Have you ever heard of “Muscle Confusion”?
The term gets thrown around by a lot of trainers and fitness enthusiasts as kind of a way to encourage “mixing up” your workout routine.
But I’m here to tell you – it’s bogus 🙂
Because your muscles don’t get “confused”.
In fact, they respond pretty predictably to exercise.
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The idea is that you need to constantly “switch up” your workouts, and keep your body guessing, to see progress.
There is *some* truth to this – but, the problem is, people don’t end up staying with a particular exercise for enough time to really master it.
It would be like trying to learn how to surf one day, then mountain bike the next.
Sure, you’d “mix it up” – but you wouldn’t have enough time to get good at anything.
Do this every day, and you kind of end up spinning your wheels, and never really getting anywhere …
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So, what do we do?
Follow a specific plan that focuses on repeatedly training specific muscle groups, and works towards a specific goal.
Now, don’t get me wrong. This does NOT mean you don’t consistently CHALLENGE yourself.
You gradually increase reps, intensity, and resistance.
But you do this in a specific and progressive way, for a period of time – so that you can truly get better and meet your goals, once and for all.
Our upcoming 42 Day Kettlebell Shred Challenge is the perfect example.
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Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. This is the “finisher” portion of a workout, from three weeks of programming, in 42 day kettlebell Challenge we are doing right now:
WORKOUT C – PART 3
(week 1 progression)
Perform three rounds of the circuit below, moving quickly from one exercise to the next and resting as little as possible:
– One hand KB swing – 8 reps per side
– 10 walking goblet lunges (per leg)
– 6 plank-to-push up EACH SIDE
WORKOUT C – PART 3
(week 2 progression)
Perform three rounds of the circuit below, moving quickly from one exercise to the next and resting as little as possible:
– One hand KB swing – 9 reps per side
– 11 walking goblet lunges (per leg)
– 7 plank-to-push up EACH SIDE
WORKOUT C – PART 3
(week 3 progression)
Perform three rounds of the circuit below, moving quickly from one exercise to the next and resting as little as possible:
– One hand KB swing – 10 reps per side
– 12 walking goblet lunges (per leg)
– 8 plank-to-push up EACH SIDE
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Nothing crazy here.
But it’s following a sound, planned, specific progression each week.
THEN in week four – AFTER you’ve had time to work each move, and get better for a few weeks – we totally change up the exercises and workout entirely.
So be honest, if you are truly committed to getting results:
Are YOU consistently progressing yourself like this, and moving towards a goal?
Or are you just picking, as Pavel would say, “random acts of variety” for your daily workouts, and crossing your fingers, hoping you’ll get better?
If you want a specific plan to get you where you want to go (plus the accountability and support and feedback that could be the other missing piece that’s keeping you from hitting your goals), I invite you to apply for our upcoming 42 Day Kettlebell Shred Challenge:
Hope this article has helped you think long and hard about your current workout program, and what you can do to get better!
– Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Certified Kettlebell Instructor
ForestVance.com