How to Change Your Workout Routine: 17 Ways

Changing your workout routine is essential for continued progress, preventing plateaus, and maintaining motivation. Adjusting variables like volume, intensity, rest periods, or exercise types challenges your body in new ways, promotes adaptation, and ensures balanced development.

A well-structured approach to modifying workouts includes incremental changes to track performance and recovery effectively.

Different ways to change your workout routine are listed below.

• 1. Change the Number of Repetitions: Adjust repetitions to shift the workout’s focus toward strength, muscle growth, or endurance.
• 2. Adjust the Number of Sets: Modify sets to control workout intensity and manage fatigue or recovery.
• 3. Incorporate Progressive Overload Techniques: Increase demands on muscles by adding weight, reps, or sets, or by reducing rest.
• 4. Introduce New Exercises: Add fresh movements to target muscles differently and break performance plateaus.
• 5. Change the Exercise Order: Rearrange exercise sequences to emphasize specific muscles or alter fatigue patterns.
• 6. Use Different Exercise Equipment: Integrate various equipment like dumbbells, bands, or machines to diversify training.
• 7. Add Unilateral (Single-Side) Movements: Perform one-sided exercises to correct imbalances and engage stabilizing muscles.
• 8. Focus on Functional Movements: Perform real-life-inspired exercises to enhance overall strength, balance, and mobility.
• 9. Alter Your Rest Intervals: Shorten or lengthen rest periods to adjust workout intensity and recovery needs.
• 10. Change the Tempo and Time Under Tension: Slow down or speed up exercise movements to emphasize control, strength, or power.
• 11. Add Drop-Sets, Super-Sets, or Giant-Sets (Exercise Techniques): Employ advanced techniques to increase intensity and efficiency.
• 12. Incorporate Circuit Training: Perform multiple exercises back-to-back to boost endurance and calorie burn.
• 13. Include High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Alternate intense efforts with brief recoveries to improve fitness and burn calories.
• 14. Use Periodization: Plan structured training phases to optimize performance and prevent stagnation.
• 15. Vary Your Weekly Frequency: Change how often you train to balance workload, recovery, and progress.
• 16. Schedule Deload Weeks or Active Recovery: Reduce intensity or perform light activities to promote recovery and adaptation.
• 17. Change the Workout Split: Switch how you organize workout sessions by changing the workout split to target muscles differently and enhance balance.

1. Change the Number of Repetitions

Repetitions, or “reps,” represent the number of times an exercise movement is performed consecutively within a single set. Adjusting the number of reps changes the workout’s focus.

Common rep ranges depending on the fitness goal are listed below.

• Strength Training: Perform fewer reps with heavier weights. For example, aim for 5–6 reps with a heavier load to improve strength and power.
• Muscular Endurance: Increase reps with lighter weights. Do 12–15 reps to build endurance and sustain performance over time.
• Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth): Use a moderate rep range, typically 8–12 reps with challenging weights, to enhance muscle size.

2. Adjust the Number of Sets

A set is a group of consecutive repetitions performed without resting. Adjusting the number of sets changes the intensity and volume of a workout.

Common adjustments to the number of sets are listed below.

• Increased Sets: Adding more sets increases workout volume, promoting greater muscle fatigue and adaptation. For example, performing 4–5 sets instead of 3 for compound exercises like squats can enhance strength and hypertrophy.
• Decreased Sets: Reducing sets lowers workout volume and is suitable for active recovery, deload weeks, or time-constrained sessions. For instance, performing 2 sets instead of 3 for isolation exercises helps maintain progress while reducing overall workload.

3. Incorporate Progressive Overload Techniques

Progressive overload is a training principle where workout demands are gradually increased to continually challenge the body and promote adaptation. Incorporating progressive overload techniques ensures consistent improvement by challenging muscles beyond their current capacity, forcing them to adapt and grow stronger or more enduring.

Examples of progressive overload techniques are listed below.

