I might write a part 2.
I have been in this fitness and strength & conditioning field since 2003. So, I have seen and heard a lot of things that I do not like. Let me share them:
"Stop doing this exercise." How about, "No." Are there exercises that produce better results than others when targeting the same muscle group? Of course. I'd rather do lunges in multiple directions than leg extensions because I can still receive a quadriceps burn, my glutes get a workout, my dynamic core control gets a workout. But, I may, at rare times (through soreness, pre-hab, etc), do leg extensions starting at different ranges of motion.
That's only one example.
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| Not a burpee |
"Don't do burpees." Similar to the above statement, but this topic has received more threats in recent years and tends to hold a more personal view. Two main issues of why individuals, trainers, or coaches do not like burpees:
...They can hurt your wrists during the eccentric phase, that is, returning to the push-up position.
...In the strength & conditioning realm, what is the purpose of them?
To the first...true. But, there are several ways to avoid slamming your wrists on the ground. It's funny how an exercise that people with so much eagerness to show off has taken a tumble.
You. Do. Not. Have. To. Slam. Your Wrists. Doing Burpees!
You can emphasize the concentric jump phase and walk it down.
You can emphasize the concentric jump phase and return to a modified level like from a chair height, counter height, a wall, or plyo box (hands on).
You can start the push-up part from a knuckle position or a neutral grip position using dumbbells. So, you would never slam your wrists.
For the second argument...I get it. Burpees are not in the plan for an elite athlete. But, you know who likes burpees? Young athletes, especially those just starting out. Look, martial arts programs give out burpees; and they're trying to build 🍑-pickers, right? Tom Brady, LeBron, Diana Taurisi, a college swimmer, an Olympian...they're most likely not during burpees. But, "Tony Plake", 12yy, youth basketball, soccer, and track student-athlete does burpees; and he's improving his stamina and learning how to fight through fatigue.
However, plenty of instructors side with the fact that they do not care and have no recollection to whether burpees are appropriate - they simply throw them into a workout. Burpees have a strategy, for they are a dynamic exercise with a plyo part (the jump and don't cheat the jump by jumping shallow), a strength part (the push-up), and a reaction part (the transition from the push-up to the jump and back down - foot placement reacts in burpees).
When Pros Say, "I don't care." Every sports performance or human performance professional should care about the design and order of a workout. Gym members may not care what the order of a workout includes during a class. They just want to hurt. What is the point in telling them why you are doing a certain set of exercises? Well, it would be nice to educate, but IMO, many individuals do not care if they're educated about their bodies and movement. Just move them!
Talking down about other professionals. Guess what? Other professionals will say things opposite of your philosophy. So, what! It happens in every profession. If everyone had the same philosophy, order, design, and experience, then what would be the point of education? Harvard is different from Yale. Yale is different from Stanford. Stanford is different Texas. Texas is different from Michigan State. College is different from the workforce and so on.
My point: We have different experiences and pursuits in our profession, which help make our expertise unique and enables choices and skills.
You/We are not THE way. You/We are A way.
Alright, that's it for now.
Derek |@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com
