I don't know about you, but I need variety in my training to keep me motivated and excited about my workouts. I change my entire routine every 4 weeks, minimum. I change:
the grouping (push/pull integration) of my exercises each month,
deciding whether I'll be emphasizing the use of dumbbells or barbell,
whether I will be emphasizing unilateral style training (training one side of the body at a time- think squat versus 1 leg squats),
what type of circuit style I'll be using,
and of course how I want to group the body parts, as well as an assortment of other variables.
Why?
Because it's not only an issue of the necessary mental excitement, but keeping the body adapting to new stimuli, and thus continuing to improve in conditioning (think lower body fat) and function. More recently I've been trying to experiment with different training methods (think battle ropes and kettlebells).
Are you familiar with Suspension Training Straps? My personal favorite is the Jungle Gym XT.
It is a piece of exercise equipment that basically mimics the idea of the rings used in gymnastics. This is a great piece of equipment to add to your training routine to keep things fresh and challenging. The true beauty of this piece, I believe, is that:
you can go from one exercise to the next without resting;
even better you can make the exercise more or less difficult based on how close or far you stand from the anchor point,
and virtually every movement you do significantly engages your core.
Why is that such a big deal?
Because it means you can really push yourself to the end. When you get fatigued using your standard weights (barbell or dumbbell) you usually have to either go find the another set of dumbbells to finish your set, get assistance from someone you trust, or "cheat" your way through the last few reps hoping you don't injure yourself in the process. With suspension strap training, it's as simple as taking a few steps forward or backward to the anchor point. Thus decreasing the chances of injury and increasing the chances of a kick butt training session.
Remember, the whole goal of working out/exercising/training, is that you can better enjoy your life on a day to day basis. If you're not changing your workout a minimum of every 6-8 weeks, your not getting the best you could out of your training time. Today there are so many different ways to challenge yourself safely and effectively. Thus allowing you to make steady progress (think lean, beautiful, and functional body), and avoid or shorten plateaus.
Here's a little taste of Suspension Straps. More in the coming weeks.