The word optimal gets thrown around a lot in fitness.

Optimal type of training.  Optimal time to train.  Optimal angle of bench press.  Optimal amount of protein intake.

Do you ever think how silly it is to have two really jacked guys on the internet arguing over whether it’s better for you to use a full Range of Motion on your lifts or stop at 90 degree angles?

You’re both fucking jacked!  That means to some degree, both methods kind of worked!

In fitness and in training, the old phrase “all roads lead to Rome” really rings true.

Everything works if you actually do it.  The only controllable variables (outside of genetics) that truly matter when it comes to your training are:

Time (consistency)

Effort (how hard you train)

Look at anyone in the gym with an impressive physique or insane levels of strength and there are only two assumptions I can make about their training:  they’ve trained hard for a long time, consistently.

They could do powerlifting programs, bodybuilding programs, CrossFit, bodyweight only calisthenics, do full ROM, partial ROM, it doesn’t really matter what.

But I can’t assume any of those things just by looking at them – I can only really assume they trained really hard for really long.

So why does fitness shove optimal down our throats?

It only really matters for people on the margins and isn’t most fitness content is for the masses?

It’s for that reason – content.

If you can argue about something it will get clicks.  People love watching other people fight.

Ever notice every video that is even dubbed as a fair or honest discussion is tagged “Person X vs Person Y” or “Person X’s epic TAKEDOWN of Person Y” like it’s an actual heavyweight title fight.

It’s the middle school cafeteria all over again and one kid calls another kid a pussy and everyone goes “OHHHHHHHHHHH” and gathers around.  Same shit, different medium.

I’ve been duped also.  I spend a lot of time trying to figure out optimal ways to train and scouring information trying to find answers.

But it’s also my job and a lot of this shit is pretty interesting to me.  It doesn’t have to be for a lot of clients or even their trainers.

Substitute "optimal" for "actionable" or you will continue being duped.