• Increase Weight: Add more resistance to exercise. For instance, move from a 20 lb dumbbell to a 25 lb dumbbell for bicep curls.
• Increase Reps: Perform additional repetitions with the same weight. For example, do 10 reps instead of 8.
• Increase Sets: Add more sets to your routine. For instance, move from 3 sets to 4 sets of an exercise.
• Reduce Rest Time: Shorten rest intervals between sets to increase workout intensity. For example, rest for 30 seconds instead of 60 seconds.
• Use Advanced Exercise Variations: Replace standard exercises with more challenging variations, such as progressing from push-ups to weighted push-ups.

4. Introduce New Exercises

Introducing new exercises involves adding different movements to your workout routine to target muscles in varied ways, improve functional fitness, and prevent adaptation or boredom.

New exercises challenge muscles with unfamiliar patterns, activating different fibers and improving overall strength and mobility. They help break plateaus by offering fresh stimuli for growth and adaptation.

Examples of introducing new exercises into your workout routine are listed below.

• Swap Push-Ups for Bench Press: Replace bodyweight push-ups with bench press to increase load and build chest strength.
• Add Bulgarian Split Squats: Introduce Bulgarian split squats to target legs and glutes while improving balance and coordination.
• Incorporate Deadlifts: Use deadlifts to strengthen the posterior chain and improve functional strength.
• Try Pull-Up Variations: Progress from standard pull-ups to wide-grip or weighted pull-ups to build back and arm strength.
• Experiment with Kettlebell Swings: Add kettlebell swings to improve hip power and conditioning.

5. Change the Exercise Order

Changing the exercise order involves rearranging the sequence of movements within a workout to alter the training focus and intensity.

The sequence of exercises affects muscle fatigue and performance. Placing compound movements earlier utilizes maximum strength while prioritizing isolation exercises can pre-fatigue muscles for a different challenge.

For instance, in a leg day routine, starting with squats followed by leg curls emphasizes overall leg strength by prioritizing the compound movement first. Changing the order to perform leg curls before squats pre-fatigues the hamstrings, making the squats more challenging for the posterior chain and altering the training stimulus.

6. Use Different Exercise Equipment

Using different exercise equipment involves incorporating various tools, such as dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, or machines, into a workout to diversify training stimuli.

Different equipment changes the resistance type, movement pattern, and stability required during exercises. This variation targets muscles uniquely, improving overall strength, coordination, and adaptability.

Switching from barbell bench presses to dumbbell bench presses introduces independent movement for each arm, increasing stabilization demands and activating smaller muscles. Similarly, using resistance bands for rows instead of a cable machine can enhance control and provide variable tension throughout the movement. This variety challenges the body in new ways, promoting balanced development and preventing monotony.

Different exercise equipment options available in most gyms are listed below.

• Free Weights: Dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells
• Resistance Tools: Resistance bands, suspension trainers (e.g., TRX)
• Bodyweight Equipment: Pull-up bars, plyometric boxes
• Medicine Balls: For power and coordination training
• Stability Tools: Stability balls, Bosu balls
• Strength Training Machines: Chest press, pec deck, lat pulldown, seated row, leg press, leg curl, leg extension, cable crunch, bicep curl machine, tricep pushdown machine
• Cardio Machines: Treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, stationary bike

7. Add Unilateral (Single-Side) Movements

Unilateral movements involve performing exercises that focus on one side of the body at a time, such as using a single arm or leg.

Unilateral exercises address strength imbalances, improve coordination, and engage stabilizing muscles. By isolating one side, these movements help identify and correct asymmetries, enhancing overall performance and reducing injury risk.

For example, replacing traditional squats with Bulgarian split squats targets each leg independently, improving balance and single-leg strength. Similarly, swapping a barbell bench press for a single-arm dumbbell press enhances unilateral chest strength and shoulder stability.

Popular unilateral movements are listed below.

• Bulgarian Split Squats
• Single-Leg Deadlifts
• Single-Arm Dumbbell Press
• Single-Arm Rows
• Step-Ups
• Side Planks with Leg Lifts
• Pistol Squats
• Single-Arm Overhead Press

8. Focus on Functional Movements

Functional movements are exercises that mimic real-life activities, improving strength, stability, and coordination for daily tasks or sports performance.

