How to substitute exercises with alternatives?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2015-03-19

Hello everyone. People often find themselves in situations where, for one reason or another, they need to replace exercises with something similar. The reasons usually include:

• The equipment or machine is occupied
• The exercise is uncomfortable
• Pain occurs while performing the exercise
• I'm tired of doing the same thing!

On my website, there is a button "analogs" next to each exercise, which allows you to avoid the need to find similar exercises on your own. However, in most cases, the list of analogs is broader than 3-4, and one analog can differ from another. In this article, I will teach you how to correctly select replacements for your exercises on your own.

Types of analogs

So, exercises can be divided into two types based on similarity:

• Exercises that are similar in movement.
• Exercises that are similar in their effect on the muscles.

As a rule, exercises that are similar in movement are also similar in their effect on the muscles. But this is not always the case. For example, if we compare:

Then in terms of movement, they are similar, but in terms of their effect on the muscles, they differ. In the first case, the primary load is on the chest, while in the second, it is on the triceps.

Another example:

In terms of execution technique, these are two different exercises. But in terms of their effect on the muscles, they are analogous.

In both of these cases, we can say that the exercises are somewhat analogous but not complete analogs. By the way, do not confuse the concept of "analogous" with "exactly the same." There are no two identical exercises. All exercises differ slightly in technique and in their effect on the muscles.

How to choose analogs?

If you need to replace exercises, decide for yourself what is more important: that they are similar in technique or in their effect on the muscles? The choice depends on the reason.

If the equipment is occupied, it is clear that you need to look for a substitute that is as similar as possible in terms of its effect on the muscles. In this case, similarity in movement is desirable but not mandatory.

If the exercise is uncomfortable or causes pain, you need to find an analog that is not similar in movement but similar in its effect on the muscles.

And if you're simply tired of a particular exercise, then a variant with partial similarity is likely suitable, both in terms of movement and in terms of the effect on the muscles. Each person decides for themselves.

Conclusions

It’s clear that I haven't provided a ready-made recipe. And the definition of "similar – not similar" is quite conditional and subjective. For some, even chlorine and cottage cheese might seem similar. For others:

these are two completely different exercises.

In general, when choosing an analog, rely on the reason that made you change the exercise, and think about the result you want to achieve with this substitution. This could be a reduction in pain sensations, a way to diversify your workouts, or simply a replacement for occupied equipment. Good luck!