Researched
and Composed by
Adam “Old School” Knowlden
Warning: If you’re a gym poseur, go
no further. Save yourself the time of reading this article and get back
to using the “Thigh master” as a replacement for squats…
Mentality of Conquest
In the previous two editions of this series we have discovered profound
methods of unleashing the hidden depths of our hardcore essence. The
goal of this series has been to get the reader to view old school shock
techniques in a new light and discover ways to reach ascended heights in
their training. The fundamental nature of these endeavors has been to
leave the comfort zone and thrive in the growth zone.
Inside each of us is the mentality of a champion. What does it take to
bring this spirit to the surface? It takes an uncompromising will, an
unparalleled mindset, a beyond hardcore discipline, and a desire to see
your own blood spilled.
With the last installment of this series we will seek new ways to
release the hidden depths of our inner being. Each one of us must learn
to look fear in the face, shove it down, and stomp on it like a bug.
Consider this installment the grand finale of this series as you learn
to deliver a barrage of bullets to your body...and like it!
The Heart of Hardcore
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard lame excuses in the gym for
avoiding the extremes of weight training.
I just want to ask these types, “What are you here for then?”
Always precede a workout with this mindset:
“I’m here to work out hard, not to take it easy, and my workouts will
reflect that attitude.”
The excuses these characters come up with are all too familiar.
“That’s overtraining”, “that’s for guys on steroids”, “that’s too heavy,
that’s too hard, that’s too draining, that’s too many sets, that’s too
extreme”.
Excuses, excuses, excuses. The following is a concept we are going to
dwell on and put deep into our minds as we approach the aspect of
hypertrophy training from henceforth…
No excuses!
Don’t be fooled by cheap imitations. If you want to grow, you need to
push the envelope.
New age body building is nothing more than mentally projected failure.
What is “New age body building?”
This recent wave of thinking involves limiting oneself's mindset in the
area of hypertrophy. These limitations can occur through a number of
mediums. They can rear their ugly heads through training strategies,
dieting tactics or in compromising the Z factor. But no matter where the
new age ideas fall, they always limit themselves and close their minds
to the extremes of the body building lifestyle.
In my opinion these concepts reflect both physical and mental defeat and
the physiques of these cults’ followers always demonstrate their
lethargic workouts.
But perhaps the worst aspect of this “training” is the self-induced
boundaries these cultists willingly adhere too. They will never consider
any ideas that fall outside of their comfort zone. They like to stay as
contented as possible in the gym and do not like to be challenged either
physically or mentally.
For example, the majority of hypertrophy occurs at the cellular level.
The cell is both an amazing and mysterious machine. In all reality we
know very little about it’s vast complexity and mechanical design.
Yet we are constantly hearing “new age” ideas as though they are facts.
“DOMS is useless”.
This is a prime case of limiting oneself in the world of hypertrophy.
There may very well be a vital connection between DOMS (Delayed Onset
Muscle Soreness) and hyperplasia.
There are two primary mechanisms in which new fibers can be formed.
First large fibers can split into two or more smaller fibers and
secondly satellite cells can be activated.
Satellite cells are myogenic stem cells which are involved in skeletal
muscle regeneration. When you stretch or intensely work a muscle fiber,
satellite cells are activated. Satellite cells can undergo mitosis or
cell division and give rise to new myoblastic cells.
These immature muscle cells can either fuse with a pre-existing muscle
fiber causing that fiber to get bigger (hypertrophy), or these
myoblastic cells can fuse with each other to form a new fiber. This is
one of the ways to achieve hyperplasia!
The most acceptable theory of the cause of DOMS (really know one knows
exactly what causes DOMS, although we have very good theories. But it is
probably a combination of factors, some of which we are not yet aware
of!), is that DOMS is caused by eccentric muscle contractions in which
muscle fibers are lengthened as force is applied to them.
