When Did the Icing Become More Important Than the Cake?

So when did we all agree that complexity and gimmicks were required for programs to work?
People are more focused on having 12 different variations in their bicep workout than achieving a proper pull up. Can you do a chin up with an extra 100 lbs... can you even do a chin up at all??

 This 71 year old man can!

This point is fundamental!
Achieving reasonable levels of skill at these basic movements is mandatory for the development of more complex  skills and movements, for preventing injuries, and a healthy body in general.

 I doesn't matter how "toned" you are if you cannot chin up or deadlift your bodyweight you are weak!

Franco Columbu can chin up! He was strong too, coincidence? I think NOT.

Got Squat?

You used to, what happened?

If you cannot comfortably do a full range squat then you lack mobility!

If you are still chasing the calories in vs. calories out without addressing food quality, getting enough sleep and sun then you are still unhealthy.

How many hours of cardio are in a jumbo cheese puff anyway?

Without these things, then you have no cake to put your icing on.

Some of the Fundamentals:  
-ass to ankles squat
-chin up
-bodyweight deadlift
-the ability to sprint
-getting enough sun and sleep
-food quality

This is where you start, if you have those things then well done! If not then keep it simple and make this your priority. These basic skills done well will provide more health and fitness than anyone outside of competitive sports is likely to need. Even if you were a competitive athlete or had goals beyond these specific movements, this is still the foundation to any quality progress. Olympic athletes do in fact use swiss balls, for skill work, AFTER they have done a 5x5 squat at 500lbs. In other words there is no reason to worry about which color to paint your walls when you have not yet laid down the foundation.

So if you are one of the few that have these skills, can you add quality, difficulty or complexity? Muscle ups or a one arm pull up? Free standing handstand push ups? You can take this path any direction and as far as you like, either way the foundation still needs to be in place first! Now get busy baking your performance cakes ladies and gentleman!