Increase Reps or Increase Weight
 For those who have been working out for a while, it's easy to get into a rut, simply doing the same routine every time you go to the gym. This is particularly true of resistance exercises – once people have a routine figured out, they are loathe to change it. But the truth is, if you don't mix it up, the return for your effort will gradually decrease. The best ways to change your resistance workout are to increase reps or increase weight. However, people are often unsure which they should do, and as a result end up doing neither. The reality is that unless you are a serious body builder or competitive athlete, the answer is not to increase reps or increase weight – it is to do both! So what will it do for you if you increase reps or increase weight?
Jacking up the amount you lift will make you stronger, and is the preferred route of anyone who wants to up their muscle mass. It is a proven strategy, with a well-deserved reputation. Conversely, upping the repetitions will increase your stamina, the ability to work for longer periods of time. This is the route most often taken by athletes who need greater endurance as a part of their sport. However, for those who are looking to simply put some changes into their workouts, doing both will be most effective. It's not necessary to do them both at once – indeed, it's probably more effective to alternate, upping the repetitions one week, then reducing them the next week and increasing how much you lift.
Additional strategies you can put into your resistance workout to keep your body guessing are changing the intensity of your sessions by altering your rest periods (short one week, long the next), and adding in new exercises on a regular basis. If you add one new exercise to your workout each week, you will soon have a great selection to choose from.
By forcing your body to constantly adapt and change, you will continue to reap benefits from your workouts.
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