Rules of specificity for weight training.
Topics covered: Lifting weights for sport, outside of powerlifting, Olympic lifting you are better sticking with more general physical preparedness (GPP)
What to focus on if you are new to lifting or want to improve sports performance
Not “making up” exercises or getting to specific physical preparedness.
When lifting for a particular sport or even just wanting to look better nekked (because who doesn’t… like saying the word nekked) outside of competitive strength sports most people could spend more time just getting stronger, more flexible and improving aerobic capacity. This is known as GPP, coined by Mel Siff in Supertraining. This is the basic function of just improving all of the above qualities.
I’ve talked about picking set movements and working on them here. Focus on fundamental, pain free movements. The hinge, squat, pull, push, single leg and core and get better at these things over time. Your GPP will improve.
Focusing on improving these areas all at the same time is fairly easy. If you have a good coach or a well-structured strength program all of the above qualities will be address and practiced around 3-5 times per week. Depending on your goal. You do not have to be tied down to anyone particular movement, but find one that works and stick with it. Be patient and let the magic happen, oh by magic, not some Gandalf awesomeness but your body composition and performance.
The last point I will make will be a bit tangenty (I make up words, like you should not make up exercises. Because, my Blog) and covers not straying too far form the tried and tested. I will give examples:
Young male looking to build a bigger chest and be stronger for sport. Don’t sit on the pec fly machine or complete 7 different chest exercises if you can not bench 100kg. Or 1.5 times bodyweight. Stick with the bench press.
Middle aged female looking to lose body fat and get some muscle definition (tone) if you are having still not able to deadlift bodyweight or complete full push ups. STOP USING THE BOSU BALL!
If you, anyone is finding it hard to walk up a flight of stairs then you need to work on some single leg strength. Busting out Step ups or rear foot elevated split squats with half bodyweight will do the trick.
My final point will be this, you do not need fancy equipment, bands, chains, 0.11234kg plates for small increments. If you can not complete double bodyweight deadlifts, bodyweight front squats and bench press. Then just getting generally stronger will help you get better at what every your given outcome is.
P.S Thank you Gandalf, he knows why
