Specificity in Functional Training: Better Exercise Selection for Sports, Athletics, MMA, & More

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The full post: www.thebioneer.com/specificit...
Specificity in training essentially means choosing exercises that most closely resemble the activity you are training for. For example, a functional coach might use exercises that involve the transverse plane (cable woodchop/cable punch out) to train a batter how to swing. Likewise, exercises like the truck push may be superior to the squat for running speed.
But is this a golden rule? Does specificity always apply? The likes of Mark Rippetoe disagree and even point to another effect: interference. Could training with a movement that is "similar but different" result in complicated neural networks that harm technique?
In this video I discuss that question to death while drawing on a number of theories and phenomena like dynamical systems theory, contextual interference,
What is the best way to train for a sport or event?
Blog: www.thebioneer.com
Instagram: / thebioneer
Facebook: / thebioneer
Twitter: / thebioneer
Patreon: / thebioneer

[@arungovindaram1485]

"how do we even manage to get out of bed in the morning" I ask myself that every day

[@sephy980]

Me too bro, me too.

[@tictoc5443]

Maybe the question should be why Rest rest

[@XDNEB]

😂😂😂😂

[@nicorepetto5781]

I'd love to see your take on an MMA strength and conditioning program, or even a 'best exercises for fighting'.

[@hollowwhite3620]

Baki training, Dragon ball strength training, Bruce lee training, and all videos where grant appears (except for the tricking part of nightwing)

[@ChinatownNoodles]

This guy is amazing, but as a former fighter it’s painful to watch him punching a punching bag!

[@Matt-ou2ns]

@@ChinatownNoodles they’re more like double jabs on front and back hand . Not a lot of punching through the bag with full rotation of the hip and shoulders . Could be the style he learnt. Perhaps being a fighter isn’t his main focus? It’s the blend of all training modalities that I love his content for.

[@sman53]

“Sometimes the best technique is no technique “‘ Mind blown

[@oliereilly1529]

That's Bruce Lee dude

[@GVS]

That's some next level shiz

[@IgnatiusCheese]

It's like the secret to the retard strength

[@leecody5885]

@@oliereilly1529 👍

[@abkonk]

Yup!

[@andrewpoon1783]

specific trains=specific gains

[@facuufernandezz5070]

Ehh ameo

[@Tearsofsoil]

2:47 "Mumma, what dad is doing?" "Practising throwing babies who don't eat their breakfast" "Mumma, i will eat all the cereals and Vegetables" Job done.

[@JoyBoy782]

Lol good one

[@yomomma8972]

Eat ya broccoli punk

[@beastinsight9825]

🤣

[@chokeonthis2932]

😂

[@XDNEB]

😂😂😂😂

[@rashakor]

Interestingly, i had recently an interesting discussion about language acquisition which actually follows a similar pattern, where rote learning and repetition was demonstrated to be less effective than random immersion.

[@TheBioneer]

Yes immersion is the key word here! I’ve heard this too and experienced it to some degree. Same goes for training - the body adapts to your environment as the major stimulus :-)

[@tigerwoods8022]

This is what we need today

[@chrism.1749]

@@MohammedQurais Nah, that’s clearly Bo Jackson

[@sangesiswana5464]

Ya ya this nice way to train with y'all

[@kombobeats]

Honestly

[@petervaughan7961]

11:30 "Mummy, There's a shirtless man with a camera climbing our tree outside."

[@bovinejonie3745]

Sprinting/running up hills and mountains is one of my favorite things to do. But I'm still amateur. How about a video detailing technique, posture, rest periods, etc?

[@alirezaweirdo3439]

One advice of experience bruh. Never ever workout befor u proparly warm up. Wish u the best.

