Bodybuilding dogmas versus freedom of movement
Why training doesn't have to be perfect to work - and how TYTAX and the School Gym of Dreams break with the cult of correctness
1. Introduction – “What is this exercise?”
This question appears under hundreds of videos on the internet.
Especially when the exercise does not resemble the classic squat, press or row from a personal trainer's manual.
But maybe it's time to ask another question:
Does an exercise have to look familiar to work?
Does strength training – to be truly effective, inspiring and developing – have to fit into a pattern?
No. And this isn't just intuition – it's a fact backed by science.
The gym world has been dominated by dogma for decades.
It's time to challenge them – for the benefit of all those who want to develop, not submit.
Dogmas don't come out of nowhere.
In bodybuilding, they arose at the intersection of marketing, competition and the need for authority.
Since the days of Joe Weider and Arnold's "golden era," bodybuilding has come to resemble a system with its own sacred hallmarks:
"Correct technique"
"Ideal range of motion"
"The only correct form of exercise"
This was a way to create a "school" – but also to make trainees dependent on the knowledge of experts.
2. Where did the dogmas of bodybuilding come from?
This gave coaches and magazines power. Any deviation was considered a "mistake."
In this way, training became a ritual rather than a development tool.
3. Problem: When technology becomes a prison
In theory, the technique is supposed to protect against injury and increase efficiency.
In practice: it often paralyzes, shames and excludes.
Millions of people stop exercising because:
they are afraid that "they are doing it wrong",
someone criticized them for their technique,
they compare themselves to trainers who have been training for 20 years.
The result is an absurdity:
physical health becomes the privilege of those who are not afraid of judgment.
This contradicts the idea of training available to everyone.
4. The body doesn't work like a machine. And it doesn't need a template.
Every body is different: limb length, range of motion, strength, injuries, habits.
No two squats are the same – because no two people are the same.
Movement in everyday life is chaos, adaptation, flexibility.
So why should training be a rigid matrix?
Research clearly shows:
Muscle adaptation also occurs with non-standard exercises.
Full range of motion does not always produce greater hypertrophy than partial range of motion.
Movement variability improves functionality, motor unit activation and the durability of the effect.
Schoenfeld BJ, Fonseca RM, Barbalho M et al.
Man is not a biomechanical diagram.
TYTAX machines: a space for creative training
The TYTAX system was not designed to correct people.
It was created to give them the freedom to create their own movement.
Thanks to multi-dimensional adjustment, TYTAX allows you to:
work in various ranges and angles,
adaptation to injuries, limitations and goals,
creating exercise variations that work – even if they “don’t look familiar.”
This is not chaos, this is the conscious design of a stimulus.
This is the difference between copying and creating.
6. Why Masters Don't Copy - They Create
In competitive sports, winners are not those who repeat patterns – but those who break them.
He looks for better solutions than others:
other body positions,
other traffic paths,
other moments of tension.
Fonseca (2014):
“Changing exercises produces greater results than just increasing volume.”
In a world where everyone does the same thing, only genetics differentiate.
Freedom of movement is a strategic advantage – not a compromise.
A championship athlete does not do "better runs than others."
7. School Dream Gym: Children need freedom, not training
If we want to teach children healthy movement for life, we need to stop judging and correcting them.
We need to start inspiring them.
The School Dream Gym offers children and young people:
a space without judgments and without fear of error,
the opportunity to experiment with movement,
discovering the joy of strength through play, curiosity and your own pace.
This is not a "school of technique" - it is a school of agency and self-confidence.
8. The Dogma of the Necessity of Breaks – Do We Really Need to Rest?
There is one saying repeated in the fitness world:
“Muscles don't grow during training, they grow during rest.”
Daily movement is the evolutionary norm.
Throughout the history of life, man has moved every day:
he went for water, climbed, lifted, ran – he did not plan to regenerate his quadriceps.
It was the modern gym – not biology – that invented the idea that movement must be stiff, intense and interrupted.
But does that really mean you shouldn't train every day?
What the Science Says (Shortcut)
1) Variation of exercises promotes adaptation and can develop strength/mass more effectively than volume manipulation alone [1].
2) Full range of motion usually produces slightly greater hypertrophy effects, but partial ROM is also effective and can be practical (motion restrictions, stimulus control) [2].
3) Hypertrophy does not depend solely on very heavy loads – mechanical tension and appropriate effort (also with moderate weights) are crucial [4–5,8].
4) The sensation of muscle pain/fatigue does not necessarily indicate tissue damage; metabolites can cause pain even though there is no damage [3].
5) Older people respond well to strength training; 'non-responders' is more of a myth than a rule [6–7].
6) Autonomy, choice and a sense of agency increase motivation to exercise – especially in children and adolescents [9].
For children (8–12): play with movement – jumping, pulling, pushing, climbing. Short bursts, light resistance, no pain. Vary positions and movement paths.
For youth (13–18): Build strength and confidence. Test different machine/grip settings; write down what works. Train consistently, but with lighter days.
For parents/guardians: Praise for trying, not just for the result. Make sure your child gets enough sleep and meals. Establish safety rules together (see box).
For grandparents and great-grandparents: strength training is an investment in independence. Start with light resistance, stick to pain-free movements, and focus on balance and breathing [6–7].
What does this mean in practice – tips for you
Recommendations from today (do it now)
1) Choose 3-4 full body movements (pushing, pulling, bending/lunging, core).
2) Adjust the angle/grip/range so that it is pain-free and under control.
3) Set the effort: after the series you should be able to say 1-2 complete sentences – this is moderate; one word – hard.
