How important are RIs?

[oval61251]

I currently go to the gym with my brother so I have no set rest interval since I have to spot him on some of his exercises. When I don’t have to spot him I just do giant sets, and I have been doing this for 2 months should I change it and add in a 30 sec rest inbetween each exercise? Also, when people say change your routine every 6-8 weeks can you just change 1 exercise for each muscle group? Or does it have to be a completely new routine?

[wala]

Usually anything that is different for you body is a change. I like to completely change things but you could simply change rep scheme, RIs, the order of exercises, do em backwards, add some, remove some etc

You're on the right track by thinking about it, you're most probably best off doing what you have in mind - add 30 sec RIs and add/remove/change an exercise for each muscle group/bodypart.

[Malley]

I love to change my routine so I am not bored out of my mind. I couldnt just change one exercise, I like to change everything.

[oval61251]

alright thanks guys, i am goign to shoot for 8reps for a bit with about a 60second rest. I just feel like i am at the gym forever (90min). I was looking at some of the workout journals and you all get done pretty fast. I am doing 8 exercises 4 times a week. One last question. For legs i am currently doing SLDL,, Hack squats, curls, leg press. (3x10) Would it be enough to do just SLDL and front squats (5x8-10, and leave off the other 2 movments?

[Malley]

Write down your entire routine...

[oval61251]

Currently I am going to the gym 4 times a week doing an upper/lower split but I do the something every time I go.

Monday/Thursday is upper
DB bench,
was Incline DB but switched to incline flies,
a type of row,
pull ups,
bi curl,
preacher curl,
OH tri extension,
skull crushers.

Legs Tuesday/Friday,
SLDL
hack squat
curls
leg press
calves standing and seated
shoulder press,
rear delts on the pec dec.

[sdb]

RI's are very important in a routine. One that is too short could not allow for adequate recover for the next set and one that is too long (which is what most people take) can make the previous set sort of worthless.


The key principal is that for the most reps, you'll typically need a shorter rest period. (MOstly since most people who train with high reps are training for endurance also). When you're using higher weight with lower reps, your body needs more recovery time between sets. Sometimes up to 2 minutes is required for recovery. Typically, most lift in a range between the two and a rest interval of 1:00 to 1:30 is used.

[sdb]

Originally Posted by oval61251

Currently I am going to the gym 4 times a week doing an upper/lower split but I do the something every time I go.

Monday/Thursday is upper
DB bench,
was Incline DB but switched to incline flies,
a type of row,
pull ups,
bi curl,
preacher curl,
OH tri extension,
skull crushers.

Legs Tuesday/Friday,
SLDL
hack squat
curls
leg press
calves standing and seated
shoulder press,
rear delts on the pec dec.

sets and rep ranges would help also.

[strawser9]

changing a routine really isn't necessary unless you are bored and want to change it up. The core lifts in your routine should NEVER change (squats, deads, presses) but you could do different isolation exercises, or add other random exercises in every week if you wanted to.

Changing up the order you perform the exercises could do it for you as well. If you're used to doing deadlifts first, do them last and do a row first...If you're used to doing deadlifts last and pullups/pulldowns first, switch those...

You don't necessarily have to completely change your routine. contrary to what a lot of people will try to tell you, your muscles will not stop growing because you are doing the same exercises for more than 3 months. However, if you don't continue to push yourself they might!

BTW, SDB...hows your knee? I'm kind of waiting for your recovery before I hit the hospital lol

[oval61251]

Originally Posted by sdb

sets and rep ranges would help also.

Yeah that would help. 3x10 for everything. Thinking about doing 4x8 but i am not looking forward to doing 4 sets of SLDL, god I hate them

Strawer, i might give that a shot, most of all i was looking to shorten my gym time if possible. I might give Malley's upper/lower split in the sticky a try

[Malley]

Originally Posted by strawser9

changing a routine really isn't necessary unless you are bored and want to change it up. The core lifts in your routine should NEVER change (squats, deads, presses) but you could do different isolation exercises, or add other random exercises in every week if you wanted to.

Changing up the order you perform the exercises could do it for you as well. If you're used to doing deadlifts first, do them last and do a row first...If you're used to doing deadlifts last and pullups/pulldowns first, switch those...

You don't necessarily have to completely change your routine. contrary to what a lot of people will try to tell you, your muscles will not stop growing because you are doing the same exercises for more than 3 months. However, if you don't continue to push yourself they might!

BTW, SDB...hows your knee? I'm kind of waiting for your recovery before I hit the hospital lol

You should change your routine so your body doesnt adapt. Sure you have to be consistent with a routine, but to never take a bench press out of a routine is a bit silly. Use things like incline or decline to substitute for flat bench.

The human body adapts to outside stimulus all the time and thats why you should change your routine constantly. Atleast you should change your rep ranges and ri's.

[strawser9]

Originally Posted by Malley

You should change your routine so your body doesnt adapt. Sure you have to be consistent with a routine, but to never take a bench press out of a routine is a bit silly. Use things like incline or decline to substitute for flat bench.

The human body adapts to outside stimulus all the time and thats why you should change your routine constantly. Atleast you should change your rep ranges and ri's.

I rarely perfectly word what points I want to make...sorry.
The point was supposed to be, as long as you're moving up in weight and consistantly pushing yourself your body is not going to adapt. I was trying to convey the concept that one doesn't have to change the exercises they do every month to avoid adaptation...but should consider changing order, or just pushing harder than before. IN MOST situations, this is all a person needs. I'm not saying eventually it wont' adapt, just not as quickly as people think. Most are so worried about "adaptation" and "plateus" they stop "training" and start "workout out" lol.

myself, I pretty much never do the same workout twice in a row. take back for example...
WEEK 1
1.BARBELL ROWS
2.T-BAR ROWS
3.DEADLIFTS
4.PULLUPS
5.CLOSE GRIP PULLDOWNS

WEEK 2
1.PULLUPS
2.BARBELL ROWS
3.DUMBBELL ROWS
4.DEADLIFTS

WEEK 3
1.DEADLIFTS
2.T-BAR ROWS
3.Supinated grip BARBELL ROWS
4.PULLUPS

ETC...
thats just how I roll. IMO, results would be just as good if I did week 1 for a month, then week 2 for the next month, week 3 for month 3 and so on...but that isn't how I want to do it.

btw...wasn't conveying that one should only do flat bench press forever, but rather they should have A chest press in their routine at all times...I know, i freakin suck at putting idea to paper

[Malley]

Now thats a much better explanation.

[sdb]

Originally Posted by strawser9

BTW, SDB...hows your knee? I'm kind of waiting for your recovery before I hit the hospital lol

it's doing really good! look in the workout journal section for my "rehab and recovery" journal. I made an update yesterday.

Rehab and Recovery Journal