As you stated and I said in the article, I gave a very simple answer only as a reference.

I don’t want to get hung up on exercises, instead I’d rather think of it as the integrity of the joint.

Whenever you push, you must pull and depending on the joint, you must extend when you flex.

Most trainers and most fitness enthusiasts spend to much time on one movement pattern. The range of motion of the joint and its ability to function properly becomes inhibited.

Of course it is not a “numbers” gain, but that does provide a baseline reference for anyone to start moving toward balance in their training.

Thanks again!

And the reverse can be said for something like OH pressing and pull-ups. I don’t know many guys who could, or even should be able to OH Press a load comparable to that used if combining most of their body weight with added load on a pull-up or chin-up.

I think I even recall Ian King (and he may have been one of many) to suggest that correct deadlifting alone can often go a long way towards maintaining structural balance, and that is a factor that seems to fly under the radar when comparing rowing volume and tonnage/load to horizontal pushing.

Again, I don’t find fault with the general spirit of keeping things on a relatively level playing field, but I think there are far too many factors at play to think that balance can be reflected in numbers.

But then again, I may be completely off base here. And I am absolutely not questioning your own results or your ability to get your lifters strong and keep ‘em healthy, but merely expressing that I never bought into numbers telling the tale on comparisons like rows and pressing, for a host of reasons.