McCall McPhersonFounder, Modern Thyroid Clinic.

Rethinking Muscle Building: Fun Alternatives to Planks & Squats 💥🤸

9 Jan 2025 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:49

A physical therapist/fitness coach (McCall McPherson) argues that common movements like planks, squats, and overhead presses are not strictly necessary to build muscle. Instead, by applying hypertrophy principles — selecting a muscle group, targeting it effectively, and working it close to failure — people can build strength and size using a wide variety of exercises. The speaker advocates programs that avoid forcing uncomfortable positions and that leave people feeling stronger, more resilient.

Chapters

I saw firsthand, so many patients, clients that I worked with as a physical therapist struggle with some common movement patterns that we see everywhere. Planks, squats, overhead presses, things like that. And when I really looked at the mechanics of these movements, I realized these aren't necessary to build muscle. There are so many other movements. And if you're just applying the principles of hypertrophy, which we can talk about, which you're getting, you're picking one muscle group, you're targeting it effectively, and then you're taking that muscle or that exercise close to failure layer. You can build muscle and strength with a wide variety of exercises. So I think my philosophy now is, let's not wedge our bodies into any exercise. Any program that doesn't feel good exercise should leave you feeling stronger, better, more resilient.