You know the days I'm talking about.... you get to the gym and you have a heavy lifting session on tap. As your getting into your routine tho you just don’t want to be there and your drive is not there for the day. Do you call it a day? Do you lighten the load for the day? or do your do some exercises and just call it a day? We all have those days. Even for those of us that seem to always be motivational and driven trust me when i say we also have those days as well. Those days suck i know but today i’m hoping to offer you a new method of training to use when these days do hit because trust me, everyone has days like that. Today im going to discus 10 unique methods that you can throw into your training to spice things up when things just get stale. Along with describing each method im even going to give an example routine for each method as well so today you will also get almost 10 new workouts you can try if you want to mix up your training from your regular routine.
Keep your training fresh with these 10 Tips
1. Mix Up The Order of your Exercises
How often when your writing down your training session for the day do you come across memorizing the order in which you do exercises? I know the feeling. That is actually a sign right there to mix things up a bit. Some people believe that certain exercises should always be pared with other exercises, they act as like thats the only way. Let me just say that if you decide to superset shoulders and biceps instead of shoulders and triceps the world wont end ;) mix it up. There is no wrong way to train. Training volume in the end is what matter most, mix it up! For me i found these to be really interesting supersets to pair that are not conventional;
- side laterals & Alt DB Curls
- DB Pull Overs & Tricep Ext
- Leg Press & Leg Curls
- Calf Raises & Pull Ups
- Face Pulls & Machine Row
those are just a few interesting ones i found but feel free to experiment!
2. Combine Weird Body Parts Together
I’m sure your sometimes getting tired of the normal Upper one day, lower the next split so why not really mix things up by trying out a unique split all together. For example instead of;
mon- upper
tues- lower
wed- rest
thurs- upper
friday- lower
instead try this
monday - chest/back/arms
tuesday - shoulders/legs
wed - Rest
Repeat
When things get stale feel free to mix up your upper days with lower days to create weird combinations, arms and legs is always a good one as well. You would be surprised at how well this one works mentally to keep you motivated.
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3. Every Now and Then Train with Failure Methods
While i don’t think failure should be used all the time i do think there is a time and place for it occasionally. Especially when things get stale training to failure can cause a new stimulus to want to train. Try out this routine and see if it re-ignites your fire
Upper Failure Routine
Superset
- Bench 4x8-10 last set failure
- Pull downs 4x8-10 last set to failure
Superset
- Shoulder press 4x8-10 last set to failure
- Close cable rows 4x8-10 last set to failure
Superset
- Alt. DB Curls 4x8-10 last set to failure
- Overhead Tri Ext 4x8-10 last set to failure
Lower Failure Routine
Superset
- Leg Press 4x8-10 last set failure
- Leg Curls 4x8-10 last set failure
Superset
- Lunges 4x8-10
- Leg Ext 4x8-10 last set failure
Superset
- DB RDL 4x8-10
- Calf Raises 4x8-10 last set failure
4. Create A Circuit
This method i use a lot in my de-loads now a days (listen to that podcast here)
This is basically where you take a normal routine but instead of supersets, straight sets or giant sets you just run through one exercise one after another and then you repeat the entire thing 3 times. This is not only a good way to de-load but its also a great technique to use to get your routine in in little time if your just wanting to get out of the gym quick. This method can take a normal 1:30 routine and drop it down to an hour! Thats of course if you keep the pace up and lighten the weight occasionally to keep pace up. This is one of my favorite methods.
2 example circuits for you;
Upper Circuit (Repeat 3 times) (12/10/8 reps)
Incline DB Press
Incline DB Row
Arnold Press
Pull Ups
Side laterals
Alt. Db Upright Row
Alt. Bicep Curls
One Arm Overhead Ext.
Lower Circuit (Repeat 3 times) (12/10/8 reps)
Leg Press
Reverse Lunges
Leg Curls
Leg Ext
DB RDL
Hip Thrusts
Calf Raises
Pull Ups
5. Try Out Rest Pauses
A rest pause is where you lift a weight for a certain amount of reps for example db press for 5 reps. then take a 10-20 second rest and try to get a few more reps. This can be very useful on a day where you have some heavy sets planned but you are not hitting your reps. For example lets say you have to bench 200lbs for 3 sets of 5 today. The first set you got 5, the second you got 4 and then the 5th you got 3. Instead you could have on the second and 3rd set rested for 20 seconds before trying to get the last few reps. This is very useful for hitting your total training volume on a day thats just not going smooth. Rest pause can also be used in hypertrophy rep ranges as well. For that tho i would only recommend using this on your last set of an exercise tho because this is a training to failure method that if used to much will leave nothing left in the tank for the rest of your training. Use this appropriately. This is very similar to dog crap training which has you do 3 rest pauses at the end of each exercise and thats a very difficult way to train but used every now and then can really spice things up. Dog crap training is very helpful when on vacation when you don't have a lot of time for the gym.
