Rotating workout routines

[ljp]

How often do you change your workout routine? Do you keep the same exercises for a period of time (e.g. 8 weeks) and then switch them up or do you change them every workout? Do you vary your sets & rep ranges from week to week?

I have usually kept the same exercises for about 8-10 weeks and then changed them when I've felt I've plateaued but now I've been thinking about rotating the exercises and/or their order every week.

For example chest workout on week 1 would like this:

incline barbell press
flat dumbbell press
machine press
crossovers

Week 2 would look like this:

peck-deck
incline dumbbell press
flat barbell press
incline machine press

So the exercises would change and also the focus on week 2 would be more on feeling the muscle and doing higher reps. Week 3 would be the same workout as week 1 and so on.

Any thoughts?

 

[SugarFree]

I dont think there is a right or wrong answer to this question as long as someone is continuing to make progress.

With that said though, I do have a personal trainer that likes to change things up every 8-12 weeks for me. I do find some benefits to this which I'll list

1. It helps break up the boredom of doing the same program all the time
2. It helps prevent the complacency that can occur with performing the same routing for long periods of time
3. Im always sore the first couple of weeks with the start of a new program so I think it helps as far as hitting muscles differently

 

[Bullfrog17]

I try to switch things up every 3 months or so. That said I will also change things up or abandon an exercise or set of exercises if I am not seeing progress after a few weeks. I like to mix it up this way to make sure I completely hit all areas of the targeted muscle group for total development. IMO each exercise has its own way of "hitting" the muscle differently and I think this makes for a more complete development in the long run.

 

[brutus69]

i change every week. not so much the exercises, but the order and the rep ranges.
one week 15's, the next 8-10. maybe a 5 rep week.
there's a thing called....nonlinear undulating periodization, its getting popular for a few years now, i basically do that.
my injuries are healed, i feel better and i look forward to the gym knowing i dont have to keep beating myself up with heavy weights week after week.

 

[JUICEDUP3]

every 5 weeks for me..

up in weight each week til you hit max at week 5, and then change the whole program for 5 more weeks

 

[sammy555]

When I stall or feel things are getting stale

 

[Fehoister]

Periodization.. varies greatly from person to person. I've noticed what works best for me is to keep a somewhat consistent layout long enough to make significant progression before making alterations to exercise selection and volume. I finally bought the Fortitude Training ebook though which has some very interesting ideas that I'm lookin forward to trying regarding this subject! Like Brutus69 mentioned, it focuses on nonlinear undulating periodization while still emphasizing strength progression in a safe manner. Good stuff