[@rubricscube_]

Here's one interesting video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2bCap16a9l8eJY ^By the way, this channel (JP Gloria) is a FANTASTIC resource for all things running form. Really gets into the nitty gritty. How long do you go for? Are you both doing hill sprints and long (30, 60 min or more) mountain trail runs? For mountain running, small steps as you ascend steep grades will help you be efficient. For hill sprints, essentially all the cues you would give a sprinter to improve their form are valid for these. Watch top-tier sprinters run - there's a lot of arm pumping for propulsion, and a forefoot stride will help you be quick. Generally when you're running, think about all the places you are unnecessarily losing energy - really, any motion that isn't forward-and-backward. If there's any side-to-side motion, that's energy lost (although mild twisting is of course a natural component of running form). Also, an upright torso is best - just make sure when doing hill sprints there is full extension from your foot to your head, sort of a straight line, at one point in the stride. This doesn't mean don't lean forward - you'll have to do so when you run uphill especially, and many elite runners have a constant forward lean, but their forward lean is of their whole body, not just their torso. (I had a bad forward lean of just my torso and it led to many hip flexor and knee injuries.) Sorry, this isn't at all coherent, just kinda dumping information lol. Hopefully we get a video :D !

[@onslaughtmma5110]

@@rubricscube_ Dont apologies that's a great post, thanks for that and the link recommendation 🙏

[@marcramirez2093]

I'm gonna try to watch your videos about 5 times straight. So I can memories all the awesome info you give us!!

[@fcv4616]

I love that your videos are well researched, clear, and more focused towards integral fitness rather than just the aesthetics. Good job.

[@martinlazarini2653]

Training is like a recipe for a cake, there are different recipes for different cakes, for example a Chocolate(sprinting) cake, has many ingredients, some in great quantities, like the flour, eggs, and milk, these are your sprinting sessions the base of your training or your cake, but you also have the small quantities ingredients, like the salt, the baking powder, vanilla etc..., these could be your functional training excercises like the sled push or pull, weighted running, etc... but cakes also have a filling, and frosting, those could be your strength training, work capacity, bodybuilding centric work, aerobic fitness etc...Another thing to consider is that some, if not most of the times you do the filling and frosting separate from your base, you don’t Mix them in the same bowl simoultanously, indicating that it could be like saying that you must separate your sprint sessions from your strength sessions or you might have a strength block and then go to a speed block. And you could also get into how each competition is a customer with a certain taste(demands) if you know their taste(demands) you might realize that even though his favorite cake is chocolate(sprinting competion) you might know that the customer will most likely like much more an Oreo cheesecake or a White Chocolate cake. There are many different recipes, we should know which one is best for what we want and never use the same one, it will grow old, always try to improve your recipe, try new ones, combine them with your old recipe. “Use no way as way.Use no limitation as limitation” Bruce Lee

[@TheBioneer]

Great metaphor! But we’re you feeling hungry when you wrote this 🤣

[@martinlazarini2653]

The funny thing is that I was fasting while writing it😢

[@TheDamianvain17]

I wonder if there is a recipe for a "plus protein" chocolate cake; like protein powder in the icing or even the breading? If not, someone needs to make it and sell it. Million dollar idea there.

[@martinlazarini2653]

Will we have an anime endurance video where we discuss strategies to have unlimited stamina, to run a marathon sprinting at the speed of light, to fight nonstop for months, Crush Mountains day and night, we could analyze different anime that give different explanations to this fenomena(Kimetsu no Yaiba(Wim Hoff Method, breathing Techniques), Fire Force(Hysterical Strength), DBZ(Hyper Gravity training), Boku no Hero(Loaded Carroes and functional training), Berserk and Black Clover(Heavy High repetition Sword swinging or excercises)

[@alirezaweirdo3439]

😂😂good one👌

[@KM-04]

Me and you are definitely cut from the same cloth! Cheers!

[@user-md3oe7iw9t]

Also include destroying giant meteors to save the planet🌍

[@GWinsight]

Honestly. You are one of the most intelligent and diverse human being I have ever encounterted. Your ability to dig deep down into wisdom, grasp and apply abstract concepts is just superb. I bow. I would love to have a master as you are in my life, and I am, since thanks to your sharing I can at least grasp some of what lies hidden in the neural networks of your brain - your Consciousness is inspiring as heaven. Thanks. Million. Thanks!

