When And How To Change Up Your Resistance Workouts

If you’ve been hitting the gym regularly, you may start asking yourself, when and how should I switch up my resistance training? 

How Often Should You Switch It Up?

⚡Science says every four to six weeks. This will be enough time to allow the body to adapt and make the gains you want, and then be ready for the next phase of training.

How Do You Switch It Up For Resistance Training?

We are not talking about changing the small things, such as adding more weight, changing the number of reps you do for each exercise, or swapping one exercise for another. To maximise your gains, we need to change the phase of training you are in, and not just add more weight to your bench press/squat/deadlift.

Phases of Training 

🔹Stabilisation endurance

🔹Strength endurance

🔹Hypertrophy

🔹Maximal Strength, and

🔹Power.

Do I Need To Do All The Phases Of Training?

It is highly recommended, though you can get away with doing just the first three phases of training (stabilisation endurance, strength endurance, and hypertrophy).

What Happens When I Have Completed All The Phases Of Training?

Not only will you feel like a god or goddess, but you can start again! This time with more intensity, such as heavier weights, different and harder exercises, etc.

OK – What Are The Details For Each Phase Of Training?

Phase 1: Stabilisation Endurance

Focus: Building a foundation of stability and endurance.

Exercises: Emphasise exercises that target core and prime movers, improving strength and stabilisation.

Characteristics: Low to moderate set volume (1-3), moderate to high repetitions (12-20+), low to moderate training intensities (50-70% 1RM), slow tempo (4,1,1,1), and longer rest periods (0-90 sec).

Phase 2: Strength Endurance:

Focus: Improving muscular endurance to increase work capacity.

Exercises: Doing supersets using strength-focused exercises with stability-focused exercises.

Characteristics: Using supersets, with one set being stablisation endurance (phase one), and the other set being hypertrophy (phase three)

Phase 3: Hypertrophy:

Focus: Maximising muscular development and growth.

Exercises: Traditional strength-based exercises.

Characteristics: Moderate/High set volume (3-5), moderate repetitions (6-12), moderate/high training intensities (75-85% 1RM), moderate tempo (2,0,2,0), and moderate rest periods (0-60 sec).

Phase 4: Maximal Strength:

Focus: Developing maximal strength.

Exercises: Emphasise heavy lifting with low repetitions.

Characteristics: High set volume (4-6), lower repetitions (1-5), moderate/high training intensities (85-100% 1RM), explosive tempo.

Phase 5: Power

Focus: Increasing power output.

Exercises: Incorporate explosive movements and exercises that emphasize speed and force.

Characteristics: Use of supersets, this time with the first set being maximal strength (phase 4), followed by an explosive movement.