Newb confused on muscle confusion

[tarsand custom]

How often should I change my workout routine to obtain good muscle confusion. Weekly? Monthly? or should I mix exercises that have high wieght/low rep with low wieght/high rep in every workout? Im a bit of a lightwieght trying to bulk up. Thanks

[xavierlafleur]

Ain't no such thing as muscle confusion........................... I know not everyone on here will agree but one needs a brain to be confused and muscles don't have brains. Our brains get bored with always doing the same workout and that's not good for putting out a maximum effort and our bodies become conditioned to a certain amount of stress placed on it but nothing, except our brains, gets confused.

I change whenever I feel I'm not making gains or when I start getting bored which can be anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks.

[crazy_rocks]

Ain't no such thing as muscle confusion........................... I know not everyone on here will agree but one needs a brain to be confused and muscles don't have brains. Our brains get bored with always doing the same workout and that's not good for putting out a maximum effort and our bodies become conditioned to a certain amount of stress placed on it but nothing, except our brains, gets confused.

I change whenever I feel I'm not making gains or when I start getting bored which can be anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks.

its a figure of speech. you know what hes getting at.

[crazy_rocks]

How often should I change my workout routine to obtain good muscle confusion. Weekly? Monthly? or should I mix exercises that have high wieght/low rep with low wieght/high rep in every workout? Im a bit of a lightwieght trying to bulk up. Thanks

i use to lift a weight at 8 reps for 3 weeks. then i lifted at 5 reps for 3 weeks. once i returned to the original weight i was doing at 8 reps i was able to do it more reps. then i added more weight to stay in 8 rep range. i kept doing this and it definitely made me stronger. thats just the base though. you can do more to this much more often to maximize. i would not stick to the same exercises for weeks straight though. as far as exercises go when you work a body part, you can both keep something and do something new you didnt do last workout. thats just one way. there are other ways.

not sure if theres a set amount of time but someone did tell me that your muscles get the most of something in 3 weeks. im dont know the answer to that but it worked for me.

[tarsand custom]

'writing up a new routine' thanks dudes.

[crazy_rocks]

hopefully more respond. there are other people on this board with more info.

[euphoric]

It has a lot of variables with the most important being your level of conditioning and previous training experience. Someone brand new to lifting can stay on the same routine for 8 weeks and see progress. Someone who has lifted regularly for years and is at a very high level of strength and conditioning can adapt in a matter of a few weeks. If you have a properly designed program it should be adjustable and progressive to continually challenge you. Most important things I would want to know before giving you a more personal answer would be current stats, your goals, your number of days/week you want to spend in the gym, current activity level (what are you doing for cardio/lifting and how long have you been doing it) etc.

[xavierlafleur]

The first thing to remember is "everything works". Bodybuilding magazines and websites need to fill their pages with articles so they are constantly coming up with "new and better" when really it's just another way of saying the same thing.
You need to look at yourself honestly and develop goals that are rational and realistic. Once you have your goals decide the best way to obtain it and execute.

As I said before, muscles don't get confused. They contract and relax and that's all. Some people will do the same routine day after day, year after year and take off a few days whenever they feel bored or a lack of motivation. Others might do a 5X5 cycle for 3 months to gain mass and improve their strength and then do a cycle of more moderate training to allow their bodies and CNS to recuperate.

If you are looking for an all year programme, in other words you aren't working up to a specific date such as a competition then simply change up your routine whenever you start to feel bored with the one you are doing. As long as you are not loosing strength then you are maintaining your gains and if you are gaining strength then you are improving.

Bodybuilding mags will try to make you believe there is some sort of advanced science or some sort of secret behind training but it's really simple and natural: everything works so just do it.

What are your stats and goals and how long have you been lifting?

[euphoric]

They contract and relax and that's all.

They also work isometrically (they are stabilizing and neither contracting nor lengthening). I know it's semantics and you probably knew this but a lot of people don't realize muscles do have three actions and training all three is important.

[crazy_rocks]

yeah those BB magazines can confuse people at times.

[tarsand custom]

My current wieght is 165 pounds (lost about 10 pounds travelling across the country) but I seem to hit a plateau around 175. I eat a regular six meals spread out across the day on my regular routine. Have been working out for 2 years and have always lead a very active lifestyle, (pretty much any extreme sports in the dirt, snow or water as well as mountain climbing, running etc.) I am a very lean build but I have always been trying to make it to the 200 mark. My routine involves your basic three day a week one hour+ workouts 9 exercises,3 sets per exercise, 8 reps per set. Looking at the past, I have fallen into doing the same exercises for months at a time before changing it up. When bulking up I hit 175 and it seems I can eat until it almost makes me sick and still no gains in weight. I think that genetically I was meant to be a smaller dude but somebody i know mentioned muscle confusion and now I am here to change it up. I am going to cycle in the springtime but would like to be maxxed out as far as wieght and health go before I use and aas.

