This quote is from Coach X’s GPP manual.
Another related phrase comes from Charlie Francis: The rush to results often leads to uncertainty and stagnation in the future
Too many people spend too much time learning too many exercises. As a result they end up a jack of all trades and a master of none
Here is the deal. Pick from a smaller exercise pool and spend a LOT of time in the beginning mastering the movements.
I’d rather train an athlete that can do perfect squats, lunges, RDL’s, GHR’s, Push ups and Pull ups than one that can half ass all of those and cleans and snatches and turkish get ups, and do spider lunges, and muscle ups, and dot drills, and clubbells, and kettlebells, and tae bo, and psx90, and the new weider confusion principle extreme growth hack squat, and… well you get the picture
start slow, master the movements and you may take 2 steps back (cuz your homies will squat and bench more weight) but you will be preparing yourself for a long injury free lifting career. You will take 2 steps back and then shoot 10 steps forward.
If you can squat properly, then I can get you to land properly, which means you can do depth jumps properly. Thus by mastering the squat your drops and jumps will be better, higher, and more effective.
If you can get the glute in an rdl, you can get it in a swing, prime time, and eventually a sprint!
My core lifts:
Squat
Lunge
GHR
RDL
Push Up
Pull Up
Most every other exercise is a variation of these core lifts. Think about say a kettlebell swing or prime time. They are essentially the same movement pattern as an RDL. So you master proper activation through the RDL, then transfer the skill to more rapid fire movements. The goal of each is the same, get the glute to extend your hip. If you cant do that in a slow movement like an RDL you won’t be able to get the glute to fire during a prime time.
It’s kinda like the WGF Skill, strength, endurance, power progression.
Squats eventually turn into REA squats, ADA squat, RA Squat (depth jump). But you master the movement first. Same with lunges.
So then the progression looks kinda like
iso, iso mio, pim, fda, ada, rea, ra, rfi/rate work
Master movement and train first to be an athlete. Learn to move well and you will be a better athlete. Let the variety come from the means and methods.
Alex