Functional movements engage multiple muscle groups and joints in coordinated patterns, enhancing overall body mechanics. These exercises often emphasize core strength, balance, and mobility, making them practical for improving performance and reducing injury risk in daily life.

Replacing seated leg presses with goblet squats strengthens the lower body while promoting core engagement and better posture, reflecting movements like lifting objects. Similarly, swapping cable rows for farmer’s carries enhances grip strength, core stability, and endurance, replicating activities such as carrying groceries or equipment.

Popular functional movements are listed below.

• Squats (e.g., Goblet Squats, Front Squats)
• Deadlifts
• Farmer’s Carries
• Kettlebell Swings
• Push-Ups
• Pull-Ups
• Step-Ups
• Lunges (e.g., Walking Lunges, Reverse Lunges)
• Medicine Ball Slams
• Turkish Get-Ups
• Plank Variations (e.g., Side Plank, Plank with Shoulder Taps)

9. Alter Your Rest Intervals

Rest intervals, or rest periods, refer to the time spent recovering between sets or exercises during a workout. Altering rest intervals changes workout intensity and targets different fitness adaptations.

Shorter rest periods increase workout density and cardiovascular demand, making them suitable for endurance and fat loss goals. Longer rest intervals allow for greater recovery and are ideal for building strength and power by enabling maximum effort during each set.

If you typically rest for 90 seconds between sets of squats, shortening the rest to 30–45 seconds increases intensity and enhances muscular endurance. Conversely, extending rest to 2–3 minutes between sets of heavy deadlifts provides adequate recovery, supporting strength and power development.

Adjusting rest intervals tailors the workout to specific goals and training needs.

Recommended rest periods depending on the goal are listed below.

• Strength and Power: 2–5 minutes between sets. This allows maximum recovery for heavy lifts and explosive movements.
• Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy): 30–90 seconds between sets. This strikes a balance between recovery and maintaining muscle tension for growth.
• Muscular Endurance: 15–45 seconds between sets. Short rest keeps the heart rate elevated and focuses on sustaining performance.
• Fat Loss and Conditioning: 15–60 seconds between sets or circuit exercises. Minimal rest maximizes calorie burn and cardiovascular challenge.

10. Change the Tempo and Time Under Tension

Tempo refers to the speed at which an exercise is performed, while time under tension (TUT) is the duration a muscle remains under strain during a set. Adjusting tempo and TUT alters the intensity and focus of a workout.

Slower tempos increase TUT, promoting muscle hypertrophy and control. Faster tempos emphasize power and explosive strength. Changing tempo challenges muscles differently and improves focus on specific phases of a movement (eccentric, concentric, or isometric).

Examples of different tempos are listed below.

• 3-1-1 Tempo: Lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second, lift in 1 second (builds control and strength).
• 2-2-2 Tempo: Lower for 2 seconds, pause for 2 seconds, lift in 2 seconds (enhances stability and endurance).
• 4-0-2 Tempo: Lower for 4 seconds, no pause, lift in 2 seconds (maximizes time under tension for hypertrophy).
• 1-0-1 Tempo: Lower and lift quickly with no pause (improves power and explosiveness).
• 2-1-3 Tempo: Lower for 2 seconds, pause for 1 second, lift for 3 seconds (focuses on eccentric control).

11. Add Drop-Sets, Super-Sets, or Giant-Sets (Exercise Techniques)

Advanced exercise techniques like drop sets, super sets, and giant sets modify traditional training to enhance intensity, efficiency, and overall workout effectiveness.

These exercise techniques manipulate rest periods, weights, or exercise combinations to target muscles differently, improve endurance, and maximize effort in less time.

Examples of popular exercise techniques are listed below.

