The answer is NO.
You don’t. 5 to 6 compound movements are more than enough. Especially when it comes to training for strength and skills.
In fact, strength is a skill too. A lot of it comes down to building strong neuromuscular connections (between the brain and muscles). And how do you get better at skills? You practice them. A LOT. And OFTEN.
If you train too many exercises, you won’t be able to practice them enough, and you won’t get good in them. A quote from the master himself, Bruce Lee, comes to mind:
“I fear not a man who practiced 10000 kicks once, but I fear the man who practiced one kick 10000 times.”
Same principal here.
I know what you’re thinking – isn’t it BORING to train only 5 fundamental movements?
It is, if you ARE NOT MAKING PROGRESS! As long as you see yourself getting stronger, leaner, faster, improving your technique… you will be engaged and excited about your workouts. You will come for more.
At the end of the day, that’s the main reason why we train – to make progress and reach our goals.
If you are not making progress, and masking it with a large variety of exercises, it is time to reconsider your workout and your priorities in training.
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