The Necessity of Variation

If you read my last newsletter on “The Utility in Repetition,” hopefully you now understand the reasoning behind why it is necessary to repeat the same workouts in a regimented way for a set amount of time. Just like with anything else, throwing random stuff at a wall and hoping it sticks won’t usually produce the most effective results. That said, it’s also important to understand that our bodies are amazing at adapting to stressors, both good and bad. So first - make sure that you are paying attention to technique to build proper movement patterns. From there, understand that after each repetition and recovery cycle, your body will become more efficient at whatever you’ve been practicing. That’s why many people tend to plateau after doing the same workout plan for 3 months in a row. Your body has adapted to those movements and can now complete that same set of workouts without having to work as hard. Amazing right? So, yes - on one hand, we certainly want to make sure that we give our bodies the proper amount of time and repetition to adapt, but on the other hand, we also want to introduce proper exercise progression (make the movement harder by adding things on) along with exercise variety so that our bodies are introduced to more difficult or totally different types of stress. This ensures that we continue to evolve and adapt! If you’ve heard of the term, “muscle confusion,” there is where it comes into play.Hopefully that makes sense! If not, perhaps it’s time to set up a brief consultation. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have, as well as figure out what regimen may work best for you.