Nothing in Strength and Conditioning is Inherently Good or Bad.

Every methodology, movement, framework, etc, is just a tool. The application of these tools is dependent on context. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to squat. Sometimes it’s not. Nothing is ever always a good idea.

This does not grant permission to apply protocols blindly. Understanding context and utilizing a principle-based approach are hallmarks of efficacious coaching. Articulating why you are applying a particular tool is essential.

Nothing is wrong if you can line out the logic behind your reasoning and where you are going with your approach. There are a million ways to drive adaptation and produce results. The human body is one of the biggest mysteries in the universe. No one fully understands it.

Two polarizing approaches in the fitness community are the application of kipping pull-ups and cheater reps. Great arguments exist for why these are bad ideas.

There are no bad ideas, just poor application of principles.

Cheater reps or performing a movement with a little extra ‘body English’ can be extremely effective in the context of overloading a movement pattern and peaking the nervous system. They’re an excellent tool if I’m trying to get the most out of an athlete as they prepare for a peak. Without a stable base, I would not utilize them, but I’d listen to the argument for an exception. Being open to holes or exceptions in their methodology allows a coach to grow.

I can’t remember the last time I performed a kipping pull-up in training. However, they are phenomenal for developing neurological components of fitness and a great way to harness a metabolic stimulus inside certain training systems. Early in my career, learning to do and coach them with virtuosity catapulted my development. Are they bad? No, they are phenomenal. They are just not the most applicable movement for my training right now.

It is much easier to make sense of life when we interpret the world in black and white. I lived and thrived with this kind of worldview for a long time. Ultimately, however, this kind of thinking becomes extremely limiting. You can see more and go farther when you embrace the gray, remain open to being wrong, and choose principle over dogma.