But…most people are locked into the same old familiar things and are also locked into slow progress because of it. Almost everyone thinks they MUST do benches every week and squats every week, and….well, you know those lifts you MUST do. Well you don’t have to—that simple, you can switch up to lifts that are similar, and will help build strength in those core lifts without doing them. Westside Barbell, DC’s system, and many other systems rotate the lifts on a regular, if not every week basis, and these system slow or stop the body from adapting to them by keeping the body guessing by constantly manipulating the workload.

Bottom line is that if you are doing a non-rotational program that has a fixed format every week you need to TOTALLY change it up when it quits working, or switch to a system that rotates the lifts very frequently. Failure to do this is one of the prime reason for lifting failures.

Iron Addict
 
yea, simply put: plan
something like:
4-6 wks of squats & flat bench, increase lifts every week. keep one day for heavy and one day for speed
now take a week (or 2) of deload
4-6 wks of deads & maybe incline bench, similarly increase lifts every week (heavy day)
a wk (or 2) of deload
no repeat the squat & flat bench thing, but this time, reset your weights from wk1 so that it's lower than your heaviest of the prev cycle, increase till you eventually lift more in the last week than in the previous cycle. repeat this for incline bench/deads.
 
bros and seniors,

i know this is an old post but i read thru and wanted to ask what's your views on; training each bodypart thrice per week? or training one body part once per week? presuming i am on gear..

i read chris hart recommend thrice per week for beginners on gear.. elsewhere my source tells me one bodypart per week.. man i am doped with too much info.. any training gurus here pls do share your knowledge and experience..
 
no one can tell you the answer to that....your body is unique in what it can handle...and your diet will dictate what your body can recover from.....as well as the routine your doing thrice a week.
 
Ya I try to change it up but maybe I'm not doing it enough. I did P90X that was kind of based on this, but I didn't really feel that the changes were THAT big between 3 week cycles of a certain routine.

I seem to have responded best with fully body workouts with compound exercises. I have been told this naturally raises testosterone levels by engaging as many muscles as possible so maybe this is why.

Anybody know a good website to find out routines and specific exercises? I just moved home a couple days ago after graduating and my motivation is non-existent right now.
 
Especially exercises are the most effective with easiest procedures to lose weight and for stay fit always. peoples have to be done exercises regularly .So personal trainers are making certain routines for every weeks to regulate it sincerely which Will be definitely increase everyone's strength and capability to prepare for new techniques. Fixed routines are the better steps for doing it regularly.
 
Our Say Hello Blog Post ?

Greetings I truly are can't wait to commence being an active one in the site cheers personal financial planner ...
 
So so true, its one of the easiest things to get stuck in the same routine. you get great results for a while, you think you've found something that works for you, and you stick with it....

I just completely changed my routine and results so far are promising.
 
My taste for cigars and my workouts have been in a rut.... thanks for the pist and to this site.... i am getting alot of knowledge...... i do not think i will be stuck in the mid 220s for much longer.
 
no one can tell you the answer to that....your body is unique in what it can handle...and your diet will dictate what your body can recover from.....as well as the routine your doing thrice a week.
 
Back
Top