Why Even The Best Muscle Confusion Workouts Are Not The Answer To Getting Ripped Or Buff

Everyone by now has at least heard of muscle confusion workouts and how great they are. Even a few of the main stream workouts boast about their muscle confusing approach and how these types of workouts will generate the quickest results possible.

Some promise greater overall muscle size due to the “shock” your muscles receive while others say that you’ll get more definition because you hit the muscle from every angle.

I’ll just say it now … I am not behind the idea of a workout specifically built around muscle confusion. I feel there are better approaches to building mass and better approaches to getting defined.

At first muscle confusion workouts sound legitimate but in the end you may just be left scratching your head, wondering why you aren’t stronger, more defined or even bigger.

Okay, so I realize that there are a few very popular workout out right now that base their programs on muscle confusion. I have not personally done these workouts but I know of a few who have and they actually got some pretty decent results … I’m not trying to bash these workouts.

Do I think that it was due to the muscle confusion? No, I actually don’t. The people who I know personally that used this workout and got success where not already in shape … not even close.

Why I’m Not Crazy About Muscle Confusion Workouts

If you are not in shape before you start to workout it really doesn’t take that much time to see results. It’s one thing to go from out of shape to decent shape. It’s quite another to go from decent to great.

If you’ve ever tried to get “ripped” or “jacked” then you’ll know what I’m talking about. The initial gains, whether in definition or in size, come fairly quick. After that it takes focused training to improve upon what you’ve started.

This is the main reason I’m not fully behind the muscle confusion concept. If you want to get jacked then you need to train to do so. If you want to be ripped then you need to train for that.

This reminds me of the very common quest to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. While it is possible to make respectable gains in both your fat loss and muscle gaining goals, you will be better off in the long run if you focus solely on one goal at a time.

Focused Training Delivers Results

If you were to hang out with Ricky Carmichael for a day (while he was still racing motocross) guess what you’d be doing … riding. If you want to achieve greatness (RC’s nickname is the GOAT — Greatest of All Time) then you’ve got to put the focused time and energy into whatever it is that you want to do.

Carmichael, like any other professional athlete who is at the top of his game, knows this and trains accordingly. Here’s a quick video interview of him talking about the intensity and frequency in which he trains. Okay, while we’re at it, you’ve got to checkout this video of him ripping on his personal track. I’ve seen him race in Washougal, WA and the guy is FAST.

This same mindset and dedication that a professional athlete has also translates into lifting weights, getting ripped and getting jacked.

If you want to get defined muscles then you’ve got to work for it. You have to follow a diet and workout program that will get you what you want. Simply put, muscle confusion workouts will work for you to an extent but after that you’ve got to train smart as well as hard.

Muscle Confusion Workouts Don’t Work For Getting Ripped

In order to to get ripped, shredded and/or cut you’ve got to accomplish two main goals:

1. Build muscle definition
2. Lose excess fat

Item #1: In order to build muscle definition you need to focus on strength training. You need to increase your residual muscle tone. The stronger your muscle is, the more toned it will be.

If you want your muscle to be stronger and more toned you’ve got to train for that. You don’t need to confuse the muscle by changing up your exercises. I personally like to build my workout routines around one (sometimes two) main exercises for each muscle group.

For example, the incline dumbbell fly or incline squeeze press is almost always done during my chest workout. I use these because they focus on the upper pec more so than the flat or decline exercises and because I have a very good mind-to-muscle connection while doing these.

If I were to change it up just for the sake of confusing my muscles then I would never really get better at these exercises which are the most effective for me.

Item #2: One of the main boasts behind many of the muscle confusion workouts are that they are so demanding that you’ll burn more calories/fat and get ripped. While this is true that they are demanding, there is a much better approach to getting ripped … eat less.

To lose weight/fat you need to create a calorie deficit. Yes, it is possible to workout often and to train long and that certainly does help, but it is much more effective to simply eat less calories.

“But I Know A Guy …”

Like I said in the beginning, muscle confusion workouts can and do work for many people. However, those who get the best results are those who have not worked out in a while.

It seems that many who have been putting off getting in shape or have just been slacking for a while hit a wall. Eventually they realize that it’s time to kick it into gear.

For some that means going out and finding/doing the hardest workout that they can find because that is what is going to get them results. Typical all or nothing personality — I recognize this because I fight this in myself constantly.

Once “that guy” decides to sign up and puts in the time of course he’s going to get results. After all, he’s been sitting on the couch for the last few months “planning” on working out.

In the end, just don’t buy into the hype. You’d be better off (whether a newbie or veteran) sticking with a smart diet, efficient cardio, and focused weight training based on what you want to achieve.

Leave the muscle confusion workouts to those who are confused about what they want to achieve.