iron addict
New member
Want to know one of the top mistakes people make when lifting, and a prime factor of why people get “stuck” and don’t grow? It’s simply because they are “stuck” on doing the same things week in week out. Johnny average pours through the lifting magazines and online forums looking for the “perfect routine”. After much searching and confusion he is set, and know he has the routine of routines. The “one” that is going to set his gains on fire. And……it works! He is ecstatic! All his lifts are going up and he can just tell he’s getting bigger. But…..all of a sudden something is wrong, progress slows down and then stops. So, he plows on endlessly repeating the prior weight and reps of the previous session. What he doesn’t realize is that when he sees a lifters routine listed, it is what the guy is doing currently, not what he does always. There is a HUGE difference.
For most people, doing the same lifts, same rep ranges, and same format from week to week only works for between 4 and 16 weeks for most people, and in actuality its between 4 and 10 for MOST people. The body adapts fast and unless the loading is changed it will stop adapting to the same old thing FAST! Another common thing that keeps people progress stagnate is pet lifts. How many guys do you know that ALWAYS start out their chest workout with flat bench, their leg workout with squats, and back day with pull-downs or chins? Even if these guys change other aspects of their routines they start them off the same damn way every time. This is a surefire recipient for stagnation.
So what is the solution? Lets say you are doing a low volume routine like this for example:
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 3 x 6-8
Incline Press 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 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8
EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 2 x 10
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Three
Squats 3 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stiff-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Pull-Troughs, Glute/Ham Raises, or Reverse Hypers, 3 x 10
While it will likely work great, it will only work for a short while. These style routines allow great gains though because recruitment pattern gains are great because of the same lifts being done week in week out, but after not too long you will start to slow down and may actually start to go BACKWARDS. This is often because of the fact that your body will lose coordination of those same entrenched recruitment patterns. A simple way around it is to do something like:
Day one, week one
Dips 3 x 10
Incline Bench Press 3 x 6
Lateral Raise 4 x 10
Laying Tricep Extensions 3 x 8-10
Day two, week one
Wide Grip Pull-Down/Up 3 x 8
Chest Supported Row, or Barbell Row 3 x 8-10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Resistance Abs 3 x 10
Day three, week one
Squat 3 x 6-10
Leg Press 2 x 15
Good-Morning or Stiff-Legged Deadlift 2 x 8
Calf Raise RP 2 x 15/30
Day one, week two
Bench Press 3 x 6-10
Incline DB Press 2 x 10-12
Military Press 3 x 10
Tricep Pus-Downs 3 x 8-10
Day two, week two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Up 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Reverse Curl 2 x 10
Hanging Leg Raises
Day three, week two
Deadlift 1 x 8
Safety Squat, or hack squat, 2 x 6-10
Glute/Ham Raise 3 x 8
Leg Press Calf Raise
By merely adding one rotation of lifts (as you see the change each week) you will keep progress going much longer. You may also add a third rotation like DC does. This is one of the big reasons DC’s training is so effective and keeps producing gains. Definitely not the only one, but one nonetheless.
Other actively periodized systems like Westside Barbell use a conjugated periodized system whereby all max effort lifts change every 1-2 weeks, and accessory work every few weeks. I RARELY ever do the same workout twice. And you will find in looking at many of the top bodybuilders and powerlifters in the sport that they too often do the same. When you hear a bodybuilder say they train “instinctively” that is generally what they are talking about. They are referring to the fact that every day’s session is different and they go by feel. That approach is great for advanced lifters, but poor for those that don’t know their bodies well.
What if you want to make a simple single rotation routine work great? Simple, just don’t get too attached to it. When it quits working change either the stalled lifts right away, or revamp the whole workout. You can also pull out the micro plates and add ½ to 2 lbs and milk the routine for quite a long time like that. I prefer making changes. There are many, many ways to change the loading to get progress moving again, but I will cover that in another article.
Don’t get stuck on what you are doing and get yourself stuck!
Iron Addict
For most people, doing the same lifts, same rep ranges, and same format from week to week only works for between 4 and 16 weeks for most people, and in actuality its between 4 and 10 for MOST people. The body adapts fast and unless the loading is changed it will stop adapting to the same old thing FAST! Another common thing that keeps people progress stagnate is pet lifts. How many guys do you know that ALWAYS start out their chest workout with flat bench, their leg workout with squats, and back day with pull-downs or chins? Even if these guys change other aspects of their routines they start them off the same damn way every time. This is a surefire recipient for stagnation.
So what is the solution? Lets say you are doing a low volume routine like this for example:
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 3 x 6-8
Incline Press 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 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8
EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 2 x 10
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Three
Squats 3 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stiff-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Pull-Troughs, Glute/Ham Raises, or Reverse Hypers, 3 x 10
While it will likely work great, it will only work for a short while. These style routines allow great gains though because recruitment pattern gains are great because of the same lifts being done week in week out, but after not too long you will start to slow down and may actually start to go BACKWARDS. This is often because of the fact that your body will lose coordination of those same entrenched recruitment patterns. A simple way around it is to do something like:
Day one, week one
Dips 3 x 10
Incline Bench Press 3 x 6
Lateral Raise 4 x 10
Laying Tricep Extensions 3 x 8-10
Day two, week one
Wide Grip Pull-Down/Up 3 x 8
Chest Supported Row, or Barbell Row 3 x 8-10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Resistance Abs 3 x 10
Day three, week one
Squat 3 x 6-10
Leg Press 2 x 15
Good-Morning or Stiff-Legged Deadlift 2 x 8
Calf Raise RP 2 x 15/30
Day one, week two
Bench Press 3 x 6-10
Incline DB Press 2 x 10-12
Military Press 3 x 10
Tricep Pus-Downs 3 x 8-10
Day two, week two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Up 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Reverse Curl 2 x 10
Hanging Leg Raises
Day three, week two
Deadlift 1 x 8
Safety Squat, or hack squat, 2 x 6-10
Glute/Ham Raise 3 x 8
Leg Press Calf Raise
By merely adding one rotation of lifts (as you see the change each week) you will keep progress going much longer. You may also add a third rotation like DC does. This is one of the big reasons DC’s training is so effective and keeps producing gains. Definitely not the only one, but one nonetheless.
Other actively periodized systems like Westside Barbell use a conjugated periodized system whereby all max effort lifts change every 1-2 weeks, and accessory work every few weeks. I RARELY ever do the same workout twice. And you will find in looking at many of the top bodybuilders and powerlifters in the sport that they too often do the same. When you hear a bodybuilder say they train “instinctively” that is generally what they are talking about. They are referring to the fact that every day’s session is different and they go by feel. That approach is great for advanced lifters, but poor for those that don’t know their bodies well.
What if you want to make a simple single rotation routine work great? Simple, just don’t get too attached to it. When it quits working change either the stalled lifts right away, or revamp the whole workout. You can also pull out the micro plates and add ½ to 2 lbs and milk the routine for quite a long time like that. I prefer making changes. There are many, many ways to change the loading to get progress moving again, but I will cover that in another article.
Don’t get stuck on what you are doing and get yourself stuck!
Iron Addict
