What is considered switching it up?

[Darth Pooh]

So, what do people do in here to switch up their routines?

Zig zag on calories? Add different routines with weight lifting? Change up their cardio?

I tend to get into a pattern, for about six weeks... then introduce something I've never done before and then take something else out. e.g. I recently took out the row machine, upped my time on the elliptical / treadmill / added bike warmups. I also added about a month ago raquetball, twice a week (or at least try for that).

I also changed my Fullbody workout recently by adding supine inclines and DB incline rows (thanks Steve, I can see an improvement in my imbalances already).

What do other people do?

 

[austin_88]

So, what do people do in here to switch up their routines?

Zig zag on calories? Add different routines with weight lifting? Change up their cardio?

I tend to get into a pattern, for about six weeks... then introduce something I've never done before and then take something else out. e.g. I recently took out the row machine, upped my time on the elliptical / treadmill / added bike warmups. I also added about a month ago raquetball, twice a week (or at least try for that).

I also changed my Fullbody workout recently by adding supine inclines and DB incline rows (thanks Steve, I can see an improvement in my imbalances already).

What do other people do?

I can never stick to routines, I get bored easily, so I guess im constantly changing my routine.

One week I'll LOOOOVVVEEEE cycling, then the next week jogging, then the next week on the elliptical.

I just cant see how people can do the same thing day in day out... its good to switch it up I think.

 

[Steve]

First and foremost I don't switch just for the sake of switching. In my experience, people switch things arbitrarily b/c that's what they think they need to do, as if it's an integral part of success.

I switch routines when I need to based on bodily response/feedback and my varying goals.

How I switch depends on what I'm trying to accomplish by switching, which will vary from switch to switch.

 

[Darth Pooh]

I hear you Steve, that is why I don't vary that much in terms of my WT (except for increasing weight for strength gains, but I think I am maxed out at most of my weight in terms of my caloric intake, if that makes sense).

But varying in terms of cardio shouldn't be an issue for weight-loss tho?

 

[Steve]

I hear you Steve, that is why I don't vary that much in terms of my WT (except for increasing weight for strength gains, but I think I am maxed out at most of my weight in terms of my caloric intake, if that makes sense).

You mean you aren't getting stronger given the fact that you aren't in a caloric surplus?

If that's what you're saying, that very well could be.

If my strength levels plateau, I usually deload. By that, I take a week where I manipulate volume, load, or both. Generally I'll back off the weight a bit and do some pumping and toning crap, then come back and hit it heavy again.

But varying in terms of cardio shouldn't be an issue for weight-loss tho?

Caloric expenditure is caloric expenditure.

So no.

 

[Darth Pooh]

I get how you would manipulate load. How do you manipulate volume in the sense of my FB WT? I don't think I have enough depth to change volume.

Still, good info to know. Today I am going to try 3 sets of 4 with increased weight on all of my full body stuff. See if it's just in my head (e.g. arnold presses are going to 50 lbs, benching is going up 20 lbs, etc).

Do people like to zig zag calories? For instance, you can eat 1700 one day, then 1900 the next if your deficit level is 1800? Basically averaging out your calories? I know people who do this to the extreme!!! 1300 one day but then 2300 the next.

 

[Steve]

I get how you would manipulate load. How do you manipulate volume in the sense of my FB WT? I don't think I have enough depth to change volume.

You mean in the particular instance where I'm looking to deload? When I deload it's most often a manipulation of intensity. But you can wave your volume up to overtime like:

Week 1 - 2x8
Week 2 - 3x8
Week 4 - 4x8

From there, there's a bunch of things you can do... but I generally don't do this. Again, asking for one particular instance is tough.... it all depends on the given situation.

When dieting, I almost always manipulate volume but keep intensity static. Weight on the bar is a huge 'promoter' of muscle maintenance. Studies have shown, as well as empirical data, that you can decrease volume by as much as 2/3 while maintaining intensity with no loss in performance and/or muscle.

Do people like to zig zag calories? For instance, you can eat 1700 one day, then 1900 the next if your deficit level is 1800? Basically averaging out your calories? I know people who do this to the extreme!!! 1300 one day but then 2300 the next.

All depends on the person, their status, what they're trying to do, what their training looks like, etc.

Most don't need to, especially around here.

Keep it simple.

Tracking calories is hard enough for some, so asking to manipulate that over a certain time period is next to impossible.

Sometimes I'll do a cyclical approach such as the diet I just did... UD2. Basically a protein sparing modified fast monday-wednesday, a huge carb up starting thursday evening, etc. It was all to promote better partitioning of calories.

Other times I'll do more calories (namely carbs) on my training days and lower calories on my non-training days.

The possibilities are endless.

 

[uyis11]

Do people like to zig zag calories? For instance, you can eat 1700 one day, then 1900 the next if your deficit level is 1800? Basically averaging out your calories? I know people who do this to the extreme!!! 1300 one day but then 2300 the next.

I've just begun a calorie cycling thing like that- for one week I've done 2000-2000-1500-1500-2000-1500-1750 while alternating normal and low carb days. That combined with starting HIIT (only 2 sessions so far), I've broken a 4 week plateau with a 2.5lb loss over the past 2 weeks.