Mixing it up.

Lately, I have really focused on changing up the order of my sets. What a difference. For the longest time I did not see much difference in my chest even though my strength has been increasing but lately the muscle is looking larger. Some of that is because my body fat has dropped so it looks bigger but I think changing up the order of the exercises confuses the muscles and causes them to respond more.

Now I know that muscles cannot actually become confused but they do respond to increased stimulus and I believe that is what happens when you mix it up. For example, say I do bench press 12 reps at 135lbs., 10 reps 140lbs., 8 reps 145lbs., 6 reps 150lbs. then rest 2 minutes and do incline dumbbell press. Am I going to be able to do as much weight at the incline dumbbell press as if I start there? No, of course not. I already stressed the muscles with the bench press so they won't be able to press as hard during the dumbbell press therefore less stress for those fibers maximally stimulated by the incline dumbbell press.

Suppose next week I start with the incline dumbbell press then move to the bench press. Those fibers maximally stimulated by the incline dumbbell press get the maximum stimulation I can put on them because my strength is at its highest and the ones only stimulated maximally by the bench press get a little grow break until the next week or week after. I generally do 3 or 4 exercises per muscle group so I try to rotate the order of the larger movement exercises.

Mixing it up has worked well for me. If you try it let me know how it works for you.