***There is always a lot of discussion around the “best” exercise and I`ll be the first one to admit I have fucked up bigtime within this area. Funny thing, there is no “best” exercise. Not even close.
How can I say that? Well, if I say deadlifts have proved to be the best exercise from MY perspective, goals and experience and you say squats, or even leg press has proven to be the best exercise for YOU, then what the fuck are we arguing about?
Exercises vs. exercises = fail
Comparing exercises is like comparing sports cars. If I like Lamborghini and you like Ferrari, who “wins” of the argument? Nobody, and even if there was a judge, that persons own opinion would judge by HIS criteria.
In discussions we are all judges, and we judge all the time. The problem is there is no need for these comparisons without substance. You know, if I`m an athlete and you are a bodybuilder, we are not going to agree on the “best” exercises, probably not much within training other than foundational principles either.
Your background, goals and experience will dictate what you consider the “best” exercise, but in reality you can only say that in the context of YOUR goals. That’s not completely true, because you can definitely put your clients goals in front your own if you manage to do so, but that won’t always happen (which is a topic for another time).
I have laughed and made fun of people claiming the smith machine is good for chest development and have more or less been a hater of the machine-loving crowd for several years.
My mistake. I have not shared their goals so why should they care about the lack of recruitment of the supporting musculature when they train with machines or the lack of functionality IF all they care about is getting jacked? They will probably still get the desired results if they put their mind and energy into it.
And why the fuck should I care about the smith machine and the new cable biceps curl if I want to improve my athletic abilities that does not for a second rely on isolated biceps strength?
If you have not figured it out yet, the “best” exercises are biased and a lot of factors will influence YOUR view and personal opinion. Have you ever thought about WHY you consider a specific exercise the best? Is it because your favorite coach talked about it in an article, book or DVD?
If so, does that exercise take into account your specific goals, physical status and training/injury background?
“Clean & Press is the best”. Okay, I see the logic. IF you have or will devote a lot of time for technique work. AND if you have not had any previous injuries in the “serious” category. This will definitely cut out most people. Beside that, C&P is definitely a candidate for being the best exercise. But then.. not for a bodybuilder and not for the average joe. For a weightlifter, yes. For an athlete, to a degree, but not so much. There are other more important physical attributes on this area for most of them.
“The squat is the king of exercises. It`s the best”. I understand. I would probably have voted for it was it not for my own and several clients’ injury history and experience with the exercise. Technique in the back squat is often the determinating factor for pain free performance, but not if structural underlying issues is present. Then it doesn’t matter if you have “perfect technique”. Sooner or later problems will arise.
I have not met many without any structural issue be it pelvic asymmetry, leg length discrepancy or serious mobility issues. That will count for something and for most people it does and leads to injury. No, not for you, because you have squatted everyday for the last 30 years without any problem.
Well, more power to you, but if athletes making millions are getting fucked by back squats by ANY reason, you`ll get yourself into trouble my man. But I see the point. Back squats are excellent when not causing problems and will produce GREAT gains in strength, power and muscular development. Just don`t give it to ME, because we are not a perfect match, actually if I was the earth and squats Uranus, that`s how close of a match we are. Well, if Uranus is my girlfriend`s, then we`re talking (hi baby 
), but that`s another story.
“Hardcore pushup variations and Bulgarian split squats is the best exercises”. What if you saw that statement? Would you care if those types of exercises have made serious personal gains for me, considering hypertrophy, strength gains and athletic development?
Probably not. Probably not even close. You see, there is no reason comparing exercises without context.
Exercises vs. goals
Now we are talking. Let`s put up a specific goal for discussion, THEN we can compare and argue about exercise selection. Still, it will not be perfect and we probably wont agree on everything, but we will agree on the fundamentals, on the reasoning behind the selections, the means to the end if you like.
And this is why athletes train like athletes, bodybuilders like bodybuilders, powerlifters like powerlifters, weightlifters like weightlifters and pussies like pussies.
We mostly train like our fellow group, the one we fit into because of the uniqueness of our goals. Now, please make sure that is not the latter group listed.
Stay tuned for more shit.
Thanks for a good read. Couldn´t agree more (but just between you and me, deads is the best exercise, right!?)
Mvh Erik
Thanks, Erik. Yeah, deadlifts would be pretty close to the best in my opinion.
The problem is even more profound than this because few people mangage even to express their goals in a precise manner:
83 kg Male: “I want to loose Weigth.”
Really ?? Probably he wants to loose fat, but is unable to articulate this, and uses BW as a faulty measuring stick.
Or what about: “I want to look fit.” What does that mean ? How do you resolve what this entails ?
I mean, at lunch today someone stated that all NFL American Football – players are fat.. Depends on the eyes that see I guess.