In the opinion of an exercise scientist, these five workouts are the least effective for developing muscle and strength.
In a recent YouTube video, exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israetel has criticised the use of the Bosu ball and kettlebell swings in exercise routines, stating that they are less effective for building muscle hypertrophy and strength.
According to Dr. Israetel, compound, multi-joint movements such as squats, deadlifts (including deficit deadlifts), power cleans, mid-thigh pulls, presses, and pulls are the best exercises for building muscle hypertrophy and strength. These exercises maximize muscle activation and allow heavier loads, which are critical for growth and power development.
On the other hand, the Bosu ball, kettlebell swings, heavy carries, bicycle abs, and Turkish get-ups are considered less effective for hypertrophy and strength.
The Bosu Ball adds instability, causing the body to limit muscle contraction to maintain balance. This reduces engagement of large, growth-prone muscles, thereby impairing hypertrophy.
Kettlebell Swings primarily involve horizontal force production, whereas strength and sport-related power rely more on vertical force. While excellent for cardiovascular fitness, they don't adequately stimulate muscle growth or maximal power development in the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
Heavy Carries are effective for trap hypertrophy and bone strength, but they are extremely fatiguing due to very heavy loads, which can detract from training volume and recovery needed for muscle growth across the whole body.
Bicycle Abs and Turkish Get-Ups focus more on stability, coordination, and endurance rather than maximal tension or heavy loading needed for hypertrophy. Turkish Get-Ups provide less challenge to lower-body strength and overhead stability compared to barbell overhead presses and squats.
Dr. Israetel suggests replacing these less effective exercises with heavy compound lifts such as deficit deadlifts, power cleans, and mid-thigh pulls, which better stimulate strength, muscle size, and power quickly and efficiently. Performing squats, lunges, and presses on stable surfaces rather than Bosu balls ensures greater muscle recruitment and growth stimulus.
Dr. Israetel offers alternative exercises for more efficient training and better gains in his YouTube video. For example, he recommends the deep squat and barbell overhead for leg strength and overhead stability over Turkish get-ups. He also suggests ditching kettlebells for deficit deadlifts, power cleans, or mid-thigh pull for building strength, power, and size.
Progressive overload and exercises that focus on 'the stretch' are key for building bigger, stronger abs. Dr. Israetel suggests the decline weighted sit-up and V-up as effective exercises for building bigger, stronger abs. He considers the decline weighted sit-up more effective than kettlebell swings for building muscle and improving strength in the abdominal muscles.
Kettlebell swings are considered effective for cardiovascular fitness by Dr. Israetel, but not for building muscle or improving strength, as most of the forces are horizontal and not vertical. He suggests avoiding the Bosu ball and doing exercises on the floor instead, if the goal is to build muscle and improve strength.
Turkish get-ups are considered a parlour trick by Dr. Israetel, as they do not clearly test or train a specific muscle or movement. He believes that biomechanists are uncertain about what is being tested or trained in Turkish get-ups.
In conclusion, Dr. Israetel's recommendations for building muscle and strength focus on compound, multi-joint movements that allow for heavier loads and greater muscle activation. Exercises such as the Bosu ball, kettlebell swings, heavy carries, bicycle abs, and Turkish get-ups are less effective for hypertrophy and strength due to their focus on stability, coordination, and endurance rather than maximal tension or heavy loading needed for hypertrophy.
Science indicates that compound, multi-joint exercises like squats, deadlifts (including deficit deadlifts), power cleans, mid-thigh pulls, presses, and pulls are optimal for health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise to build muscle hypertrophy and strength, due to their ability to maximize muscle activation and allow heavier loads, which are critical for growth and power development.
On the other hand, the Bosu ball, kettlebell swings, heavy carries, bicycle abs, and Turkish get-ups are less effective for hypertrophy and strength because they focus on stability, coordination, and endurance rather than the maximal tension and heavy loading needed for hypertrophy.
