Variation of The Big Three

How To Break Plateus & Build Unstoppable Lfits

Once a trainee understands the basics and can properly execute the competition-relevant lifts, which are the squat, bench press, and deadlift, it’s time to add intelligent exercise variations into their training.

At GritLab, we use variation not for the sake of novelty, but with a purpose: to avoid the law of accommodation and to address specific weaknesses that limit performance. The law of accommodation, first described by sports scientist Yuri Verkhoshansky, states that when a trainee is exposed to the same training stimulus repeatedly, the body’s adaptation to that stimulus diminishes over time. In other words, doing the same lift, in the same way, with the same loading parameters, will eventually stop producing results.

By introducing targeted variations, we present the body with a novel stimulus that drives continued adaptation. More importantly, we can customize these variations to strengthen weak muscle groups, improve technical execution, and build resilience against injury.

Why Exercise Variation Works — The Science

Exercise variation isn’t just anecdotal coaching wisdom; it’s supported by research. Studies on resistance training show that varying exercises can:

• Enhance hypertrophy by recruiting muscle fibers through new joint angles and ranges of motion. For example, Baz-Valle et al. (2019) found that trained lifters who rotated exercises every two weeks achieved greater muscle growth than those performing the same lifts throughout a training cycle.

• Improve neural adaptations by challenging coordination and motor learning in slightly different movement patterns, which transfers back to the competition lifts.

• Reduce overuse injury risk by distributing stress across a wider range of tissues and movement planes, instead of hammering the same joints in the same way week after week.

  
  

In practical terms, this means that exercise variation is not just “spicing things up”. It’s a proven way to keep muscle and strength gains coming while preserving joint health over the long haul.

Variation is a valuable tool to enhance the training experience for a trainee

Addressing Weak Points with Targeted Variations

One of the biggest benefits of exercise variation is the ability to pinpoint and fix weaknesses in the big lifts. Each competition lift has distinct phases: The start, the midpoint, and the lockout. A lifter may struggle more in one part of the range of motion than another. By selecting special exercises that target the muscles and positions involved in that weak phase, we can bring the whole lift up.

Bench Press Examples:

• Floor Press — Removes leg drive and shortens the range of motion, overloading the triceps and lockout portion of the press.

• Close-Grip Bench — Increases triceps involvement, helping mid-to-lockout strength.

• Spoto Press — Pauses the bar an inch above the chest, building stability and strength off the chest.

Squat Examples:

• Pause Squat — Builds positional strength and control in the bottom of the squat.

• Safety Squat Bar Squat — Shifts emphasis to the quads and upper back, improving upright posture and front-half strength.

• Box Squat — Trains explosive strength out of the hole and reinforces proper hip drive.

Deadlift Examples:

• Deficit Deadlift — Increases range of motion, building strength off the floor.

• Block Pull/Rack Pull — Shortens the range to overload the top half of the lift, improving lockout.

• Pause Deadlift — Improves control and strength through sticking points in the pull.

  
  

By rotating these variations in and out of training cycles, we’re constantly attacking the lifter’s limiting factors.

Progression: From Simple to Complex

Just as we don’t hand a beginner driver the keys to a high-performance race car on day one, we don’t start with the most complicated exercise variations. Early in the variation process, the goal is simply to introduce the new implement or movement pattern with minimal additional complexity.

For example, if we’re introducing the Safety Squat Bar, the first exposure might be a straight Safety Bar Squat. Once the lifter demonstrates solid movement patterns, we can add a pause, use a box, or introduce accommodating resistance like bands or chains.

This progression allows athletes to:

1. Build competence with the new movement pattern.

2. Adapt gradually to the different loading demands.

3. Maximize carryover when more complex variations are eventually introduced.

   
   

In short, a lifter should earn their way to advanced variations and not rush into them.

Exercise Variation for Hypertrophy

For those chasing muscle growth alongside strength, variation can be a powerful hypertrophy tool. Changing the movement slightly, whether through grip, stance, range of motion, or bar placement, shifts loading demands and recruits different motor units. This means previously under-stimulated fibers get more work, which can drive new growth.

Example:

A lifter doing conventional deadlifts will heavily recruit hamstrings and spinal erectors. Switching to a sumo deadlift or deficit deadlift can increase quad activation, while Romanian deadlifts target the hamstrings in a stretched position, which is a key driver of hypertrophy per recent research (Wolf et al., 2023).

Additionally, exercise variation can improve mind-muscle connection with lagging muscle groups. For instance, a close-grip bench or a JM press can make the triceps work harder than a standard competition bench, providing a hypertrophy stimulus that translates back to pressing strength.

Avoiding the Plateau

The law of accommodation tells us that adaptation slows if the training stimulus remains unchanged. Variations help us sidestep that plateau by continually giving the body a reason to adapt.

However, variation must be planned. Too much randomness, and the trainee never spends enough time mastering a skill to improve it. Too little variation and progress stalls. At GritLab, we rotate variations every 1–3 weeks depending on training goals, but always with an eye on how each variation feeds into the main lifts.

Key Takeaways

• Exercise variation keeps training fresh, effective, and joint-friendly.

• Variations should target specific weak points in the competition lifts.

• Start simple before progressing to complex special exercises.

• Scientific evidence supports variation for both hypertrophy and strength.

• Intelligent programming avoids plateaus while improving both performance and movement quality.

  
  

When done right, variations don’t distract from the big lifts; rather, they make the big lifts stronger. At GritLab, our approach ensures each variation has a purpose, whether that’s building muscle, bringing up weak points, or preventing stagnation. The end goal is the same: stronger lifts, healthier joints, and continued progress over the long term

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Citations:

1) Baz-Valle, E., Schoenfeld, B. J., Torres-Unda, J., Santos-Concejero, J., & Balsalobre-Fernández, C. (2019). The effects of exercise variation in muscle thickness, maximal strength and motivation in resistance trained men. PloS one, 14(12), e0226989. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226989

2) Kassiano, Witalo et al. “Does Varying Resistance Exercises Promote Superior Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains? A Systematic Review.” Journal of strength and conditioning research vol. 36,6 (2022): 1753-1762. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000004258

3) Wolf, Milo, Patroklos Androulakis-Korakakis, James Fisher, Brad Schoenfeld, and James Steele. 2023. “Partial Vs Full Range of Motion Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning 3 (1). https://doi.org/10.47206/ijsc.v3i1.182.