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Copyright © 2009
Scott Magers
For every athlete that follows a set "routine" eventually what used to make your muscles grow like crazy does not seem to work any more. This is because the muscle is constantly adapting to everything to you do. If you are a creature of habit in the weight room, which many of us are, you most likely repeat a set pattern of lifting. This would involve choosing similar weights every workout, staying right around a certain rep range, maintaining a particular tempo and following much the same order. This is how not to grow. Here are some ways you can shock your muscles for more growth:
1. Change the time of day you lift.
2. If you are doing three different exercises for one muscle group you may mix up the rep ranges with each lift to target fast twitch A and B fibers as well as Slow twitch fibers (i.e. 5 reps, 12 reps and 40 rep sets)
3. Change the order of exercises you use each workout and never repeat the same order for at least 6-7 workouts.
4. Change the speed of each positive (raising) and negative (lowering) each workout. You may focus on a super slow positive or negative set on occasion. You may also add more of an explosive component once in a while.
5. Rest pause between reps for a couple of extra seconds to recover more fibers during your set. This will help you break through any plateaus you may be experiencing.
6. On the other hand you may hold the contraction at the top of the lift for three seconds to recruit additional fibers you may not be hitting in your normal lifting tempo.
7. You may do partial sets. Do a full rep, followed by a ¼ rep, followed by a full rep, followed by a ½ rep, followed by a full rep, followed by ¾ rep. This sequence may be repeated three times through without rest. (Be ready to work with extra intensity for this one.)
8. Add Plyo-metric sets. Mix in an explosive style of training by executing clap push ups, alternate jumping split squats, leap frog jumps, box jumps, etc.
9. Do highly focused stretching in-between sets. Thoroughly stretch the muscle group you are targeting for a solid 10-15 seconds between sets and hold the stretch. Do this every time you rest for one week and observe the results.
10. Perform a "giant set" of 3-4 exercises. Set up the exercise area and weights in advance and rotate from one exercise to the next without resting. When you complete the giant set and go all the way around, then rest and repeat again.
11. Double your reps on every lift once a month. Get yourself out of your own comfort zone.
12. Challenge yourself by focusing on the negative (lowering) part of the lift. Using a weight that is 40% heavier than you normally lift for a comfortable set up 10 have someone spot you on the positive (raising) and you take over lowering the weight slowly. It is best to do only about 3-5 negatives in this style since this does shock the muscle big time.
Those are a few to keep mixing things up. Have fun experimenting with variations of your normal routine. The best workout you can do is the one you have not tried yet. Go in to the weight room each time with the intention to shock your muscles. If you do, you will soon be rewarded with incredible gains. Hit it hard!
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