Prefences of Movement

 

You see it all the time--trainers and coaches inflicting their opinions and biases upon their athletes and clients with only a limited acknowledgement of the individual's abilities, limitations, or needs.  When it happens in the medial realm it is called malpractice but when it happens in the gym it is called working out.  Huh??  This is absurd.

Take the squat, for example.  Back squats, front squats, box squats, split squats, single-leg squats, goblet squats, assisted squats, wall squats, ball squats, squats with accommodating resistance, and I am sure I am forgetting some other type of variation.  All of these--based on the implements used, the placement of the resistance relative to the body and the specific joint in question, the direction of the resistance, how the person is applying force into the ground, tempo, intention, and how much movement occurs at each joint during the motion--will affect the body in profoundly different ways.  You can even take the same movement with the same weight, implements, and placement of resistance and get completely different adaptations and sensations both from a structural and neuromuscular perspective if the other variables are not controlled, as well.

The point of all of this is that to label an exercise as "good" or "bad" or to completely disregard one variation of an exercise and/or only using a single variation is not only ignorant, it is dangerous, because the question that is failing to be asked is, "Is this appropriate for this individual at this moment in time?".  Without first asking this question and then seeking the answer, you are simply guessing as to whether the stimulus you are applying to the body should, in fact, be applied while at the same time assuming it is appropriate to do so.

It is time to collectively give up our arrogant and ignorant preferences of movement and start developing a preference for appropriateness.

Get big or die tryin'.

Charlie Cates, CSCS
Self Made_®, Owner and Founder

Charlie Cates is a strength and conditioning specialist and the owner and founder of Self Made_® (http://selfmadefitness.com/) in Chicago, IL.  He has worked with competitive and everyday athletes of all ages and ability levels, from 9-year-old kids to NFL MVP’s.  He can be reached via e-mail at charlie@selfmadefitness.com.

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