OK, so hopefully you’ve read my previous post on muscle confusion (if not you may want to check it out before you read this post). Today I’m going to get a little deeper into muscle confusion by talking about workout cycles.  Generally speaking, muscle groups interact in three ways:

• Working with each other (complementing)
• Working opposite of each other (competing)
• Little or no involvement with each other (independent)

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

COMPLEMENTING – Muscles push or pull together. Use this when you want to focus less on mass and more on muscle endurance and development. Take very little rest between sets.

• Chest, Tricep, and Shoulders
• Back and Bicep
• Glutes and Hamstrings

COMPETING – As one group contracts, the other releases or stretches. Use for a good balance of size, endurance, and development.

• Chest and Back
• Bicep and Tricep
• Abs and Lower back
• Quads and Hamstrings

Shoulders can be worked along with legs

INDEPENDENT – Good for building mass with less focus on development and endurance. Take long rest between sets.

• Chest and Bicep
• Tricep and Back
• Legs and Shoulders

In addition to the ideas I discussed in my previous post, you should also vary your workout cycle (unless you need to stay on a cycle for functional purposes). Each cycle should be maintained for 2-4 weeks, depending on your goals. There is definitely more to be discussed about this so if you have questions post them as comments and I’ll respond asap. Until next time….. 

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The short and simple answer is…………YES! YES! YES!

Muscle confusion is a technique used to stimulate maximum muscle growth and/or development. The actual idea is to constantly vary your training exercises and techniques to keep your body from adapting to your regimen to the point that your gains come slowly or stop. I have heard many fitness professionals say they believe in changing your routine every four weeks. My approach is a bit more radical than that. I believe that your routine should vary each time you work a muscle, with the exception of what I call foundation exercises.

Foundation exercises are those that work a muscle so efficiently that they should be performed every time you train it. Here are my foundation exercises:

1) Chest – bench press or d.bell chest press or pushups

2) Back – pullups and seated cable rows

3) Biceps – barbell curl

4) Triceps – dips

5) Shoulders – d.bell shoulder press

6) Legs – squats 

7) Abs – rollouts

I include these exercises every time I work the corresponding muscle group. By tracking my routines in a journal (read the “best techniques to build muscle” blog for more on this), I can make sure I’m increasing intensity every time.

The rest of your routine should vary each week in some way. This doesn’t mean every exercise has to be completely different. Even a small change such as a different grip or sequence can be enough to give the muscles a new challenge. Make no mistake though, varying the exercises in your routine is one of the best ways to push your muscle fibers to the limit. Check out my online fitness videos, if you need some new exercises. You will probably pick up at least one new thing. Until next time…… 

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