Alternating exercises

J

Jester

Well-Known Member
I'm currently using 6x/week frequency for a heavy-tweaked HST program.

Just finished the 1st week of clusters/negs and have done the 2wks of 5s prior to that. Using loaded stretches and burns/drops/pulses as well. I'm only doing minimal leg work this cycle.

At the moment I alternate between dips and incline flys for chest, and w.grip chins and medium grip seated rows (was starting to cheat a bit too much for bent over rows).

Would it be better from a strength point of view to alternate a 3rd exercise for these muscles - such as decline BB bench and c.grip chins/rows?

Likewise, would it make a difference to alternate b/t EZ-bar curls and incline curls for bis, or overheads and press downs for tris?

Bare in mind that regardless of the exercise I'm using the same loaded stretch (stretch point hold) and I'm asking more from a strength point of view/alternate innervation.......I think I vaguely remember reading how mixing up the exercises aka DC training is good for strength, and provided the tension is the same and progression continues, then it's also good for hypertrophy right...?

If I recall correctly, O&G likes to use alternate exercises if at all possible..?
 
"Would it be better from a strength point of view to alternate a 3rd exercise for these muscles - such as decline BB bench and c.grip chins/rows?"

In my opinion it would be better for hypertrophy but not necessarily for strength. For hypertrophy, I believe that hitting a muscle from many angles is important. For specific strength, susc as olympic lifts, I think it is better to hit the muscle continually using that exercise that you want to be strongest in. For general strength, I believe that multiple exercise are superior.

"Likewise, would it make a difference to alternate b/t EZ-bar curls and incline curls for bis, or overheads and press downs for tris?"

Same response as above.

Within a specific cycle, I generally alternate between 2 exercises, not 3. For instance, I may do incline benches in the morning (or on M, W and F) and dips in the PM (or T,Th,and Sat). I will, however, use 3 exercises on a muscle that I am prioritizing. For instance, during my current cycle I am prioritizing lats. So I am doing chin ups in the AM, pull ups at mid day and seated rows in the PM. For the rest of my large bodyparts, I am alternating between 2 exercises. For the small arm muscles, however, I am doing only one execise either in the AM or the PM. They just don't need that much work.

Sorry for the confusing answer but I wasn't sure if you were after hypertrophy, specific strength or strength in general.  
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Let me know if there is anything else I can give you a convoluted answer to to help cloud up your mind more.
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I'm thinking I might add in the 3rd exercise, just for some variety to be honest (and prob. alternate b/t smith machine negs and high load clusters with dbs for shoulders).


Tangent: I'm also thinking of alternating from 6x weekly to 3x twice a day plus an extra day on the weekend (7x weekly). I'm curious to try this style of training, just to see the difference b/t 6x on 6 day and 6/7x on 3/4 days. I imagine it's prob. easier in the long urn on the joints (so I don't have any issues to speak of right now), and that the carbs on gym days are slightly more complicated to manage...?

I'd like to increase the number of sets for the big compounds - chest, back, shoulders; hitting each 3 sets a session, twice daily, 3 days a week but with different exercises. I'd only do one set for bis and tris each day (say bis in the morning, tris at night), and want to get a couple of adjustable dbs with 30kg or so to do forearms at home whenever, or make up a set of tris/bis as well.


Thoughts?
 
Hi mate,

I'm note sure if this will be helpful as I'm no expert on strength training but thought I'd add my thoughts as I'm bored! :-D

I've just completed a cycle where I have alternated between 3 separate sessions so I've been using 3 different exercises for every body part.

I did this mainly because I was also doing 6x a week and I felt only using 2 different sessions would result in a too short cycle (I only use 3 incrementts for 15s and 3 for 10s etc, which obviously usually equals the standard 6 if there are two exercises).

I loved it because it meant I could incorporate different exercises rather than be forced to choose one over another, for example for chest i can do flat press, incline press and dips. It also means you can incorporate say both wide grip and narrow neutral grip pull downs and therefore get the benefit of a wider grip plus the benefit of a greater load...I don't have to worry about which is more beneficial. Also I have favourite exercises such as the tricep pull down which, according to vicious isn't a stretch point movement and therefore not as beneficial as skull crushers or one arm extensions...but as I'm doing these two I feel I can still doi the pushdowns. In addition it meant post 5s I had a bigger break before going back to the same exercise and therefore more chance of increasing the weight.

I was also doing pulse reps from 5s onwards and stretches from post 5s onwards...

Again not sure if this helps but that was my experience...and the variety kept it much more interesting too.

cheers

rob
 
Thanks for relaying your experience :)

I've made a slight change already, I'm now using Incline DB Press AND Flys, as well as Dips. So that's 3 chest exercises there....although I'm tempted to replace the press with a decline.


Anyone else have any thoughts or experience? Any DC users?
 
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