How often to change split?

[Skinny_DiezeL]

Ok I'm taking a week off due to catching a cold, and I'm trying to start a new split next monday. I was wondering, how often should you change splits? I know if you stay with the same split too long, the body adapts to it. So how do you know when to change splits to maximize power and growth?

discuss.....

[Warrior10]

Don't think you can really "know" when to change...set an interval. Four-five weeks is good. Change up the exercises themselves too.

[Songsangnim]

Change if/when you stop progressing. There is no pre-set number.

[1mmort4l]

I like to change regularly. I will change at least something every week to mix it up a bit.
I think changing before you stop making gains would be better.

[Songsangnim]

I like to change regularly. I will change at least something every week to mix it up a bit.
I think changing before you stop making gains would be better.

Changing too often will stagnate your gains. If you bench press with the barbell for one workout and then don't use the barbell again for several workouts (DB's and machines) then your CNS will find it hard to adapt when you finally use the barbell again. This leads to lack of progression.

"If it 'ain't broke, don't fix it"

Why change a routine before you've squeezed all possible gains from it?

[1mmort4l]

Changing too often will stagnate your gains. If you bench press with the barbell for one workout and then don't use the barbell again for several workouts (DB's and machines) then your CNS will find it hard to adapt when you finally use the barbell again. This leads to lack of progression.

"If it 'ain't broke, don't fix it"

Why change a routine before you've squeezed all possible gains from it?

Same goes the other way around.. Why waste the week where your gains have stopped because you are doing the same old routine.

As for "changing" my routine. I didnt mean changing it dramatically, ill either do a couple more reps, drop set here and there, more sets, whatever tickles my boat at the time. For me, its also a psychological thing where i like feeling as though im doing something a little different.

[Fuzzy]

Would lessenging the reps gradually and upping the sets count as a change of routines?

[Kong]

I change every four weeks. Sometimes ill just change the excersises but ill often change the rep schemes and sets. For example at the moment im doing a four day split(delt, bi, tri/legs/chest, calves, abs/back,traps) starting with 3x5 on my main lifts, 2-3x8-10 on my second lift and 2-3x10-12 on my third but my next routine will be HIT so ill pick different excersises (exceps my main lifts which ill just tweak a little eg. closer stance on my squats, rack pulls instead of deadlifts, wider grip on my bench) and do 2 warmup sets for each excersise with one work set to failure with pretty much whatever weight i want just as long as i go all out in that set. Just make sure you change either the excersises or rep count (or both) to keep your body shocked every 4 weeks, i find any more than that and my progress slows and seems to stop when it comes to back excersises. Try writin down your lifts every week and keep going till you stop making progress.