• Drop Sets: Perform an exercise to failure, reduce the weight, and continue until failure again. Repeat multiple times without rest. Example: Bench press with 100 lbs (45 kg) to failure, then 80 lbs (36 kg), and then 60 lbs (27 kg).
• Super Sets: Perform two exercises back-to-back with no rest. Example: Bench press followed immediately by push-ups to fatigue the chest.
• Giant Sets: Perform three or more exercises sequentially with minimal rest. Example: Squats, lunges, and step-ups in a single sequence for the lower body.
• Cluster Sets: Break one large set into smaller sets with short rests. Example: Deadlift 5 reps at 120 lbs (55 kg), rest for 15 seconds, and repeat 3 more times.
• Rest-Pause Sets: Perform as many reps as possible, rest briefly, then continue with the same weight. Example: Shoulder press for 10 reps at 40 lbs (18 kg), rest for 10 seconds, and complete 5 more reps.
• Pyramid Sets: Increase weight and reduce reps (or vice versa) with each set. Example: Squat with 10 reps at 100 lbs (45 kg), 8 reps at 120 lbs (55 kg), and 6 reps at 140 lbs (64 kg).

12. Incorporate Circuit Training

Circuit training involves performing a series of exercises one after the other with minimal rest between them, targeting different muscle groups or fitness components.

Circuit training combines strength and cardio exercises to improve muscular endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and calorie burning in a time-efficient manner. Each “circuit” typically includes 4–10 exercises performed sequentially, followed by a brief rest before repeating.

A sample full-body circuit training routine could include the following.

1. 10 Push-Ups (chest, triceps, shoulders)
2. 15 Squats (legs, glutes)
3. 30-Second Plank (core stability)
4. 10 Dumbbell Rows (back, biceps)
5. 20 Jumping Jacks (cardio, total body)

Complete all exercises back-to-back with minimal rest. Rest for 1–2 minutes after completing the circuit, then repeat for 2–3 rounds.

13. Include High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a workout method alternating short bursts of intense exercise with brief recovery periods, maximizing calorie burn and improving cardiovascular fitness in less time.

HIIT leverages high-intensity efforts to push the body close to its limit, followed by low-intensity recovery to allow partial recovery before the next burst. This approach boosts metabolism, burns fat, and enhances endurance.

A sample 20-minute HIIT workout could include the following.

1. 30 seconds of Sprinting (max effort)
2. 30 seconds of Walking (recovery)
3. 30 seconds of Jump Squats (max effort)
4. 30 seconds of Rest
5. 30 seconds of Burpees (max effort)
6. 30 seconds of Walking (recovery)

Repeat the sequence for 4 rounds. This format keeps the intensity high while alternating between effort and recovery, delivering efficient results in a short session.

14. Use Periodization

Periodization is a systematic approach to planning training programs by dividing them into specific phases or cycles, each with distinct goals and intensities.

Periodization structures training to optimize performance, recovery, and progress over time. It balances stress and recovery, reducing the risk of plateaus or overtraining. The training is divided into macrocycles (long-term goals), mesocycles (medium-term phases), and microcycles (short-term weekly or daily plans).

Phases of periodization training are listed below.

• Macrocycle: The entire training plan, often spanning 6 months to 1 year, focused on overarching goals like preparing for a competition or achieving significant milestones.
• Mesocycle: Medium-term phases lasting 4–12 weeks, targeting specific objectives such as strength, hypertrophy, or endurance.
• Microcycle: Short-term cycles lasting 1–2 weeks, detailing specific workouts, recovery periods, and daily training adjustments.

Common periodization training models are listed below.

• Linear Periodization: Gradually increases intensity while decreasing volume over time (e.g., starting with high reps and low weight, progressing to low reps and heavy weight).
• Nonlinear/Undulating Periodization: Varies intensity and volume more frequently, such as daily or weekly changes in reps and weight.
• Reverse Periodization: Begins with high-intensity, low-volume training (e.g., heavy weights) and transitions to higher-volume, lower-intensity phases (e.g., endurance work).

An example of a workout program with different periodization phases and models is shown below.

• Macrocycle: A 12-month training plan to prepare for a powerlifting competition.
• Mesocycle 1 (Hypertrophy): 6 weeks using linear periodization, focusing on 10–12 reps with moderate weight to build muscle.
• Mesocycle 2 (Strength): 8 weeks using nonlinear periodization, alternating between heavy days (4–6 reps) and moderate days (8–10 reps).
• Mesocycle 3 (Peaking): 4 weeks using reverse periodization, emphasizing heavy, low-rep sets (1–3 reps) with longer rest periods to maximize strength.
• Microcycles: Weekly workout plans specifying exact exercises, weights, reps, and rest for each workout.

