Breaking The Cycle: Pre-Workout Preparation

If variety is the spice of life, than variation in exercise is the path to a winning physique. Too many of us are complacent. We are comfortable in a consistent routine week in and week out. The problem with doing the same lifting routine each week is that your body is smarter than you give it credit. The dynamic nature of the body ensures that it changes to efficiently meet the present demands. This means that if the routine remains the same you may enter the gym each week with the rage and intensity of the incredible hulk, yet merely maintaining the physique you have already built. So what can be done to combat your body's own adaptive mechanisms? The answer is variation. If you are stuck in a rut in the gym, throw it out the window. No more three and out sets. No more grabbing the same set of dumbbells still covered with your chalk from the day before. Mix it up! For many athletes it isn't that they are ignorant to the idea of physiological adaptation, it is that they are unprepared. I am guilty of this too. It is easy to wait until getting to the gym to piece together a handful of exercises into the day's workout. The problem is that we all tend to fall back on our tried and true exercises. Subconsciously we choose those exercises we like or that we perform well. I encourage you to make a conscious effort to create a dynamic pattern of exercise. Sit down and come up with a routine that covers your entire session. Think of new and creative ways to fire up those muscles. New exercises will not only boost your muscle growth, but also promote a positive mindset. I rely heavily on Internet resources like bodybuilding.com's exercise database to construct my workout plans and gain inspiration. You should focus on continually changing up your set and rep schemes, as well as the target load. Write a full routine the night before then follow it like scripture. This little extra preparation will ensure that you constantly present your muscles with new challenges.

The next step towards a dynamic approach to your training is tracking your progress. Grab a notebook and start logging! I carry literally hundreds of recorded workouts to the gym every day. By doing so I am able to hit the ground running as soon as I step in the door. I no longer waste time with guesstimated sets searching for the appropriate resistance. The log not only helps track progress, but it keeps me accountable. Having a blank space in the log is sometimes all the motivation I need to finish those last few sets. Most importantly my log keeps things fresh. It provides a reference to check for patterns of sets, reps, and exercise types, showing what areas need to be changed to avoid a plateau. It only takes a few seconds to jot down the number of sets and reps, and the benefits can propel you through better sessions, with bigger gains. Don't let yourself become predictable. Outsmart your body by throwing some variety in the mix.

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