changing exercises when stalled

P

Proteinboy

2
here is a quote from a "doggcrapp training" ebook i have

"So every time I go into the gym I have to
continually look back and beat the previous times reps/weight or both. If I can't or I don't
beat it, no matter if I love doing the exercise or not, I have to change to a new exercise.
Believe me this adds a grave seriousness, a clutch performance or imperativeness to a
workout! I have exercises I love to do and knowing I will lose them if I don't beat the
previous stats sucks! But there is a method to this madness because when you get to that
sticking point of strength (AND YOU WILL, THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN HACK
SQUAT UP TO 50 PLATES A SIDE) that is when your muscle=strength gains will stop.
At that point you must turn to a different exercise and then get brutally strong on that one.
Then someday you will peak out on that one too. You can always come back to that loved
exercise in the future and you'll start somewhat lower and build up to a peak again--and
trust me that peak will be far more than the previous one."

thoughts?
 
of course the major name of the game is adding weight to the bar(its not the only way) but you dont have to do it every session,infact when you get to the heavy weight 6rm and below RBE lasts alot longer so you can benefit from using the same weight for atleast a couple of weeks.
 
If you follow the start low, add every week until failure, then a recovery week and start low again and work back up philosophy, ala Bill Star's 5x5 or Wendler's 5/3/1 you can continue to use the same exercises indefinately. I think that works well if you are already moving serious weights in the basic exercises (2xBW squat/deadlift, 1.5xBW bench press, BW military press).

On the other hand there is nothing wrong with cycling between various variations of set and rep schemes (8x3, 6x4, 5x5) or movements (bench press, incline bench press, dumbell bench press, incline dumbell bench press) either for a cycle or on alternate sessions. I also find adding some assitance exercises help (continuing my bench press theme: flyes, dips, triceps ext, bench dips, etc.) helps break through plateaus. I usually do the assistance movements after the basic compound movement and keep the reps high, like 2 sets of 12 reps.

Obviously nobody can keep progressing indefinately or we would all be adding 5 pounds a week to every exercise and be benching a 1,000 pounds after a couple of years of training.
 
I used to abide by the method of lifting until you see no progress between sessions, then change exercises, rinse and repeat. I did it for about 3-4 years...and made approximately no longterm gains in that time. That's my experience. I'm not sure how much of the problem was training, and how much was nutrition, but I know I was doing something wrong.
 
I'm a huge advocate of the DC ways, including this one in particular. There is a sense of 'graveness' when you realize it's do or die. Just be careful, make sure to keep your reps 10+ that way you're not trying to jump 10%+ each workout with the addition of 1 rep.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top