Workout Switch Up

[poolman]

So I have been following a simple Push/Legs/Pull workout plan for the past few months. I have read alot of switching up your weekly workout. So I have been trying to do something different. For example, on Mondays I do my push workout consisting of Chest, Triceps, Anterior Deltoid. When I do my chest exercises I have been doing this: one week I use dumbells for everything, one week I use the machines with the pins and stack of square plates, and one week I use the iso machines that you load the circle plates on each side. They are pretty much the same motions just on different machines.

My question is, is this what most consider switching your workout up or should I be doing completely different motions?

 

[AJP]

NO! machines = bad.

Switching up should be between dumbells and barbells, different grips on your pullups and/or pulldowns, db bent over rows opposed to barbell, a different exercise than you did the week before, etc.

But always go with the free weights, no machines.

 

[eaamberg]

work out switch up

No this wouldn't really be considered switching up your work out. It is to some extent but not in what you are looking for. Switching up your work out would be going for dumb bell bench press to a regular bench press or some other change more in the motion of the exercise. Going from the over head tricep exercises, I am unsure of the official name of this but it is when you hold the dumb bell over your head and extend your arm, to the pull downs you do on more of a machine.

You should change the motion and order of the exercises that you do periodically to be able to keep improving. This allows for certain body muscles to gain more rest and repair themselves. Also it helps keep you inerested in the exercises. As long as you exercise 3-5 times a week with 8-10 exercises which is recomemeded by the ACSM then you will do fine.

The last thing there is no real proof over what is better free weights or machines. It is mostly opinion and preference. What ever you like doing the best is what you should do. You have already imporved from most Americains by going to the gym.