15. Vary Your Weekly Frequency

Varying your weekly frequency involves adjusting the number of workout sessions per week to align with fitness goals, recovery needs, and overall lifestyle.

Changing weekly frequency affects workout volume, recovery, and session length. Increasing frequency allows for more focused and shorter sessions spread across the week. Decreasing frequency often requires longer sessions to maintain total weekly training volume. Adjusting frequency ensures workouts remain effective while fitting individual schedules and goals.

If you usually work out 3 days per week, increasing frequency to 4 or 5 days enables shorter sessions with targeted focus, such as dedicating a day to specific muscle groups. Reducing frequency to 2 days per week might require longer sessions, combining upper and lower body exercises to maintain overall volume.

However, study “Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy” by Schoenfeld et al. (2016) found that training major muscle groups at least twice per week results in superior hypertrophic outcomes compared to once-per-week training. Higher frequencies were linked to greater muscle growth, highlighting the importance of training each muscle group at least twice weekly for optimal results. Hence, it is recommended to train each major muscle group at least twice a week to optimize muscle hypertrophy and improve overall training efficiency.

16. Schedule Deload Weeks or Active Recovery

Deload weeks or active recovery are planned periods of reduced training intensity or volume to allow the body to recover, repair, and adapt.

Deload weeks involve lowering the weight, volume, or intensity of workouts, while active recovery includes light, low-intensity activities such as walking, yoga, or mobility exercises. These approaches help reduce fatigue, prevent overtraining, and improve long-term performance by promoting recovery without complete inactivity.

Deload weeks are typically scheduled every 4–8 weeks, depending on the intensity of the training program and individual recovery needs. They are especially important after high-intensity phases or before a new training cycle.

During a deload week, reduce the weight lifted to 50–60% of your usual maximum and decrease sets or reps. For instance, if you typically perform 4 sets of squats at 100 kg (220 lbs), perform 3 sets at 50–60 kg (110–132 lbs) instead. Alternatively, schedule active recovery by replacing a high-intensity training day with a 30-minute yoga session or a brisk walk.

17. Change the Workout Split

A workout split is the division of training sessions based on muscle groups, movement patterns, or fitness goals. Changing the workout split alters how and when different muscles or fitness components are targeted.

Switching workout splits provides new training stimuli, prevents plateaus, and ensures balanced development. Common workout split routines include full-body, upper/lower, push/pull/legs, and body-part splits. Adjusting the split can align training with specific goals, recovery needs, and schedule constraints.

If you’re following a full-body split three times a week, transitioning to a push/pull/legs split spreads the workload across six days, allowing each muscle group to be targeted more frequently and with greater training volume.

Alternatively, switching from a body-part split (e.g., chest on Monday, back on Tuesday) to an upper/lower split (e.g., upper body Monday and Thursday, lower body Tuesday and Friday) increases the frequency at which major muscle groups are worked while maintaining balanced training volume and adequate recovery. 

How Often Should You Change Your Workout Routine?

Adjusting your workout routine every 4–12 weeks is recommended to prevent stagnation, optimize performance, and maintain motivation.

Examples of when you should consider changing your workout routine based on experience level are listed below.

• Beginners (6–12 weeks): Stick with the same routine longer to build foundational skills and adapt to consistent training.
• Intermediates (6–8 weeks): Adjust more frequently to ensure continued progress and prevent stagnation.
• Advanced (4–6 weeks): Modify regularly to maintain a challenge and avoid plateaus due to faster adaptation.

What Are the Key Signs You Need to Change Your Workout Routine?

Key signs that it’s time to change your workout are listed below.

• Decreased Performance: Decline in strength, endurance, or energy during workouts.
• Lack of Motivation: Feeling bored or unexcited about training sessions.
• Injury or Pain: Persistent discomfort or recurring injuries from imbalanced routines.
• Goal Achievement: Meeting initial fitness goals and needing new objectives.