[@UghIHateTheseThings]

Brilliant as always. I like your suggestion of mixing up push-up styles to increase variation while still maintaining a pectoral focused training style. This channel has been paramount at helping me make my workouts as efficient and impactful as possible

[@balintmiklosy9138]

The combination of weight training and grappling/BJJ is getting more and more popular for a good reason (many... good reasons actually). Weight training has its obvious benefits, and grappling puts in the unpredictability, where you have to generate force in all kinds of different ways against different opponents, in different positions etc.

[@eduardo.calistenia]

Man, this is the best fitness channel on youtube right now ! You should definitely have more subs !

[@ryannewbyfitness5997]

Your knowledge blows me out of the water every time I watch one of your videos

[@dmfs1596]

Love your videos B! You explore, explain and Boss everything I try to instill into my clients as a personal trainer. You are amazing and inspiring!

[@AverageGabriel]

1:56 This is how my training has been going and I came to this video to figure out if it's good for me or not. You always amaze! Your knowledge continues to flow over your own cup man. Thanks so much for this.

[@crmercier1]

Thank you for this channel. I have been a fan for years. I hope you and yours have a safe and Merry Christmas!

[@user-qv4fp9vm8u]

The quality of the videos keeps getting better and better

[@johnandres4580]

You and Jeff Nippard are the best best content developers out there right now. I lean towards your style more for sure. Thank you for such great instruction. I’m gonna grab your ebook now.

[@crocro9931]

Great video as always

[@tudor5555]

You just clerified my mind ! Last week I was late to catch a train so I had to sprint. Since I went to university I wore boots and constraining clothes. It was a 1km sprint, so it's still an explosive run and somewhat endurence. But I was exhausted ! More than ever. I have been concentrating in long steady runs and strenght training but that little sprint of 2 -4min even got my legs sore the next day. Your video reminded me that I'm training in a bubble and need to experiment with more exercices in order to be a more complete athlete. If you hadn't posted this video, this would just fly over my head. Thanks for intriguing me every time :)

[@r4ven889]

Just ordered your book, by the way, got big hopes for it after super-functional training!

[@brandonjohnson9275]

Great video putting big concepts into simple applicable stories. Gonna be making 3/4 of my workouts stability and calisthenics from now on

[@hauke.munzel]

Thank you, I really like your approach on sport science and training in general ! Im looking forward to your book, Thank you !

[@marcramirez2093]

Thanks dude! Thanks to this video I was inspired to make a different style of training for myself. That I would call maniac training. It's basically that mixed style of training, but with more focus on that particular style of training. Or training like a maniac. Later on when I get use to moving like that, and add it to a different workout routine. I will call it a maniac rep. Idk there is probably already a name for that style of training, but I think maniac sounds a lot cooler.

[@repolarrepolar9833]

Excellent! Expesially the last part is something I have learned during several years in training in the wilderness. Every step, climb, lift, throw, evade is different. A rythm is temporary made, but just as quick broken again. Almost like quantuum physics, with no actuall ridig 'rules'.

[@SuperGGLOL]

I’ll admit, sometimes I just watch your videos to see you workout. It’s satisfying

[@MoMastafa]

Awesome video. Really enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your insights. Merry Christmas mate.

[@scottmorton7023]

Love it ❤️ your channel is a breath of fresh air 😊

[@alexanderlegenhausen4919]

Thanks for this video! I was thinking about this kind of stuff for my own training plan

[@Doctor-BAR]

LOVE YOUR WORK SIR........! every time i watch your video i feel a little bit smarter..... mad respect for you.

[@johnnylaw8168]

Keep up the good work dude!

[@matthewbudd1674]

Book has been pre-ordered. This will be my guide for 2021

[@1manshow11]

You’re an absolute guru of movement. It would be helpful to see a rehab video, how to come back stronger from injury. I recently had acl surgery and want to make an insane comeback 🦾

[@wesleychisler4717]

I 100% agree with this training. Be broad and creative with your training. I’m designing a program for myself to be an optimal warrior athlete that combines strength/power/endurance/mobility. But I still have plenty to learn so I appreciate the channel and your amazing content. Seems I’m looking to be a superfunctional warrior athlete.