The two leading factors in the activation of satellite cells are extreme
stretching and intense exercise. Combine these two and you have a lethal
combination capable of producing hyperplasia!
There could be a vital link between DOMS and hyperplasia. Only time will
tell as our advancement in cell understanding increases.
My main point is this. For every bit of knowledge we accumulate about
the cell, the more we discover we know practically nothing! Indeed the
cell is a masterpiece design! For this reason I think it is an error in
logic to totally eliminate possible hypertrophy/hyperplasia scenarios at
the cellular level.
“Fascia stretching is useless”.
Another sampling of mental limitations. Current research is indeed
showing that stretching connective tissue is a leading factor in
hypertrophy in a selected region of skeletal muscle.
Imitating the process of muscle memory has to focus on the stretching of
connective tissues. In fact, failing to do so could be one of the main
reasons for plateaus in growth!
“That’s too much volume”.
We could talk for days on this topic. But indeed higher volume can
result in a greater release of Growth Hormone output; especially during
the natural hormone rebound period that takes place post-workout. Higher
volume also increases mitochondrial density in the cell- which in turn
is relative to the time under tension factor, which in turn relates to
growth.
“That’s too high of a number of repetitions”.
The fact is there are many types of muscle fibers in the body—both deep
and superficial. And each type responds differently by growing to
various times under tension. Jacob describes this as the fundamental
principle to hypertrophy. “The raw essence of gaining mass, as far as
training goes is the exact time that your muscles are forced to work
"under intense loads." In other words, optimal mass gains are directly
proportionate to exactly how long your sets last!”
It is imperative on the quest for maximum mass that we do not limit
ourselves in the area of repetition number. To do so is nothing more
than robbing yourself of growth.
Moreover, research is demonstrating that there are two ways to trigger
hypertrophy. These are known as sarcomere (Sarcomeres are the smallest
functional unit of a muscle fiber. Within the sarcomere is where the
muscle actually contracts.) hypertrophy and sarcoplasmic (a sarcoplasm
is made up of minerals, fats, dissolved proteins, a relatively large
amount of glycogen; compared to the cytoplasm of the muscle cell), and
some organelles. It is also the abode of myoglobin (myoglobin carries
oxygen to the mitochondria in a muscle cell) hypertrophy.
The first one is linked with growth of the contractile components of the
muscle fibers (the actin and myosin complex) and the second with growth
of the structures supporting and surrounding the contractile elements
(the sarcoplasmic reticulum and sarcoplasm). Sarcomere hypertrophy,
maximally stimulated by power lifting type training, results in
significant increases in strength, while the sarcoplasmic variety, which
is enhanced through the typical bodybuilding style training. (Siff &
Verkhoshansky "Supertraining" 1998 Ch 1.12).
“Isolation exercises are a waste of time”.
Unbelievable…Isolation exercises are the key to skeletal muscle shaping,
and deep muscle stimulation, which are firmly rooted in establishing a
solid mind-muscle link as well as increasing vascularity.
“A blood pump has little, if anything, to do with growth”.
This is nothing short of body building blasphemy. As a result of
intense muscular exertion there is a resulting accumulation of metabolic
by-products. These byproducts cause a release of other various hormones.
The anabolic consequences these hormones create reveal the ideal
environment in which to stimulate muscle hypertrophy. Intense force
requires a great deal of energy expenditure. In order for our bodies to
meet the demand of this effort it increases the metabolism to energize
the muscular contractions. As a result increases in respiration and
heart rate occurs this in turn causes a rise in body temperature and
blood pressure.
Remember that for any action there is an opposite and equal reaction. In
this situation, it is the production of byproducts and other chemical
substances that inter-react in a masterpiece of complexity throughout
the central nervous system (Read more about
CNS’ amazing design here.)
The most predominant byproduct in this instance is lactic acid. Lactic
acid has some very important features that interest us as body builders.
