The Best Routine I've Ever Done...

Copyright 2006 Marc David
"The best routine I've ever done, is the one I haven't done."
Think about that for just a minute. Let it settle in.
If you've been doing the same routine day in and day out, year after year, wonder why you aren't getting the gains you wanted... this statement should really hit home.
For starters, the more variety you can incorporate into your routines, even the smallest changes, will help:
* to prevent injury
* to avoid injury
* add to muscle confusion principles
* avoid boredom
* reduces overtraining
For all these reasons (and this list isn't even near complete), doing something as simple as adding variety to your routine will help keep your workouts interesting and your body growing.
Imagine this for a second will you?
I've been working out for 16 years. I've tried many routines. Some I liked, others I hated. But I was searching for the perfect routine. One I liked that I could just keep doing over and over and progressing.
Then it hit me!
When I found a routine I liked and stuck with it for a long period of time (2 months or more) I noticed something:
* Boredom sets in
* Repetitive injuries would occur more frequently
* My progress slowed then stopped
There's no golden routine! Too many people are set in their ways. The minute they find something they like, that's it. Done deal. They don't change. And after some months, they really don't change.
Frustration sets in, they wonder why and they hit plateaus.
But let's suppose you were like me and you just keep trying new programs and new routines.
Would it be possible not to ever hit a plateau again?
It just might be! And that should excite you. The more variety in exercises, tempos, repetition speeds you can create, the more challenging it is to you and the more progressive overload you can deliver to your body.
How does your body respond?
It grows. It cannot adapt because there's nothing to adapt to.
Here's a little test:
1- Go to your gym
2- Pick a person out you see often
3- Observe them for as long as possible
4- Do they look different? (Can you see changes)
5- Are they doing the same things over and over?
(I see people at my gym that I know their routine. They do the same things every time I see them without fail. They look the same since they joined over 5 years ago).
Do you qualify as one of these people?
Don't worry, it's easy to avoid this if you simply follow this single tip:
* Learn as many exercise variations as you possibly can *
Why is this so important? Because if you know 300 ways to workout your legs, you will never have to repeat a workout and you will never adapt. You will not get bored as you will have many ways to workout a muscle group. Your body will be challenged. Your mind will be challenged as well.
How can you do this?
Educate yourself with as many sources as you can.
Of course you can repeat exercises.
My point is...
"The best routine I've ever done, is the one I haven't done."
Keep your routines interesting and you too can avoid the plateau that everybody else is going to be talking about!