How small training variations can be the difference between progress and stagnation

There has been much written on the subject of periodization and variation in resistance training. I'm a very strong advocate of these principles, both from my own experience and the results others have achieved (and are continuing to achieve) using these principles.

There are literally an infinite number of ways you can structure a program, and more training variables than I can probably think of off hand. Everybody knows the basics like intensity, rep range, and split, right? Well to give you a quick run-down there are also variables like rep tempo, rest interval, volume, density, and frequency to name a few.

Not only this but there are also training techniques like supersets, giant sets, trisets, circuits, pre/post-exhaust, drop sets, and wave loading that you can incorporate into your lifting schedule. And in the grand scheme of things all this is barely scratching the surface. See what I mean about infinite program variation?

The problem is though, while some people take all this into account (and those that don't, may you wallow in the pit of the so-called "hard-gainer" for eternity) there's one thing they invariably end up missing - the movements.

Exercise selection is something that far too many people, myself included, tend to forget about. You get comfortable with a set of movements and you do them program in, program out, no matter what else you change - and for some people I'm betting that its the factor that has got them stuck in a rut.

Things like split and rep range your body will adapt to relatively quickly which is why they are probably the most varied parameters from program to program - more often than not the rep range will change many times even in the same program. Though your body might take a lot longer to adapt to the selection of exercises you are using, more-so if you frequently change the other program variables, make no mistake - IT WILL ADAPT.

Your body is like some sort of Borg warrior from Star Trek, no matter how advanced your technology is your body will find a way to adapt and then BANG - your progress is assimilated into the hive mind of the supplement-junkies. For the love of god don't end up like Picard.

I'm guilty of it myself, learning new movements can be annoying because for a week or two your form is kinda shaky and you're not really sure what sort of weight you should be using and aww to hell with it I'm just gonna bench some more.

The truth of the matter is that for a little extra effort you can get out of that rut, sometimes not even by changing movements altogether. Even a slight variation in the same movement you are using could be enough to get some more progress going. I've come across some good examples of both that I thought I'd share in this article alongside their more "regular" counterparts, as well as a short list of exercises these movements can replace in your program if you aren't even doing them to start with.