Adarsh

March 30, 2025

The value and context of an exercise


If you ask a bodybuilding coach the value of hip rotation, you might get a shrug and a talk about hip abduction, adduction and flexion.

If you ask a powerlifter about pistol squats, you are going to get a groan. 

If you ask a physiotherapist about a conventional deadlift or dips with full range of motion, an eyebrow may be raised. 

If you ask a Starting Strength coach or powerlifting purist about trap bars, you’re going to hear a groan. 

Some functional training coaches will groan about double leg squatting with a barbell. 

Ask a calisthenics coach about bench pressing and you’ll get a groan. 

Ask strongmen about push ups and they will rightfully complain about how little range they can get due to their massive size.

Ask Olympic weight lifters why they don’t bench or kettlebell swing and they will look at you like you’ve lost your mind. 

Ask Hyrox or Crossfitters about 1 rep maxes and they will stare at you like you are talking about a unicorn. 

Gen-pop coaches will routinely swap out deadlifts with glute-hams and back extensions. 

There are exceptions. There are physios who are power lifters, power lifters who are amazing at calisthenics, calisthenics chaps benching 150 kgs etc etc. Crossfitters who actually win events don’t train CrossFit. 

Every category of lifter will value the adaptation their exercise choices produces. 

This is a hugely subjective and personal choice. And one can never win an argument about what adaptations are worthy of pursuit. 

Within the exercise science and training community, there are frequent arguments over how close to failure one should train, how often one should train, how much range of motion one should use, what exercises are actually useful, how dispensable are barbells or other implements. Everything is up for debate and almost every tool or exercise is dispensable. And there are many ways to produce results. 

The only questions that are undisputed:

1. You need to be pursuing any one or more of the above forms of resistance training consistently.
2. If you like the results of your training and are able to consistently train without getting hurt, don’t let anyone talk down to your training choices.

About Adarsh


- I run a strength and conditioning facility in Chennai, India
- I work with my clients to make training and eating for better body composition a part of everyday life
- I coach online and in-person
- I design and manufacture strength training equipment for use in our strength training facility