4) Keep a notebook of your settings (what worked, what didn't).
5) Move every day, but not every day with heavy exercise – alternate between lighter and more intense days [8,10].
Move every day ≠ train hard every day. Lighter days: walking, technique, flexibility; heavier days: strength/tension.
Sharp, stabbing pain in a joint, dizziness, shortness of breath, fever – these are STOP signals. Stop and consult your instructor.
Adjust the range and weight to suit your day. If something feels uncomfortable, change the setting and check how it feels.
Sensitive situations: growth spurts in children, pregnancy/postpartum period, recent injuries/illnesses – go 'slower and pain-free'.
Speech scale: you can speak in full sentences = moderate; you break off sentences = too difficult for today.
Security and borders
TYTAX and the School Gym of Dreams – how to use the freedom of movement
Design the movement: vary the bench angle, width/grip, path of motion, order of exercises – one experiment at a time [1–2].
Three difficulty levels (pushing example): Light – 2×12 comfortable reps; Moderate – 3×8–10 with 1–2 reps 'in reserve'; Harder – 4×6 with longer rest.
Make a note of the settings that were comfortable and effective (no pain, with a feeling of 'stable tension').
Attendance and total weekly movement time.
Joy of movement (scale 1–5) and sense of agency.
Reports of pain/injury – trend.
'Small Victory' Stories: 3 Short Examples per Semester.
How to measure progress (SSM program KPIs)
Disclaimers and limitations
This material is for educational purposes only. It does not replace an individual medical/physiotherapy consultation.
Always adjust your load selection and ranges to your health and physical condition. If in doubt, consult a specialist.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can an unusual exercise be effective?
Yes. What matters is whether the stimulus engages the right muscles, allows for gradual increase in difficulty, and does not cause acute pain. Appearance doesn't determine the effect—stimulus and consistency do [1,4].
2. Is the 'other' technique safe?
It can be. Uncontrolled or painful movements are dangerous. If you feel discomfort in the joint, reduce the range/weight or change the position and evaluate the sensations [2–3].
3. Should children exercise according to rigid schedules?
No. Children learn through play and exploration; it's better to provide them with a safe space, simple rules, and positive reinforcement. Schemes help, but they are not the goal [9,10].
4. Can you exercise every day?
It's worth moving every day, but the intensity can vary. Alternate between lighter days (walking, technique) and heavier days, paying attention to your sleep and bodily sensations [8,10].
5. What to do if muscle pain occurs after training?
Mild muscle soreness usually subsides within a few days. Sharp, stabbing pain in a joint is a sign to stop and consult your doctor; pain does not always indicate injury [3].
6. How to measure progress without 'perfect technique' ?
Establish simple metrics: the number of repetitions within a comfortable range, time under tension, ease of movement, and how you feel after exercise. Compare yourself to yesterday.
7. Can seniors do strength training?
Yes – and they usually benefit greatly from it (strength, balance, independence). We start slowly, with little resistance and greater attention to balance and breathing [6–7].
8. How to safely experiment on a machine (e.g. TYTAX)?
As you change the angle/grip, test small differences and assess: painlessness, control, fluidity. Note what works and return to those settings. One experiment at a time [1–2].
9. Does partial range of motion make sense?
Yes – it can be useful for movement restrictions, for learning control, or as a variety. Full range can be more beneficial for many effects, but partial range is not 'bad' in itself [2].
10. What most increases the desire to exercise in young people?
Autonomy and a sense of agency – choice and support instead of judgment. This increases intrinsic motivation and habit sustainability [9].
Bibliography
1) Fonseca RM, Roschel H, Tricoli V, de Souza EO, Wilson JM, Laurentino GC, et al. Changes in exercises are more effective than in loading schemes to improve muscle strength. J Strength Cond Res. 2014;28(11):3085–92. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000539.
2) Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J. Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: a systematic review. SAGE OpenMed. 2020;8:2050312120901559. doi:10.1177/2050312120901559.
3) Pollak KA, Swenson JD, Vanhaitsma TA, Hughen RW, Jo D, Light KC, et al. Exogenously applied muscle metabolites synergistically evoke sensations of muscle fatigue and pain in human subjects. Exp Physiol. 2014;99(2):368–80. doi:10.1113/expphysiol.2013.075812.
4) Schoenfeld BJ. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. SportsMed. 2010;40(2):115–38. doi:10.2165/11319770-000000000-00000.
5) Morton RW, Oikawa SY, Wavell CG, Mazara N, McGlory C, Quadrilatero J, et al. Neither load nor systemic hormones determine resistance training-mediated hypertrophy or strength gains in resistance-trained young men. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2016;121(1):129–38. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00154.2016.
6) Churchward-Venne TA, Tieland M, Verdijk LB, Leenders M, Dirks ML, de Groot LCPGM, et al. There are no nonresponders to the benefits of resistance-type exercise training in older men and women. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2015;16(5):400–11. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2015.01.071.
7) Ahtiainen JP, Walker S, Peltonen H, Holviala J, Sillanpää E, Karavirta L, et al. Heterogeneity in resistance training-induced muscle strength and mass responses in men and women of different ages. Age (Dordr). 2016;38(1):10. doi:10.1007/s11357-015-9870-1.
8) López P, Radaelli R, Taaffe DR, Newton RU, Galvão DA, Trajano GS, et al. Resistance training load effects on muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021;53(6):1206–16. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000002585.
9) Ryan RM, Deci EL. Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Am Psychol. 2000;55(1):68–78. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68.
10) Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, Franklin BA, Lamonte MJ, Lee IM, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position standard. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(7):1334–59. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb.