Build Muscle - How to Bust Through a Workout Rut

Have you reached a point in your training where you feel tired and are just dragging along? Are you still using the good ole three sets of ten? Maybe you haven't seen any progress in years, yet you are sticking to the good old workout you have been doing since high school. Sure it worked for a while, you were getting stronger, losing fat, feeling great, and the all of a sudden....everything changed. Suddenly, you find yourself even weaker than before on your lifts, or you find that you've gained back a couple of pounds. It happens to everyone. Usually this happens from not changing your training methods or sticking to the old glory workout from days past. Many people stick to the same types of exercises for the same basic sets and reps and rest periods and also use the same boring cardio routine. I hope that this article sheds some light on some new ways to shock your body and bring some creativity to your workouts!

Most people stick to workouts where they do someth! ing along the lines of 3 sets of 10-12 reps per exercise, with 2-3 minutes rest between sets. No wonder so many people quit going to the gym! Here are a few examples of different methods to spice up your routine:

· Using one full body exercise, such as barbell clean to press or dumbbell squat to press or deadlift to clean to press, and do nothing but that exercise for an intense 15 minutes. Use minimal rest times and go as hard as you can.

· Use your same basic workout however; incorporate slower speeds one day and faster speeds the next time. For example, on a slow day, rest for 2 minutes between sets, and on a fast day rest for 30 seconds or less between sets.

· Complete four 45 minute workouts one week, followed by two 90 minute workouts the next week. This will keep your body guessing.

· Incorporate a training day where you only do drop sets. You will complete 5 sets of each exercise, begin with the heaviest weight, and drop down in weight after ! each set your exercises without resting. Keep going until you ! are comp letely fatigued.

· Always switch things up and use super sets, tri-sets, and giant sets, and combinations of all three.

· Try changing your workout split, for example, instead of the usual chest/tris, back/bis, legs...mix it up. Do chest and legs, shoulders and back, etc.

· Choose lighter weights and do sets of 30-50 for each exercise.

· Choose a workout based on all bodyweight exercises such as pushups, pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, bodyweight squats, lunges, hindu pushups, giant killers, wall walks, handstand pushups, etc.

· Pick a circuit of 15 different exercises covering the entire body without any rest between exercises.

· Try that same 15 exercise circuit in your nextworkout, but do the entire circuit backwards than you did the first time.

· Pick a training day and do 10 sets of 3, with only 10-15 seconds rest between sets.

· Using a fairly moderate weight and complete 8sets of 8 reps, doing a bodyweight exercise after each ! set of 8. Do not rest and continue until all 8 sets are complete.

· Take your 90% max weight on a given exercise, say squats for instance, and do 10 sets of 1 with only 30 seconds rest between sets.

There are many ways that you can intelligently modify your training variables to guarantee that you maximize your fat loss and/or muscle building reaction to exercise. Most people only think about switching up their sets and reps, and many never even dream about changing their routine at all. However, other variables that can dramatically affect your results are: Altering the quantity of work, alter your rest periods between sets, repetition speed, range of motion, exercise angle (inclined, flat, declined, bent over, upright, lying down, face down, sideways, etc), changing the workout length and quantity, and weekly training times or regularity. Try changing the exercise sequence by incorporating super-sets, circuit training, giant-sets, etc. Modifying the exercise t! ype, for example, doing compound, multi-joint or single joint,! type ex ercises. You can also alter the number of exercises per workout, the amount of weight used, your stability base, (single or double leg, standing, seated, on a stability ball, plyo box, etc). There are a lot of different training aspects to consider that can help you maximize the results from your workouts!

There are many more ways to continue to change your training variables. This was just a taste of your possibilities. Be creative and get results!

My name is Jamin Thompson and I am a professional fitness model, motivational speaker, and author. I have been featured in fitness magazines, written several books on nutrition and fat burning, and am one of the contributing fitness writers for Real Gainz Fitness Magazine. I also have a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina.

Jamin Thompson International
http://www.JaminThompson.com
Los Angeles, Uni! ted States

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