Total Body Rest Pause Routine
- DB Flat Press 4x8-10 last set rest pause
- Front Squat 4x6 last set rest pause
- Shoulder Press 4x8-10 last set rest pause
- Rowing Movement 4x8-10 last set rest pause
- Barbell Curls 4x8 last set rest pause
- Close Grip Bench 4x8 last set rest pause
- Leg Curls 4x8-10 last set rest pause
- Calf Raises 4x8-10 last set rest pause
- Pull Down Movement 4x8-10 last set rest pause
6. Somedays Just Focus On The Pump
I get it some days we just want to chase a huge pump and call it a day. Thats totally fine! on these days try an 8x8 or if you dare - some german volume 10x10 training and just get a massive pump and call it a day! Some of the best pumps i ever have had came from a 10x10 (10 sets of 10 reps) routine. If you really want to go crazy try super setting each 10x10 that will no doubt destroy you, but in a good way :)
Upper German Volume Routine
- Bench 10x10
- Pull Downs Bench 10x10
- Side Laterals Bench 10x10
- Rows 10x10
- Curl Variation 10x10
- Cable Tri Push Downs 10x10
Lower German Volume Routine
- Leg Press 10x10
- Leg Curls 10x10
- Leg Ext 10x10
- Calf Raises 10x10
7. Lift In A 5 Rep Range For A Whole Workout
Completely the opposite of getting a pump, this is about training in just a raw heavy 5 rep range for the whole routine. this won't allow much of a pump but occasionally its fun just to lift really heavy for a whole routine. Caution tho this will really hit your CNS (central nervous system) hard so don't be surprised if you feel really tired after a 5 rep session.
5 Rep All Out Upper Routine
- Bench 5x5
- Row variation 5x5
- Overhead Press 5x5
- Barbell Curl 5x5
- Reverse Grip DB Press 5x5
5 Rep All Out Lower Routine
- Front Squat 5x5
- Leg Press 5x5
- Leg Curls 5x5
- Calf Raises 5x5
8. Run Through A Drop Set Routine
This used to be my go to method when i first started working out of college. I was always short on time but still had to get my training in so i would use full on drop set or also called run the rack routines. Basically you do one all out set with 3-5 drop sets to failure. This can rack up a ton of training volume in a short time. I was able to make some solid gains with this as well and these routines never were stale. This is also very useful on a vacation or maybe even a de-load week as well. I might have to try that.....
Upper Rep Till You Drop Routine
- Incline DB Press - Run The Rack 3 weights 8-10 reps each
- Pull down Variation Run The Rack 3 weights 8-10 reps each
- Standing DB Arnold Press Run The Rack 3 weights 8-10 reps each
- Side laterals Run The Rack 3 weights 8-10 reps each
- DB Flys Run The Rack 3 weights 8-10 reps each
- Row Variation Run The Rack 3 weights 8-10 reps each
- EZ Bar Curls Run The Rack 3 weights 8-10 reps each
- Skull Crushers Run The Rack 3 weights 8-10 reps each
9. Try Out Tempo Training
This is one that can be hard your first time you try it but the pump you get from this is pretty insane. tempo is the rate at which you move the weight through a concentric and eccentric phases of the lift. The concentric is the positive of the movement, the push in a press and the eccentric is the negative lowering portion of the rep. Tempo training is where you really make use at the time you spend in each portion of each rep. This is a very methodical & Zen way to train. You can mix it up by spending more time in the eccentric phases, or even for a real change-up spend a longer time in the concentric, or use both in the same routine. Once again just mix it up. Also don't forget about the isometric position in the lift as well, Can anyone say bicep curl alt arm 21's! I remember those from my P90X days haha. Oldie but a goodie.
Upper Tempo Routine
- Flat DB Press 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Incline DB Fly 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Pull Down Movement 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Shoulder Press 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Row Movement 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Side Laterals 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Hammer Curls 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- One Arm DB Overhead Ext 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
Lower Tempo Routine
- Front Squats 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E) (Very Hard just warning you)
- Leg press 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Leg Ext 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Leg Curls 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
- Calf Raises 3x6-8 with a 2-1-4 Tempo (C-I-E)
10. Create A UML Routine
The last method i want to discuss today is one that i learned back in the day from P90X Creator Tony Horton. Pretty much a UML routine is a routine where you do an Upper movement, Core movement, then a lower movement and repeat for 4-5 rounds. This is my favorite way to train when i'm traveling and don't have a lot of equipment but i have also used this on days where i just want to get a training session in but get away from my normal routine for the day. Trust me this one will become one of your favorites. Thank you Tony!
UML Routine For Gym
- Bench 8-12 reps
- Crunches 30 reps
- Leg Press 8-12 reps
- Pull Downs 8-12 reps
- Pike Ups30 reps
- Leg Curls 8-12 reps
- Standing Arnold Press 8-12 reps
- Bicycle Crunches 30 reps
- Leg Ext 8-12 reps
- 8-10 Curls, 8-10 Tricep Ext
- Crunches 30 reps
- Calf Raises
UML For Traveling
Repeat 5 rounds
- push up variation
- crunch variation
- lunge or squat variation
The Point of this all?
Simple, MIX IT UP. It really does not matter. The days where we just are not feeling our normal training is the perfect time to try one of these killer training routines for the day. We are all human and being human it’s impossible to stick with something for so long without getting tired of it. There is nothing wrong with for the day or even week forgetting what you know about the recent science in the best ways to train and just get after it. Focusing on the long term progression is the main focus. Yes each day is important but also in the grand scheme of things each day is not really important. It’s hard to explain what i mean but after training for 8-10 years like myself i think you will find yourself agreeing with the above statement. To sum up today;
1. mix up the order of your exercises
2. combine weird body parts together
3. every now and then train with failure methods
4. create a circuit
5. try out rest pauses
6. somedays just focus on the pump
7. Lift in a 5 rep range for a whole workout
8. Run Through A Drop Set Routine
9. try out tempo training
10. create a UML routine
Hope you guys enjoyed the blog today, if you got something out of it then share it with your social media as i would greatly appreciate it. Till next week guys...
Stay Strong,
Shawn Fausey
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- Shawn Fausey is the Founder and CEO of Fausey's Fitness. With Over 6 years experience in Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Nutrition. Shawn offers services of online fitness coaching, programing and consulting. Shawn is also a Graphic Designer and can be reached for graphic services on www.rev-graphics.com
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