Geoffrey MillerVerified account

"Most people doing barbell back squats, deadlift, and bench press would get far better results if they stopped doing barbell back squats, deadlifts, and bench press ~Eugene Teo~ He's right you know.

The Big 3 are required lifts by Powerlifting, and because they are the most leveraged movements that move the most weight, the assumption is that they are the most universally "best" movements to perform that will improve every desired metric of progress This is false.

Like all sports, those that have genetic predisposition will thrive at the Big 3 However, the idea that they maximally build muscle and strength equally for everyone is blatantly false The most effective "lift" to any individual is individuated to their structure

The specialization of the BIG 3 eventually has corresponding decreases in mobility, flexibility, speed, agility, and an extreme increase in injuries and mobility issues Specialization leads to long term aggravation

If someones goal is more muscle, more athletic strength, and efficient, pain free movement There is nothing mandatory about the Big 3 lifts. The internet phenomenon that they are the end all be all is short sighted at best, willfully stupid at worst

Those who have made their career on teaching the Big 3 and their supposed superiority over all other movements have egoic and financial incentive to continue propagating this idea