[@jeremyfisher8250]

Highly under rated channel.

[@rampagesmackssons508]

Alphadestiny does a video on specificity and so does the Bioneer. Hmmmn I smell a future colab

[@DarrenMcStravick]

Lmfao probs not, bud.

[@alirezaweirdo3439]

This vid made my day😊 Love ya man keep up❤❤❤

[@James-yy4mn]

Another amazing breakdown!

[@KM-04]

Mate, I would love it if you could do a video on MMA/Street fighting. Different body types, fighting styles, weight cutting pros and cons in fighting MMA vs street, weight classes, difference between fighting on the street and in the ring and perhaps explaining a little bit about how my brother DC, is able to fight and be so competitive in weight divisions, where he is clearly giving up a lot of advantages. Please explain that cardio, the fact he carries that amount of fat while having cardio for days is perplexing!! Love your videos!! Keep it up! CHEERS!

[@MatthewPeterMurphy]

Awesome video! 🤙

[@heteroerectus]

You need about 10x more subscribers. Crazy how jeff cavalier has millions of subs and there is more information in this 12 minute video than cavalier's entire catalog.

[@milanente8586]

The timing of the video is perfect

[@razorwireclouds5708]

theoretically, yes, you can still play Call of Duty after playing Doom Eternal, but would you want to? :]]] amazing video as always, Adam 💚

[@TheBioneer]

Haha 100% true! 🤘🏻

[@jcmick8430]

Interference!

[@Andy-fr6nj]

Very informative, Mr Schnitzel.

[@christopherwinrow3878]

I can't wait to get your book in January

[@Diabolical-Divinity]

Build a strong robust base then add specific skills. Practice a lot. Then learn to combine those skills as needed and more importantly as you wish. More Practice. Making your mind and body perform how you feel it needs to, as second nature. Works for me. Apply this to any form of study. To Acquire skill. Your Kung fu is strong! Great video massive amount of thought in a small time frame. Not sure how you manage that.

[@wesleyangel777]

I really enjoy the use of Jackie Chan. IMO, he and Bruce Lee were far ahead of their time, just in divergent ways. Throughout his Golden Harvest Productions films, we saw him training is such a mixed up variety, for seemingly everything. Ergo, it makes perfect sense to continue to use clips from these to further visualize the points being made. Now that I have been learning how to use Adobe Illustrator for UI and web design, as well as graphic design, I am really vibing with the typography you have started using. I also think the 3D effect you've managed to make your signature is inspiring. I like the idea of somehow using this but coupled with the similar typography. I am assuming, without taking the opportunity to research, you have created you own here. Thanks for another amazing video and I look forward to another book and next videos. Stay safe, stay healthy, and have a healthy evening.

[@TresonBerry]

Rippitoe on explosiveness is misguided for sure. I mean just try it, I've increased all my jumps and running speeds simply by doing heavy weighted jumps. I honestly believe we can train explosiveness.

[@soez_strg6166]

How much do you squat? If it's less than 200kg/440lbs, you will increase all your jumps/sprints by increasing your squat. If you then add specific jump training to the strength training, you will have the best way to get better. The real reason why people don't like strength training is that it's hard and the adaptations come slow.

[@TresonBerry]

@@soez_strg6166 not that much for sure. I'm a short guy but I still squat for strength. Thanks for some input.

[@emteedee21]

i don't think Mr. Rippetoe is misguided, he included the power snatch and power cleans (you also jump on those exercises) on the Novice linear progression program which is an exercises that is scalable for any level of athletes. you can increase explosiveness but not as much as increasing your strength levels. Intermediate athletes can now go to programming that is specific to the energy system required for the sport of an athlete since after the novice level most athletes have a good foundation of strength,This requires thinking and not buying templates or so called programs (unless you are intellectually lazy) that is why Mark Rippetoe wrote the Starting strength and Practical Programming book. Practice is still the most specific movement for the sport any athletes play, because replicating the movements in the weight room waste time (most of it). I disagree to The Bioneer on this one.

