Choice of Exercises: You'll know if you have a good workout system when it provides you with a variety of exercises. There are multiple exercises for each major muscle group. At first glance, all of these same body part exercises can be a bit overwhelming.

The broad variety actually happens to be a great benefit to you, as it will keep your muscles consistently challenged and will keep you mentally motivated throughout the total workout plan. The variation of the exercises extends beyond just the type of machine or training apparatus that you’ll be using.

A good workout program will also instruct you to train your body in various anatomical positions, which will allow you to isolate specific muscle groups. For example, when you do a chest press on an incline bench, you are helping to engage the upper chest (pectoral) muscles. If you move to a flat bench and now perform a chest press, you have now moved the primary muscle concentration to the center of the chest.

These slight changes in body positioning AKA “training angles” are paramount training variables that allow you to hone in on specific areas of each muscle group. These training angles apply to all of your major muscle groups. IF your workout does offer these important and highly recommended training guidelines, make sure that yoy follow the plan and you’ll be hitting all of the areas of your muscles to ensure that muscles total development.

There are many additional benefits to having variety in your training routine. While it can be confusing, especially if you don’t have a plan in place, greater variety will mean the difference between average results and extraordinary ones.

You simply need to become aware of how each variation will help you progress and than follow the plan. The more consciously prepared you are, and this is simply a matter of understanding the “why” of our training, the better your training outcomes will be.

Another important aspect that should be included in your workout plan is training versatility. You want a system that teaches you how exercises can be performed using various training apparatus. For example, you can perform the incline chest press using a barbell, dumbbells, machines or even a Smith Machine. You can acheive amazing results by using rubber bands, body weight exercises and other non-conventional means.   

The same variation applies for all your major muscle groups. For example, the Quadriceps muscles located on the front thigh can be stimulated by performing a variety of different exercises. You’ll engage the quadriceps during the Barbell Squat, any Lunge movement, the Leg Extension exercise and more.

The Biceps muscles can be stimulated during the Barbell Curl, the Incline Dumbbell Curl, the Chin-Up and more. It’s not necessary that I give you the training details for each muscle group here. It’s just important that you have a better understanding of why and how training variation must be applied to your training program if you expect extraordinary results.

Having this freedom adds a refreshing training component to your workouts. You will perform specific exercise for certain muscle groups in one workout and than use different exercises to hit that same muscle group during that next muscle group’s workout. This variation is what will keep your body guessing and it’s what will keep you motivated to keep going strong. When you get used to doing the same exercises and workouts all the time, it gets pretty boring and you’re less likely of seeing results.

All of this information should give you a very good idea of how training variation (different exercises and training angles) is used throughout a solid workout program. Your empowering understanding and use of these training principles will only help you achieve the greatest training results possible.

If you don't have a good workout plan and would like one, email me and let's discuss how I can help develop a direct plan of action for Body Sculpting success.

James Villepigue CSCS