[crazy_rocks]

As I said before, muscles don't get confused. They contract and relax and that's all. Some people will do the same routine day after day, year after year and take off a few days whenever they feel bored or a lack of motivation. Others might do a 5X5 cycle for 3 months to gain mass and improve their strength and then do a cycle of more moderate training to allow their bodies and CNS to recuperate.

nobody is saying that muscles get confused. its the term that is used to describe how we adapt in different types of strength because new stress is applied...as if confused. its a comparison. accept it.

is sesame street made of sesame seeds? no. we just call it that because its cool.

[xavierlafleur]

nobody is saying that muscles get confused. its the term that is used to describe how we adapt in different types of strength because new stress is applied...as if confused. its a comparison. accept it.

is sesame street made of sesame seeds? no. we just call it that because its cool.

You would be surprised then to know some people really think muscles get confused and there are workouts being sold on TV under the heading "confuse your muscles".


If I were wanting to gain mass and weight I'd go with my favorite workout programme which is the 5X5. Some people prefer a 3X5 but either will get you there. It's a great way to bulk and I find it a fun way to workout.


P.S. Never talk bad about Big Bird.............I love Big Bird.

[crazy_rocks]

You would be surprised then to know some people really think muscles get confused and there are workouts being sold on TV under the heading "confuse your muscles".

not surprised. ive seen the same advertisements. however just because someone believes in using muscle confusion it doesnt mean that that person actually thinks that the muscle itself becomes confused, although there are those that do. so either way its an applicable theory

If I were wanting to gain mass and weight I'd go with my favorite workout programe which is the 5X5. Some people prefer a 3X5 but either will get you there. It's a great way to bulk and I find it a fun way to workout.

and it works well for many people

P.S. Never talk bad about Big Bird.............I love Big Bird.

when did i? anyways i always wanted to put on his custom and walk down the street.

[xavierlafleur]

crazy rocks...........................people are going to think we're having an affair.

[crazy_rocks]

crazy rocks...........................people are going to think we're having an affair.

so we've reached an understanding. very well then.

[tarsand custom]

eat more sesame seeds - check
rent seasons of sesame street - check
become a bigger bird - check

[crazy_rocks]

^ yeah dude. but your on the right track not wanting to jump into steroids immediately. get those results you spoke of and maintain em while trying to improve, building that concrete foundation.

theres a stupid 21 year ld jabroni at work asking about taking steroids and he hasnt even been in the gym. he asked me about steroids a year ago and hasnt been to the gym at all. i tell why he shouldnt use and stonewall him from there.

[brad1986]

Ain't no such thing as muscle confusion........................... I know not everyone on here will agree but one needs a brain to be confused and muscles don't have brains. Our brains get bored with always doing the same workout and that's not good for putting out a maximum effort and our bodies become conditioned to a certain amount of stress placed on it but nothing, except our brains, gets confused.

I change whenever I feel I'm not making gains or when I start getting bored which can be anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks.

NO WRONG! your muscles adapt bottom line. "confusing" them is a matter of making new adaptations in your muscle training. Shocking muscles into new growth is possible and recomended when results slow down or stop

[brad1986]

I confuse them by goin from unstable to stable ex: db chest press for 4 weeks then...... barbell bench for 4 weeks..... then iether back to db's or maybe move to a more stable envirnment like a machine then back to db's after that.

[tarsand custom]

alright.. now im a pretty hardgainer.. a friend told me to drop my isolated exercises and focus mainly on compound exercises that work out large muscle groups. is this a wise choice for bulking? I feel like im abandoning my calfs and parts of my arms if I only focus on the big five excercises. bench press, shoulder press, squats, deadlifts, and pull ups,

[Christopher_UK]

I don't believe in changing things up too often, I've only had 3 routines in 4 years of training. Most will say its best to keep the core exercises such as squat/deadlift/shoulder press/bench and then as for everything else you can change then whenever you want.

For example, biceps, you can pretty much do whatever biceps exercises you want whenever you go to the gym, it doesnt really matter...just choose 2-3 exercises for biceps each time, there's thousands to choose from...but I would do the same exercises for legs/back/chest/shoulders and just change up the tricep/biceps exercises mostly....thats not to say you wont learn and find new exercises for other muscle groups like shoulders, but I just dont feel its necessary.

[brad1986]

I don't believe in changing things up too often, I've only had 3 routines in 4 years of training. Most will say its best to keep the core exercises such as squat/deadlift/shoulder press/bench and then as for everything else you can change then whenever you want.For example, biceps, you can pretty much do whatever biceps exercises you want whenever you go to the gym, it doesnt really matter...just choose 2-3 exercises for biceps each time, there's thousands to choose from...but I would do the same exercises for legs/back/chest/shoulders and just change up the tricep/biceps exercises mostly....thats not to say you wont learn and find new exercises for other muscle groups like shoulders, but I just dont feel its necessary.

bold is true. Not saying to stop doing those exersices per sey just how you do them. reps/speed/ drop sets/ etc. also its totally goal dependant too.