[@wsmith0182]

Hey Adam, have you ever considered doing a day in the life video. How you train on any given day, what you eat, basically how you are implementing the topics you cover on your channel?

[@jtucker4462]

Loving the tree climbing Adam!

[@dinninfreeman2014]

I think it's somewhere in between ultra specificity and compleat general strength. For example if you've ever seen people who skip leg day you'll see that upper body strength doesn't transfer to lower body strength. That being said I'm doing the lv0 routine in the super functional training program, I started needing to do easier variants of each exercise to get all of that volume in. Now I've gotten to where I can do the routine as prescribed in about 20m still a long way off from 6m but compared to where I was I've made good progress. The point is, I've recently gotten access to a hotel gym and pool so i decided to test skills I haven't trained. First I broke my deadlift record doing 200 for reps (the most weight the machine had) I was able to do a 50lbs dumbbell turkish get up (my previous record was only 25) I was able to do 200lbs cable punches and 200lbs single sided rows. Then after not swimming in about a year I was able to swim about 3,000 feet. I've also noticed I'm faster, can run for longer, and my punches and kicks have way more power. So that's why I believe there's some crossover between movement patterns as long as muscles involved are still trained

[@peace_ful_eyes]

I see what you mean by cross training. Switching from lifting weights to just pure bodyweight has skyrocketed my physique, stamina & strength. I hardly lift weights now but I still lift weights here & there to shock my muscles.

[@grasslandgraphics]

something about you lecturing paired with videos of you looking super strong seems to boost the integrity of whatever you're talking about in all of your videos by like 1000%

[@treeman5590]

Just got a tire for sledge training! You can also make it in to a cool industrial looking table, cut and sand a piece of plywood to go in the center, which will sit on the inner rim and when ever your not using the tire for training, you've got a cool table!

[@IgnatiusCheese]

Speed work with barbell compounds built muscle and explosiveness

[@sangesiswana5464]

LEKKER 💪🏾 THIS IS IT, A GOOD IDEA TO TRAIN LIKE THAT WOOOOO

[@zetaone2669]

Excellent! You are sir are Brilliant!!

[@snoopgod6914]

Great video! You should consider making a video on doing multiple workouts while fasted. I've been wanting to lift weights, run and do yoga all in one day while fasted but haven't been able to properly time what time to do each

[@GymMuzo]

Excellent content, as always, Adam. 👍🏾 Specificity is constant in my training, at the moment (Armwrestling). I like the bit about the different keyboard sizes.. I'm like that, when I switch back and forth with my guitar & bass. 🎸... Question to the viewers: What sporting backgrounds, do you all come from? I've always thought this channel would bring in a wide selection of activities. [I'm a lifelong sporty guy (51). Always loved strength-based training, martial arts, grip, and rugby league. Bruce Lee was my hero, along with old time strongmen. My new passion is armwrestling! 💪🏼😎. Cheers, Andy

[@battleax4609]

Cant wait for the book

[@tortor2883]

2:48 I see Mrs. Bioneer and mini-bioneer!

[@philippj5176]

One of the first things I learned when training with my dog is to not isolate a specific training movement. For example "sit" will be easy to teach, you need it all the time and it will work most of the time, however any kind of trick (roll over, stand up) will be trained at home or in the garden, a known location. Your dog won't be able to do this trick at a friends house, he is not wired to do this movement in this environment. So you have to eliminate the variable environment and teach those things everywhere. Same goes with flashcards you learn for an exam. Shuffle them, go for a walk with them or throw in some cards that are completely unrelated. I think the same principle works for training. When you always do the same movement in a specific order you just get wired to do does things in a specific way. Even changing the bar you are training with can have huge effects, not only because of a slight different muscle constilation used but the fact that your brain hasnt isolated a body movement from an environment (i mean pullups are very general we do them since we are kids, but I think you understand what I mean)

[@bugsbunny1592]

Interesting. Keep it up.

