When you first hear the question how often should you change your gym program you might think it’s equivalent to asking how long a piece of string is? Sort off, but there are actually some solid ground rules you can use to see just how often you need a change.
When it comes to exercise I tend to measure everything by the week, I use weekly cycles to set out my program as well as measure any goals I’m looking to achieve. My overall program for a week will usually involve a mix of weight and cardio sessions. Obviously how you mix this up depends on what your goals are. Most people new to exercise will tend to start with more cardio that weights and change the balance as they get fitter.
Once I have a weekly program I’m happy with I stick to it for 4 weeks. During this time I am always looking to improve on everything I do. Can I push out that third set? Is it time to add another 5 kilos? Can I take 5 seconds of my 500m rowing time? I use that 4 week mark as a time to stop and think. For that 1 week I concentrate entirely on technique and see IF I’ve made any significant improvement. If I can still perform at a higher level with the same (or improved) technique then I carry on that same program for another 2-4 weeks. What I’ve found is that at around 8-9 weeks I hit a serious plateux, I’ve heard some people drag out an exercise program for 10 weeks but for me 8 is always about the upper limit.
What I then do is alter at least 50% of what I’m doing. So if I’m doing 3 weight sessions and 2 cardio days I’ll mix up the excercises on 2 of my weights sessions and try something totally different on 1 cardio day. This allows me to keep things fresh as far as my body is concerned but also gives me some continuity. You don’t have to do it like that, for example if you are only exercising 2-3 times a week then there’s nothing wrong with starting a whole new program once you reach that plateux.
The important thing is to always be striving for improvement, it’s far too easy to get yourself comfortable in the gym doing the same exercises with the same wights for years on end if you’re not careful. You have to remember that it’s when you throw your body a curve ball that you see the biggest improvements and changing your program is a great way of doing just that.
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