Dynamic Correspondence/ Training Transfer

50kg Single Arm Snatch Work
Dynamic Correspondence (AKA Training Transfer). Does this exercise improve my Sode-Tsurikomi-Goshi? Yes. Learn why…

Primary Transfer ❌
Secondary Transfer ✅
Tertiary Transfer ✅
Amplitude and direction of movement ✅ (somewhat in the initial drop and catch)
Region of accentuated force production ✅
Dynamics of the effort ✅
Rate and time of maximal force production ✅
Psychology ✅ (Confidence in the catch with increasing weight)

Does a new and cool looking exercise make you better at your sport if it somewhat resembles your sport? Maybe. Maybe not. But let’s explore more…Keep in mind one of the most important principles of training: Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. Essentially, your body will adapt to what training stimulus you expose it to regularly. I know, groundbreaking news: If you lift heavy stuff, often, chances are you’ll get stronger. 

There are a few different types of transfer to consider before you ‘believe the hype’ on an exercise that an InstaModel is demonstrating. 

1. Primary Transfer | Do the exercises/ movements improve the skill you have in mind? For example, a rugby player who is struggling in the scrum should do more, well, scrums! Only varying intensity (position correct > scrum machines > one on one positions > one on one live etc etc). 
2. Secondary Transfer | Do the exercises/ movements improve a capacity demanded in the sport? If we stick with our scrum example, would a strong back squat have a secondary transfer to the scrum? Yes. Strong legs and a braced core are key features of both. I mean, if skill was completely equal, I would take the player who can squat 220kg over the player who can squat 120kg…Side note: a player with a 220kg squat can still be bad at scrumming if they haven’t grasped the skill (see above).
3. Tertiary Transfer | Do the exercises/ movements improve a capacity that will lead to a either of the above transfers? Again, if we stick with our scrum example, does performing nordic curls/ glute ham raises improve a players scrum? No! Don’t be silly. Well, hold on wait a minute. Maybe. If the player has a weak back squat and needs to strengthen their posterior chain then nordic curls could be a good accessory exercise to assist and facilitate improvements in the back squat. And if we take that 120kg back squatting player up to 180kg over pre-season then we have a POTENTIALLY better scrummager provided there’s some good ol’ fashioned scrum work (primary transfer work) going on. 

Other physiological factors with ‘Dynamic Correspondence’ include; amplitude and direction of movement, region of accentuated force production, dynamics of the effort and rate and time of maximal force production. I’ll be sure to get into them on a future blog post if people are interested.