One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received in my
training is that sometimes the best program you can follow is the one you’re
not following. In my 10+ years working
in a commercial gym environment, almost daily I’ll watch gym-goers come in and
drudge through the exact same routine, time and time again. To the point where I can predict exactly what
they’re going to do next, at what speed on the treadmill, with what amount of
weights, for how many reps, for how long, etc. Now, some are happy to do this and feel
satisfied with maintaining their level of health and fitness. More power to these individuals. However, there are many that expect different
results from doing the same thing in the gym each week. To this group of hopefuls I say, it’s time to
wake up and smell the change! You can’t
expect to see progress when you don’t progress your efforts. Change needs to occur to see change in your
health and fitness. You can’t transform
your body unless you transform your workouts (and diet). It’s time to get some serious results, in the
simplest way possible.
I’ll speak to this concept with some specific styles of
exercise, but the reality is that this can apply to anyone and any style. Whether you train like a bodybuilder, power
lifter, Yogi, endurance athlete, use HIIT methods, perform explosive lifts and
plyometrics or other creative means of exercise, you can benefit from stepping
out of your comfort zone and doing something you haven’t done in a while, if
ever at all. Give it 8-12 consistent
weeks and you’ll kick yourself for not changing your programing sooner in your
training journey.
We have all heard that you need to progress your workouts to
see results. You can absolutely see progress by following the principal of
periodization, but there will still come a point when simply progressing the
same exercises and style will start to produce diminishing returns. Instead, flip the script completely and
choose a different format and/or modality of exercise. Your body is comprised of various muscle
fiber types that respond to various intensities and training styles. It also uses countless motor patterns in its
day to day activities and exercise, with plenty more that you probably rarely perform
if ever.
For example, if you always train in the high rep range with
lighter loads, you’re going to be maximizing your type I fibers to a greater
extent than your type II fibers. To that
point, if your goal is to lose weight or gain strength and size, then you’re
not maximizing your gains. Type II
fibers have a higher growth potential and therefore demand more energy (aka
burn more calories) at rest as compared to type I fibers, which become more metabolically
efficient with training (aka burn less calories to do the same amount of work)1. If you have been committing yourself to high
rep ranges or circuit training 2-3 times per week for months on end, take one
to two of those days, or all three, and perform heavier lifts in the 1-6 rep
range with moderately longer rest periods.
Still follow a progressive plan over the course of 6-12 week cycles, but
the heavier intensity will spark gains you could never imagine as you start to
recruit more type II fibers in your training.
In terms of your exercise format, if you’re exclusively
performing your lifts using machines, then switching to free weights and body
weight exercise alternatives can help you to see improved results while still
using similar exercise variables (sets, reps, rest time, time under tension,
etc.). If you’re exclusively performing
strength training based exercise, then incorporating Yoga or Pilates can
recruit motor patterns that you otherwise would not have accomplished, leading
to a more well-rounded state of fitness.
If you’re always going to your local CrossFit gym for high intensity
training, then performing more traditional strength routines with progressions
and training splits can help you see positive change. This isn’t to say you can’t even return to
your favorite format of exercise, but taking time away from the norm for 8-12
weeks or more will get you better results faster as compared to executing the
same old methods.
To further maximize your training results, one must also
take into account the motor patterns used in everyday life. Throwing athletes such as pitchers produce a
ton of force with an overhead movement repeated countless times per week, and
therefore would benefit from avoiding excessive overhead exercises such as
shoulder presses or other movement patterns that create internal rotation of
the upper arm such as the bench press. Repeating the same movement patterns in
high volumes could potential lead to pattern overload overtime and not only increase
your risk of injury but reduce your production and results in the gym2.
I coach my clients to plan out a years’ worth of training
from a 10,000 foot view. For example,
from January to March the focus may be stabilization training in the mid-rep
range. You’re coming off the holiday
season and chances are you haven’t been very consistent with your training the
past few months. To minimize the risk of
injury, focus on joint health and corrective exercise. Then from April to June it might be interval
training, circuit training, or HIIT style training. Your body is primed and healthy coming off
your preparation phase over the last three months and you’re looking to shed
some pounds going into the summer season, so increase your caloric output and
alter your diet accordingly. Following
that phase, from June to August the focus may be hypertrophy training and high
volume training to induce muscle growth and show off your new found lean
physique. Lastly, from October to
December, chances are your schedule is tight with holidays, parties and sports
leaving you minimal time to workout. My
ideal choice would be to focus on Olympic lifts and total body compound lifts
that maximize muscle involvement but require less time in the gym. I would combine these with sprint training or
interval cardio. You could also opt to
perform superset, giant sets, circuits, or intervals if Olympic lifts aren’t
your thing. Both methods allow for
quick, yet productive workouts that deliver results.
For more Fitness, Nutrition, and Wellness advice contact Paul Wantuck or stop by the Fitness Center to schedule a consultation and get started on the path towards a healthier you!
1. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning
2nd Edition, NSCA.
2. Pattern Overload, Paul Check. New Zealand
Fitness, December 2006/January 2007.
