Yeah, you know I kinda see what you're saying. Alwyn did say, however, "unless your bodyweight is way too much or way too little". To me it depends on the exercise, your goals, and also on the transferablility of what you're doing. I think it should be taken on a case by case basis, just like everythng.

I've heard the thing about single leg squats before loaded squats. To me the first question is what is that? Is it like a bulgarian split squat or what? And is a single leg squat the same as a loaded bodyweight squat? Hell no. If it's just about building up a base of strength I can understand a little where it's coming from but becoming proficient at bodyweight exercises does not automatically make you proficient at loaded exercises. Honestly I don't think a push up is the same as a bench press either but I can see that point better.

But Alwyn is a great coach and I'm sure he has his reasons. One of the biggest problems is that everyone gets so caught up in "muscle" they completely discount the value of a good strength base. It's all about "getting 8 reps" at all costs or whatever. And then adding weight. THERE ARE MORE WAYS TO PROGRESS BESIDES ADDING WEIGHT.

We can add reps; we can add sets...with no change in load and still see an increase in strength of course. It's the difference between single, double, and triple progression. Changing any one factor is still single progression. Changing any two factors is still double progression. Even if neither is an increase in load.

So this is where I thing the "too much or too little" thing comes in. Look at pull-ups. Many, including me, think pull-ups are better than pull-downs. But if you can't even begin to complete one rep then obviously you're gonna have a hard time progressing. So then assisted pull-ups or pull-downs are gonna come into play. But if you can do one rep or two reps that changes your options completely.

But MOST will ignore the fact that they can do a body weight pull-up and use assistance or pull-downs in that almost religious need to do this many reps and that many sets. Why? If you can do one pullup then with some rest you can do three or four singles. Next time maybe you can do two. So on and so forth. Your stength increase dramatically with a much more effective exercise.

That's all assuming that your body is healthy. Meaning shoulders, etc. And THAT is where a lot of this stuff is coming from. Many personal trainers have been duped into thinking what is good for rehabilitation purposes should be applied to everyone. So they say never use body weight until you can do this may reps and sets with lighter weights. You have to build up to it. Rehabilitation is rehabilitation. Effective training is effective training. The goal of rehab is healing properly...not to gain a lot of strength and pack on mass.

That's where the rest of his recommendations come in, I guess. Training functionally and with balance. People get obsessed with bringing their shoulders up or something and they get bad shoulders for their trouble.

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If you act sanctimonious I will just list out your logical fallacies until you get pissed off and spew blasphemous remarks.