MASS versus STRENGTH !!
mass, strength, fitness, muscles
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The training methods for strength and muscle mass are similar in that they must both include resistance work at an elevated intensity level. Strength fibers Fg ( fast, glycolytic) require a significant higher intensity. Mass fibers Fog (fast, oxidative, glycolytic) have the ability to utilze oxigen at a more efficient rate, thereby enabling it to contract quickly and be somewhat fatique resistant. It also has the greatest capacity for size increases.
It's actually the time the muscle spends in maximal exercise that's the true determinant of the primary fiber type. For optimal strength development the exercise should be around 90 % anaerobic, or no more than a total of 15 seconds of actual performance time during any work set. For muscle mass, the optimal energy production is 66 to 85 %, or between 30 and 60+ seconds of performance time.
If your interested in muscle mass, your focus should be total tension time - at a maximal paced intensity - rather than counting reps. Again each set should last 30-60+ seconds.
If your interested in strength you should concentrate on quick, explosive sets with a short rest/pause between reps.
FOCUS ON RESULTS !!
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on 5/30/2008
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8.7
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Importance of Pausing in the Contracted Position !!
fitness, weights, muscles, mass, strength
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It is very important to contract the muscle fully during the positive or raising portion of an exercise. Whenever a particular muscle group is contracted, the opposite muscle group is stretched. The primary advantage of performing each rep to the point of complete muscle contraction is enhanced stimulas for muscle growth. A pause in the fully shortened position provides a brief static contraction. Due to the mechanics of muscle contraction this provides a highly effective stimulas for muscle growth.
Some examples of Static Contraction are as follows:
Double shrugs / holding at the top for 3-4 seconds
Bottom position start bench press / pressing the bar off the rack and holding it for 3-4 seconds without locking out
Upright rows / hold at the top for 3-4 seconds
Seated barbell curls / curl the bar to the midpoint position and hold it for 3-4 seconds
Try it !! Very effective !! Adjust the weight to your liking, but try to keep the 3-4 seconds consistant.
Enjoy the burn - its good for you !!
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on 4/19/2008
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1 |
15.4
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Importance of Training to Momentary Muscular Failure !!
strength, mass, muscles, weights
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Momentary muscular failure is when you are exerting maximum effort against a resistance, which at that point in the set is not moving. Despite your exertion, you can no longer move the weight up. This should be included in all bodybuilding programs. Maximum efforts should be made against an unmoving resistance; but only after the maximum number of full reps have been performed, when your muscles are so exhausted from the immediate preceding reps that they are momentarily incapable of moving the resistance in spite of a 100% effort.
You will not build muscular size and strength by performing that which you are already capable of easily doing. You must constantly attempt the momentarily impossible, and such attempts should involve max efforts.
Before a muscle is capable of anything approaching a max effort, it must be properly warmed up by the performance of several moderately easy reps. If not, the muscle will fail at a point below its actual strength level. This increases your blood flow and prepares your muscles for the activity ahead.
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on 4/10/2008
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9.2
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ESSENTIAL RECOVERY TIME PLUS ....
muscles, strength, weights, mass, fitness
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The two main components of strength training are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. High intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase muscle size and strength. Your rest days are just as important as your training days. By giving your muscles more time to recover between training sessions you will on the road to major gains.
If you are sore, it is in fact a sign that your muscles are in a repair state. Pain is your body's signal to you that something is wrong. Do not train on sore muscles !! Instead, wait until you have one full day or no soreness before training the same muscles again. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY !!
Muscles take betweem 4-7 days to fully recover from a high-intensity workout. It can also take up to 7-14 days for the neuro-muscular system to fully recover. The older you are the longer it may take to recover plus keep in mind the smaller muscles recover quicker than the larger muscles.
After training, muscle glycogen levels are depleted. Rapid replenishement of muscle glycogen stores has a favorable impact on the prevention of muscle protein catabolism, etc. If you don't replenish glycogen rapidly, your recovery and performance will suffer next time you train and you may loose some muscle along the way. A post workout glycogen drink, or consumption of carbs and protein, will quickly create the optimal anabolic environment by minimizing protein breakdown and increasing protein synthesis. Time (rest), carbs and protein will help with the recovery essential to major gains in strength and muscle size.
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on 3/26/2008
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13.5
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UTILIZE "SLOW" REPS / NEGATIVE REPS !!
weights, fitness, mass, muscles, strength
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By slowing down your reps to a slower speed that eliminates excessive momentum, or keeps it to a minimum, this is a major step toward getting more muscle fiber stimulation.
For building muscle, a slower continuous tension is always superior to a faster speed. The negative (lowering) phase of a movement has more potential for muscle growth and strength increase.
A properly performed negative (lowering) rep should take approximately 4-6 secondes and 3-6 reps is the recommended reps for the most stimulation.
Most slow/negative training requires a spotter but you can use a lighter weight and cheat the weight using your own body momentum thru the positive range and then perform a slow negative. You can also use more weight than normal and make it a forced rep slow/negative.
By lowering the weight slowly you eliminate the chance of momentum helping you thru the movement. Your muscles are stressed more and forced to grow larger and stronger at a faster rate than they would have hypertrophy of momentum been used instead.
Many professionals believe this is the best way to gain muscle mass and strength !!
ENJOY THE BURN !!
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on 3/20/2008
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38.3
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