Do you ever feel like you do the same routine day after day but never see results? If you have been using the same exercises, weights, reps and sets for longer than a month, then it's time to shake things up a bit and add a little spice to the mix.
Muscle confusion is the principle of changing your routines to keep your body guessing. The human body is very efficient at adapting to its environment and will seek to maintain homeostasis. If you have hit a plateau than you will need to make changes in your diet and to your exercise routine. Why limit your choices when you can have it all? So confusion is actually a good thing.
Repeating the same routine week after week will cause your weight loss and results to stagger and your workouts may become flatlined. Instead of sticking to a few basic exercises in your routine consider adding a variety of exercises that work your muscles from different angles and in different sequences.
For instance, if you are repeating the same treadmill workout everyday at the same speed without incline or any type of variation, then you may get stuck in a rut and therefore not see results. A great way to mix this up is to start with a 5:5 routine. Example: Every 5 minutes changing up the incline or speed. This allows the muscle to work in different ways and also challenges the cardiovascular system. Perform the same thing on a cycle or elliptical machine. This is one benefit about stationary indoor cycling classes is that the instructor will mix up the routine from day to day, therefore creating confusion in the muscle.
Another way to mix things up a bit is by performing different exercises on different days for the same muscle group. One day you might start off with flat benches followed by a cable crossover on an incline bench. The next time you work your chest you might try your hand at doing pull-ups followed by push-ups. There are endless ways to add a variety of exercises that can be implemented and also keep us from becoming bored.
Cross training involves doing several different types of exercise during the same week. A great way to cross train is to combine all of the above into a circuit workout. Example: Use the 5:5 technique, 5 minutes of cardio mixed with 5 minutes of resistance training. Run on the treadmill for an interval of 5 minutes and then alternate with a set of squats and lunges for 5 minutes, then hop back on the treadmill for 5 minutes. This will help you to improve your level of cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength by training in different ways. In addition, it will allow you more freedom to vary your workouts when you have several different activities to choose from and will also allow you more flexibility in planning your routines.
Changing your workout routine encourages your body to adapt and become stronger. It will also decrease your body fat and increase your metabolism. So circuit your workouts and create muscle confusion, and you will see results.
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