[@bagoftricks6985]

I think you make interesting and potentially strong points, but I feel like the problem with this kind of training is that it is very difficult to track progress. Performing a select few compound lifts week in and out is easy to track because of weight/rep increases. I don't even know how I'd go about consistently striving for progress with so many variations.

[@SuperGGLOL]

If you enjoy working out with a lot of variety, It is not a problem. Simple fix: Go harder than last time. Or train hard until you fatigue. No need to track, as long as your training is of good quality, then I’m sure it’s fine.

[@nathanaellau9388]

this guy is a legend

[@kingishere5636]

Training for soccer players next, love ur content 💙💚

[@YoutubeCommenter1]

I think specificity can easily be misapplied if people don't know the difference between training movement directly vs training underlying systems. If you train for speed only by doing very fast movements with light weight, your progress will be limited. Instead, it is better to first train underlying systems, strength->power->, and then speed. In that way, you will end up faster. I don't think obsessing over joint angles when training the underlying systems is beneficial. When training strength in the beginning you should focus on the exercises that can most effectively and safely increase your strength. Most athletes do squats and other compound lifts when strength training for a reason.

[@ACarpenter89]

I hope to see more nutrition videos in the future

[@edoardob3416]

At this point we are reaching a philosophical debate, I love this channel.

[@uspatriot4261]

Could you please do a video on special exercises to really improve speed and rotational power in the golf swing, Thanks!

[@deljosque]

Hi, I love your video's! Can you make a video about training with resistance bands? And maybe one about foamrolling! Keep up the fantastic work!

[@fandoom9261]

Sir i will use your ideias as class in d&d, thank you for existing

[@81219931]

Awesome stuff

[@kmega215]

Just pre-ordered my copy. It should arrive January 19th. Having just started Calisthenics a few weeks ago I've already had notable increases in core and grip strength. I want to see how much more I can improve before the book arrives.

[@TheDamianvain17]

New achievement unlocked! Philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. Jeet Kune Do [Way of intercepting fist.] Main tenet: "Using no way as the way; having no limitation as limitation."

[@thepants1450]

*Adam, practically doing a slavic push up dance on the ground* me: how (concerned, in awe) *crawls away slowly and exhausted after* me: okay (relieved, not scared)

[@milkdrinker5966]

Very good food for thought

[@Neon-Puritan]

Beautiful.

[@cbodsworth]

Indian clubs is something you should start experimenting with. Ive started doing some very random movement patterns with 5lb pair and im blown away by the results.

[@centralparkjoe1290]

Outstanding 🤙💪

[@somebody1690]

Long time fan! Could you do a BJJ type training regime?

[@YannMetalhead]

Good video.

[@julianpiceno3545]

Good book

[@walkingtalkingmonkey4103]

You should become a strength and conditioning coach

[@Kzombie]

Thank you

[@daniel09dailey]

Insightful!

[@noahmullins1435]

this was super cool

[@GyulaJentetics]

Fantastic 👏 👏 👏

[@jamahlgow763]

Love this 👌👌👌

[@chrosxnfhdjsncjfb]

I would suggest that the idea we never do 10 reps in nature is untrue. Think about moving several slabs when we are building, skimming stones, running up a hill, crawling a certain distance or chopping wood as mentioned at the start of the video. Otherwise a very good video!

[@sangesiswana5464]

Oh I ask you for a video about kyokushin karate

[@ChromaticVanity]

If you really want to hit harder, then you should work on grip strength. It's often overlooked, but the more solid you can make your fist, the harder you will hit. Because a weak fist with low grip strength will give more when you hit a harder surface. This is why Bruce Lee was able to hit harder than people bigger than him

[@nickd8719]

Bioneer, if I ever make a batman movie , you're first on the list for Bruce

[@austinmemmott0007]

Another great vid! Which sandbag brand to you use/recommend. I recently destroyed mine doing sandbag cleans and need a new one. I've see you using a sandbag recently in your videos, figured you might know of a good one. Thanks.

[@jmcantila9104]

How about a tour of all the equipment you use to workout? Could use some inspiration from it because gyms are still kinda risky to go to

[@theflash2873]

thanks!