Variability Produces Better Training Effect?

I saw an interesting article summary about training plyometrics on different surfaces. It has some interesting insights about creating variety within your training.

One group did their plyometric drills only on grass. The other group used different surfaces for their plyo training. Wood floors, rubber track surface, sand, etc. At the end, each group was tested on grass only.

Surprisingly, the multi-surface group tested better on the grass than the grass-specific group at the end of 8-weeks.

This provides an interesting insight about variability across similar exercises. The more I’ve been doing this, the less important I think specific exercises are. Instead, I think we need to train certain patterns frequently, and not necessarily specific exercises.

Take a lunge for example. I think it matters less if you do a forward lunge, walking lunge, reverse lunge or split squat. What matters is you hit that movement pattern on the regular. Maybe the actual exercise changes week to week while the pattern stays the same.

Powerlifters figured this out a long time ago and use different types of bars, bands and chains to create variability within the specific movements of their sport - squatting, bench pressing and deadlifting with a barbell.

I think we can all get too caught up in changing things and creating variety just for the sake of it. This however, provides some insights where slight variability across similar patterns can produce a more effective result.

Justin Miner

@justinminergain