I am changing my workout.
For the past 13 months–and off and on in the 9 years before that–my weightlifting routine was a single set of up to 12 repetitions on each of about 8 machines. I then repeated that circuit three times.
It has served me fairly well. Between summer 2005 and now–the time period where I have been most serious–I have made great improvements. For example, I have doubled my capabilities on the machine where you press your extended arms together (fly).
My routine concentrated on the upper body with the lower body left for improvements through jogging.
This routine has two problems:
- I haven’t regularly jogged in over 2 years.
- Multiple circuit training is not beneficial.
That’s right: the crux of my routine, which is where I repeat the circuit thrice, isn’t doing me any good. The Mayo Clinic has an article about a 1998 study that found that you should just do one workout per machine. As long as the weights are sufficient that you fatigue by the 12th repetition, you get the maximum benefit.
Starting tomorrow, I am taking that advice. That will leave me more time to do multiple machines, so I will start a full body workout.