Does Exercise Variety Maximize Muscle Growth?
Many old-school weightlifters claim highly varied exercise programs , like the kind bodybuilders follow, are a waste of time and energy. Instead, they swear by a simpler formula for building muscle: Squat, deadlift, bench, and press heavy weights. That’s it. I disagree— and so does science . For example, a recent study comparing how different lower body exercises affect muscle growth found the following: The leg press was better for growing the vastus lateralis (outer quad) than leg extensions , while leg extensions trained the rectus femoris (front of the quad) harder. Standing calf raises grew the gastrocnemius (the largest calf muscle) more effectively than seated calf raises, which provided slightly better results for the soleus (the calf muscle found deeper in the lower leg). In short, variety is important for an exercise program because it helps promote balanced muscle growth. Here’s how to put this into practice: Create or follow a program cente