There could be a variety of reasons why you’re thinking about changing up your exercise routine. Maybe you continue to find new exercises online that you want to try out during your next workout. Maybe you like to go to the gym with friends and follow their routines, so the exercises you do vary each time depending on who you’re going with. Or, it’s simply that the gym is packed when you go, so you just use machines that happen to be available and find exercises for which you won’t have to wait a long time.
Well, whatever your reason may be, is frequently switching up your exercise routine an effective way to build muscle? Or is it better to stick with a consistent set of exercises over an extended period of time?
The Truth About Changing Your Exercise Rotation
The idea that mixing up the exercises you perform from time to time is beneficial actually has a name. It’s called muscle confusion, and the rationale is that constantly introducing new workouts to your muscles provides them with additional stimulation as opposed to performing the same movements over and over again. There are varying degrees in its application, as some say you should switch up your exercises every few weeks, while some say you should change your routine every few days.
However, most experienced lifters know that muscle confusion isn’t an effective method for muscle growth.
I’m not sure where the idea originated, but it’s not really supported by science; studies on muscle confusion fail to show that it produces much additional benefit if any. The truth is that building muscle is still primarily about achieving progressive overload, which is the gradual increase in total volume for an exercise through increasing the weight you use or number of reps you can perform.
In other words, try to refrain from changing your workout routine too frequently. It’s crucial that you stick to a consistent workout plan, and there are a few key reasons as to why.
Stay Consistent in the Muscles You Target
The first reason you want to keep your selection of exercises steady is to ensure that you’re working the same muscle every time you train a particular muscle group. This might seem like a no-brainer at first. Of course on the day you’re supposed to train shoulders, you’ll be working that muscle out as long as you do a shoulder-related exercise, right?
Well, it’s not that simple. In reality, when we talk about muscles such as the triceps, biceps, shoulders, and chest, we’re actually referring to a group of muscles. They’re called muscle groups because each of these actually encompasses multiple smaller muscles, often called heads. For example, the shoulder actually has three heads: the anterior (front), medial (side), and posterior (rear) deltoids. Even the bicep, which one could believe is one big muscle, actually has two main heads.
With all these smaller muscles making up each muscle group, it makes sense that different exercises would focus more on different areas. There are specific exercises that better target each head of a muscle, sometimes with little carryover to the other heads.
As a result, if you’re constantly changing the exercises you do without paying much attention, then you run the risk of training the different parts of a muscle group erratically and unequally. This can lead to muscle imbalances if certain heads have been trained more than others, or just a lack of overall growth if none of the heads have received enough consistent, long-term stimulation to achieve hypertrophy.
At this point, if you’re wondering why it sounds like rotating exercises to cover different heads of a muscle is a bad idea, it’s not. The emphasis here is that doing so inconsistently will produce adverse effects. Alternatively, the better solution is that when you work out a particular muscle group, pick several exercises that’ll collectively target all the different heads of that muscle. From there, perform that same set of exercises every time you train that muscle group. This comprehensive strategy will ensure that you’re developing all parts of the muscle group simultaneously and routinely enough to attain balanced growth.
Be Able to Track the Progress You Make
As I mentioned earlier, increases in muscle mass and strength are primarily driven by the ability to achieve progressive overload. However, if you’re constantly moving onto new exercises, it can become very difficult to tell whether progressive overload is actually occurring. Even for the same muscle group, trying to compare total training volume across different exercises is like comparing apples to oranges; it’s just not possible. This is due to the different motions involved and specific muscles recruited.
For example, I’m able to use pretty heavy dumbbells for shoulder presses, yet I must resort to light weights when it comes to lateral raises, even though both exercises mainly target the medial delts.
In science, all proper experiments are set up so that all other variables besides the one being tested are kept consistent across trials. This allows the researcher to easily identify if that particular variable is causing the observed changes. Similarly, when you’re trying to progressively overload, it’s essential to keep the exercises you’re doing constant. This way, any increase in total weight or number of reps is a clear indication that you’re getting stronger, and not the result of you changing the muscles you’re using.
Not All Change Is Bad
Although I’ve been emphasizing the importance of sticking to the same exercises for an extended period of time, this isn’t to say that any change in your routine should be frowned upon. While it’s useful to know how to create an effective workout plan, you don’t have to worry about immediately coming up with the perfect routine out of fear that you’ll be stuck with it forever; this most definitely won’t be the case.
As you gain experience in the gym, you’ll naturally evolve your workouts to adapt to your needs. Maybe you’ll need a new exercise that targets a weaker muscle, or you’ll want to replace an exercise that isn’t very effective. These are certainly reasons why I personally still look for new exercises every now and then. Maintaining consistency is important, but don’t waste your time keeping up an inadequate routine that won’t allow you to reach your goals.
In addition, while changing exercises too often isn’t advisable, changing the order in which you perform your exercises is highly recommended. If you always perform exercises in the same order, your body can acclimate to that particular sequence, which can make it difficult to continue building muscle and strength. However, switching the order of your exercises every so often essentially throws your body out of a rhythm it’s become accustomed to. This puts additional strain on your muscles that can enhance your muscle growth.
There are definitely ways that mixing up your workouts can be beneficial for your body. In short, it’s okay to modify your routine from time to time, but any changes should be made with intent and purpose, not for the sake of change itself.
