This post is basically about how the principle of specificity should be applied. Basically, you get better at what you do, because the body does not recognize your lifting as 'working out', but as practice. Working out develops your muscles, but also develops your neuro muscular system, which is basically what is responsible for increases in strength. Yes, a muscle with a larger cross sectional area is stronger, but the nervous system which can use the existing muscles better is even stronger. At best, even the most well trained of us can use only 40% of our existing 'strength' potential. Thus it is important to practice strength (high frequency, high weights, perfect technique, intelligent movements, per session fatigue should be low). However, if you do what you have always done, you will get what you always got. If your present methods and exercises are not increasing your strength, you have to change them. This happens because the learning curve of the nervous system on that movement has become flat, and you need to do something new to revive the nervous system.
However, if you do something that is drastically different the strength gained from that movement will not transfer to the original movement you wanted to improve. Fortunately strength gains happen from movements that are in the 20 % range of difference from it. So that gives us a lot of scope for change. You must choose exercises that are different enough to stimulate gains, and similar enough to be meaningful.
For example, good alternatives for the bench press could be- Incline presses and decline presses (basically same movement from different angles), standing military press (similar movement but totally different patterns), dips, push ups and one arm push ups. Bad substitutes would be dumbbell flys, tricep extensions, skull crushers, lateral and front raises.
However, you must always remember not too get too distracted with the new movements, and always keep your eyes on the main lift you are trying to improve.
Calisthenics, in this respect, has a natural evolution to it. Every time you increase the intensity, you not only increase the resistance, but you also modify the technique. Thus every step of a progression is in fact a new movement. As you move up a movement whenever you feel the current movement is no longer giving you anything, there is a natural level of variety that ensures you never go stale. Also, because of this, by the time you reach an advanced level in any movement, you would have done it in every possible way, leading to a balanced level of strength.
Even if you are a guy who needs to train with weights, like a weightlifter or a power-lifter using bodyweight substitutes for your movements an ensure you get the variety you need and the degree of useful gains required. If your bench is stuck, try going for a push up program for a few weeks. If you squat is stuck try pistol squats, If your deadlifts are stuck, try ham glute raises. All these are good to give the necessary change and will have a good transfer to your competition lifts.
Just remember, have fun and keep everything in perspective.
However, if you do something that is drastically different the strength gained from that movement will not transfer to the original movement you wanted to improve. Fortunately strength gains happen from movements that are in the 20 % range of difference from it. So that gives us a lot of scope for change. You must choose exercises that are different enough to stimulate gains, and similar enough to be meaningful.
For example, good alternatives for the bench press could be- Incline presses and decline presses (basically same movement from different angles), standing military press (similar movement but totally different patterns), dips, push ups and one arm push ups. Bad substitutes would be dumbbell flys, tricep extensions, skull crushers, lateral and front raises.
However, you must always remember not too get too distracted with the new movements, and always keep your eyes on the main lift you are trying to improve.
Calisthenics, in this respect, has a natural evolution to it. Every time you increase the intensity, you not only increase the resistance, but you also modify the technique. Thus every step of a progression is in fact a new movement. As you move up a movement whenever you feel the current movement is no longer giving you anything, there is a natural level of variety that ensures you never go stale. Also, because of this, by the time you reach an advanced level in any movement, you would have done it in every possible way, leading to a balanced level of strength.
Even if you are a guy who needs to train with weights, like a weightlifter or a power-lifter using bodyweight substitutes for your movements an ensure you get the variety you need and the degree of useful gains required. If your bench is stuck, try going for a push up program for a few weeks. If you squat is stuck try pistol squats, If your deadlifts are stuck, try ham glute raises. All these are good to give the necessary change and will have a good transfer to your competition lifts.
Just remember, have fun and keep everything in perspective.
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