Why repeat a workout? Isn’t the point of workouts to just constantly change it up to beat boredom and don’t we have to just cOnFuSe OuR MuScLeSsss?!?
I can assure you that your muscles are never confused. They are already attached to your body and they can only perform their intended actions. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that you can do to confuse a single muscle in your body.
In fact, a lack of consistency in your workouts is a breeding ground for injury.
Consistency is king, and we actually want to become adapted to our workouts- that is how we get stronger and mitigate injury at the same timee.
We have to lay the constantly-varied exercise approach to rest. Some variation is great! And don’t get me wrong, it does/can keep things fresh- but if you have zero repetition in your workouts, you’ll be hard pressed to ever actually get anywhere.
Random ass workouts lead to random ass results.
Repeated exposure to a specific stimulus is what we are after. And this is why following a program is so, so crucial.
The rate of repetition is included in the overall “formula” of the program. By “repeating” workouts, you’re able to grab tangible feedback from your performance. In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to solidify your exit of diet culture. Suddenly, your workouts give you actual data to use instead of you just winging it based on sensations. Which, BY THE WAY, sensations do not, does not, and never will = effectiveness.
That workout you love so much just because your muscles are on fire and you’re dripping in sweat? That’s fine and all but– was it actually helpful or effective?
A program is essentially built in effectiveness.
You’ll want to keep track of progress in multiple ways.
How did the movement feel last time? Hard? Awkward? Smooth as butter?
How did the movement look last time? Record yourself and track your form over time to assess for increased ROM and form overtime.
How much weight did you use last time? How did it feel? How did it look? What happens if you use the same weight this time? Is it time to increase the weight? Lower it? This will depend on the assigned sets, reps, tempo, rest time, and overall goal of the workout- but these are some things you should be looking for when revisiting a workout.
Movements as well as entire workouts can be repeated.
Inside The Barbell Collective, you can expect to revisit similar movements over the course of a 12-week training block. This doesn’t mean that each entire workout is repeated over and over again- but, for example, you can expect to revisit the main movement patterns often.
Sometimes, the stimulus changes: sets, reps, tempo, rest.
Sometimes, the accessory work changes: Back squats followed by lunges as an accessory OR step ups the following week, for example.
Sometimes, it’s a part of a superset.
And sometimes, it’s a part of the conditioning portion.
A program provides you a birds-eye view over your training so you’re not throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks.
Either way, make sure you’re incorporating the main movement patterns into the bulk of your training & revisiting movements and specific stimulus often.
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