My Favourite Assistance Exercises

I don't think any one claims the TGU trains you like in the way squats do, or well they shouldn't. I certainly don't consider it to do that. It's using your full body, but the load on legs is pretty low. That's a given consider we're talking about is fractions of BW rather than multiples of.

A lot of people who focus on strength and muscle do so by focusing on the big PL lifts, or the classic BB beach lifts. As a result they are pretty dysfunctional imo. I see people all the time who are big and/or strong but move pretty badly. Continuing to maximise strength and size doesn't help. If they are strong enough to do a TGU to a reasonable load, but can't do it, then they have an issue imo.

If people only measure their ability by their max bench or squat, it's not going to help them much. Ditto if somebody is a competitive bodybuilder. I'd rather improve functionality. To me there is little point getting stronger/bigger if you can't utilize that strength.

If somebody is a elite weightlifter with mobility out the window. Then sure, they may max a TGU off the bat and would benefit little from training them. But they'd also benefit little for most conventional training. The benefit in my view is for people who can't do them - as there must be a reason.

For leg and shoulder strength obvious you should be training a squat variation and a press variation. Core strength can be done a number of ways (but people generally suck at active core strength). But curious what you choice would be to train shoulder stability and/or loaded mobility better? As above overhead carries feel similar to me.

Most people ideas of doing 5 mins of mobility is some pretty useless stretching. Occasionally means a good warm up. But I rarely see people with bad mobility doing strength work to improve, rather that work around it. For example, for a long time my squats were slightly high, and I excused it on poor mobility. But it was also because I was chasing bigger barbell numbers and excusing by depth. Switching to a deeper, lighter squat and working in that range has done far more for my mobility and usability of strength in that range that chasing the bigger low bar numbers.

Absolutely. The above it based on my priorities. Others will have their their own set.

I wouldnt even class an OHP as an accessory , though clearly not everyone does them based on observation

I think its more just English than a scientific definition. If somebody is missing some expected function, they are 'dysfunctional'. You might not frame it that way with a client, for risk for freaking them out. But we're speaking openly here. The baseline function might also be variable based on the situation. I'm sure plenty of hacks butcher all sorts of idea to flog something. But the idea of mobility screening/tests is not remotely hack science imo. A simple example might be the ability to touch your toes or sit in a squat. Not necessary by any means, but very closely related to injury risk and performance.

Nothing about their sport has anything to do with bicep curls, yet I bet they can do them pretty well. If they have more than enough strength to do a move, but cannot. There is something missing. t's not like we're talking about doing the splits, the bar is pretty low.

No really a fair comparison. As you're adding a strength/performance requirement. Not being able to run is dysfunctional, not being able to run a 4min mile is not. A gymnast can the movement required for a deadlift - and probably lifts a significant multiple of BW having never trained it.

I'd imagine you'd get there pretty quickly for sure. But I'd also imagine you are in far beyond typical condition for a ~88kg guy. For comparison purposes, what's your press? Press will obviously do a lot. As you have to stabilize the shoulder to press from it. But that's in a static position with everything locked down. TGU requires you to move through a ROM while stable, lock the shoulder, but move everything else. Similar to loaded carries like waiters/rack carries. Maintaining strength and stability while the rest of you is unstable.

My shoulders and pressing where the best while I was doing loaded carries. But haven't been able to train it for a over a year. Time to test it I guess.

What do you reckon? this guy did 214 reps at 315 freedom units (143KG or 55%1RM) in 40 min. When I did it for about 2 months my capacity for that exercise did increase , I went from about 130 reps up to 180 mostly lower than 55%, I was going to target 200 and leave it there and focus on increasing the weight, but decided to stick with the sled for this year.

Curious how building capacity can be framed, given that the outputs might be fuzzy, do you want to do more vol in other workouts without feeling too exhausted, it contributing to max effort lifts, or improving performance in another cardio related exercise?

I agree with ding a TGU as far as one knee (as opposed to just turkish sit ups) as that cover the key points for me.

Rolling up to an elbow. High Bridge. Alignment of joint/support and moving horizontal support to vertical support. Knee to standing is the easiest part. I'm happy to get more time in a loaded carry. But if pressed for time, I'll stop at the knee.

My gym has a 40kg too. But its's a huge bulky one not a competition KB, so it's very awkward feeling in all positions. Even attempting to rack it was a bad idea. No idea where my press is not. Will let you know.

On the line in bold, the I think there is a huge carry over there, conceptually, to movement and framing in jiujitsu

I think them, but vary it by doing all sorts of carries.

Dan John is a big advocate for carries. From memory his list of gamechanging lifts are;

Bench press, Deadlift, Squat, Pullups, Loaded Carry, Getup

Was thinking more about performance in terms of alignment, force production etc. Or people who get injured due to voluntary bad positioning. I certainly wouldn't hold up elite athletes as evidence of optimal for the general population. They are pushing their bodies to the limit for their sport, not for GPP or health. I also don't think athletic outliers are very good evidence for gen pop.

Using Phelps as the example, yup terrible posture. It's probably common in many sports that are very asymmetric. and it likely helped in his sport, I don't think it helps his body long term. FMS or any movement screening needs to be within the context of the person being assessed. It's not diagnostic, its a screen. If Phelps did a FMS, the outcome should have acknowledged why he was perhaps like that.

Lamar Gant had a medical condition that made deadlifts relatively easier. His 5x was not equal to an other persons. That's the sport of course. But it was due to the physical shape of his body. Not a movement he did. If somebody was pull a DL moving sideways like that they should probably be stopped immediately.

Valgus knee. Many elite runners have wonky movement. I actually think elite long distance running is very far from optimal. Valgus knee might be inconsequential for an elite runner. But doing that when squatting, of in a sport that loads the knee and you'll probably blow an MCL.

It’s really not shifting the goal posts. Did you miss this part.

Voluntarily loading the spine in a bad way is a bit different to a genetic disorder.

I explained in a lot more detail why they were bad examples. Assume elite performance is indicative of overall health or function is an error imo.

Gant has a genetic disorder. It’s not simply movement. Applying his conditions to others is silly. Phelps was training for win. Not for health. Many elite athletes end up with issues from their training. LeBron’s toe?? 😂 so what? I dint think it would limit his ability. Really not sure what your point is there.

I never referred to FMS (the trademark system) in my original. That’s a strawman you introduced. I said TGU as a functional test. If Lamar Gant, Phelps or LeBron can do a TGU, then they passes. Are you suggesting they might fail?

I definitely give it a read and check it out. But I’m skeptical as to whether adaptability is a counter to my point. If somebody can adapt , in order to do a move, then they pass. The issue arises when there is an inability to perform

I don’t think small deviations are an issue. Nor do I think they would prevent somebody doing a TGU. I would probably fail a FMS myself, terrible arches and I slouch.

I think an important distinction is that I’m not talking about FMS™ or some other notional view of optimal movement. I’m referring to a TGU as a functional test. If somebody can do it, they pass. If they can’t do one, there is to a degree a lack of sane function.

I randomly saw this on twitter, Im doing progressions to the pistol squat, not sure if its physically possible for me to ever do below, but Ill give it a try after I get the other one under my belt