In my last post, I discussed which was better: moving better or being strong. My stance – neither. A little of both is best. But, even that is a premature opinion because we have failed to do one really important thing: define what each means. What is “strong”? What is “Moving well”? Because, if you think you move well or you think you are strong what is that based on? Your opinion? You being the strongest guy in your home garage gym?
Let’s start with “Strong”. The dictionary defines strong as “having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks” or “able to withstand great force or pressure.” If we look at the first definition, then moving heavy weights makes you strong. So lets put that into perspective. I can deadlift 500 lbs, squat 400 lbs, and bench press 300 lbs. I just got my name on to the 1000 lb plaque at my school. Am I strong? I’m stronger than most, but my DL is only 50% of the world record, my squat is only 35% of the world record, and my bench press is only 31% of the world record. Essentially, my weights are warm up weights to the real lifters (and that is for those in my weight class). In that world, I’m a novice. Mongo would say “Good start but come back when you can do more than load the bar for me.” But, in most gyms I’m considered “Strong”. BUT WAIT! I snatch too! It’s functional, its technical, and it looks awesome when you are the only one in the gym that does it. I can snatch 250lbs. Here comes the slap in the face – that is 31% of he world record. I’m just going to go home now.
What is “moving well”? Talk about something that has no definition. “Moving well” isn’t in the dictionary and there is no objective measure of what puts you in the “well” category. People have been trying to improve movement for the past 20 years, but we really haven’t defined what that actually is. FMS has done the most and the best in regard to this and in regard to creating standards, but even with what they consider “moving well” there is some ambiguity. Research has drawn the cut line for “moving well” at 14 – above this is “well”, below this is not “well”. But, FMS has never proclaimed 14 as the line in the sand. They have advocated for “all 2’s, no asymmetry”. If someone achieves a symmetrical score of 2 on all 7 tests (What FMS DOES advocate) the result is a total score of 14….but a 14 or better isn’t the goal (wink, wink). That is the closest we get to anyone having a metric for moving well. Before we can even have the discussion of if someone moves well, we have to know their FMS Scores – and since not everyone has been through a FMS we have no point of comparison.
Is there hope to answer this? Maybe.
“Well” is defined with words like good, thorough, good health, sensible and advisable. While the Deadlift, squat and bench press are not truly isolated exercise by the definition, they are very simple (from a movement complexity standpoint only) exercises; they occur in 1 plane and are symmetrical patterns expressed on symmetrical archetypes. In our next e-book -V3- coming out later this month, I discuss how asymmetry is life/sport/occupation and symmetry is our starting point in training. There is nothing wrong with these lifts, they should be done. But if we are going to answer the question of what is optimal, why not come up with a metric that answers the question of moving well AND strong?
Immediately one lift hurdles past the rest of the pack – the turkish get up. What is considered “Strong” in the TGU? In the kettlebell world, for males it’s a 48kg (106lb) get up and for ladies it’s a 24kg (53 lb) get up. Why? Because way back before the TGU was re-introduced to the world via the RKC via Jeff Maxwell it was a measure of strength – until you could to a get up with 48kg you weren’t considered ready to train. Think about that – a 48kg get up meant you were a novice in the training world. Things have changed in the last 150 years, and now that is our measure of strong (that is ANOTHER topic about how comfort has changed society…). I wrote an article on the benefits of the TGU back when I was with StrongFirst. In a nutshell, there is nothing symmetrical about it, which makes it a unicorn in the lifting world.
To quote Roscoe P. Coltrane (the sheriff from the Dukes of Hazard), “there’s a flaw in the slaw”. A 48kg get up isn’t the same for everyone. If you are a guy and weigh 155 lbs and I weight 228 lbs and we both do a get up with the 48 kg bell, we are NOT the same. Once again arbitrary numbers are not good training goals for comparison. The fix, body relevant. Our entry point is a 50% bw TGU. Yes, for some of us those bells are few and far between. So what. I need to do a 52 kg get up to be at 50% bw. Guess what a 28 kg and a 24 kg bell equal 52 kg. Or a barbell loaded with 32 kg (a 15kg plus a 1kg plate on each end) equals 52 kg. Wait, what?!? A turkish get up with a barbell? Remember, we do advocate implement independence. A barbell TGU adds an entire next level to the TGU. If you’ve never done one, start slow with a very light bar – DON’T BE STUPID!
This Picture is taken from Pavel Maces’ website www.simplexstrong.com
So, there you have my answer – I don’t want the “Strong” person or the “Moves well” person. I want the person that does both and shows me a 50% bw TGU. Strength and Good Movement should never be looked at as opposites, the only place that exists is in arguments. In real life, they synergistically grow together.