One is its ability to stimulate the production of testosterone. Also,
recent studies show that there may be a correlation of this and the
release of growth hormone. The same level of intensity that creates the
pump also has the ability to stimulate the
CNS to release Beta-antagonists. These powerful anabolic agents in turn
release adrenaline hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine. The
relationship of these chemical productions all originates from the
muscle exertion and the byproducts that accompanied it!
“I just don’t have the genetics.”
Body building is a life-long sport. I have forsaken the idea of genetic
limitations a long time ago. I truly believe the only limits there are,
are the ones we impress upon ourselves!
The Greek god himself Yu Yevon posted this reply on the boards in
regards to genetic limitations and his commentary is spot on!
“Its (genetic limitations) a very complicated subject. It is common
belief that we are born with a certain number of muscle fibers, and that
number remains consistent throughout our lives. Once we maximize the
size/strength/efficiency of those muscle fibers, we have reached our
genetic potential. That sounds pretty simple, but now you are hearing
more and more about something called hyperplasia. Hyperplasia is the
increase in the number of muscle fibers. At first it was believed to
only occur in animals and not in humans, but recent studies have shown
that this may not be true. With that in mind, we may technically have no
genetic potential. Maybe that is why bodybuilders keep getting bigger
and bigger over the years.
It is my belief that we have a "mental perception of genetic potential."
This means that our true genetic potential is limited by our mind. Our
brain is the most powerful machine on earth. No computer can even come
close to compare to the speed and efficiency in which the mind
transfers, translates, and stores information. On top of this, we only
use about 2% of our mental capacity! Can you imagine what we would be
like if we are able to use, say 3%? What about 100%?? Some theorists
suggest if we used as much as 5% of our brains, we would be able to do
such things as heal ourselves just by thinking about healing, change our
physical looks by focusing our mental energy on change, and basically
blow Einstein out of the water!
If we condition our minds, we can push our bodies past our "genetic
potential". Take
Arnold
for example. His critics said his calves were "genetically inferior" to
the rest of his body. Simply put, he had weak calves. People said they
were too small, long and narrow. So what did he do? He worked his calves
every day for over a year and proved his critics wrong! He changed the
entire structure of his calves!
So as far as genetic potential goes, the skies the limit! The only thing
that can hold you back is your mental perception of it.”
One of my favorite quotes is, “A journey of one thousand miles begins
with a single step.” Remember that as you embark on your quest for
magnitude.
Never limit yourself in aspects of training. Seek to rock your own
world, and think outside of your comfort zone. Strive for new challenges
and seek new thresholds… your body building longevity will thrive on
these attitudes.
Let us recall a quote from Jacob from his master piece article, “X-ray
vision part 2”
“And anytime you pass up a situation in which you could have gained
something, even from what you think is an unlikely source, you have made
a mistake. In logic circles, this is known as the fallacy of
dismissal. Ask any Logician, and they will explain to you, that this is
one of the largest fallacies committed in the world today. Remember, it
is those with a mind willing to expand in any situation that take our
society to the next level. Blowing off potential gains, is essentially
an unwise move. It is for this reason, that I make a concerted effort
to treat each other( meaning members on the forums ) with the utmost
respect. By discouraging free thought, and creativity, we discourage
the very thing that leads to advancements!”
Interestingly enough, the tactics used by the body builders of yore are
being shown, time and time again, to coincide perfectly with the latest
scientific research. Not to mention the empirical evidence these methods
demonstrate on the physiques of hard core body builders!
But before we delve into the different shock factors this article will
unfold, I want you to set a new goal for yourself each and every time
you enter the gym.
“I will be the most hardcore person in the gym. No one can surpass me in
this endeavor.”
Even if you're not the strongest physically, become the bravest
mentally! Push yourself harder than anyone else.
Become the heart of hardcore, not the icon of self-defeat.
Concentric Rest-Pause Power-rack training
As Jacob described so eloquently in his article, Concentric Super
Overload, the positive portion of any lift, can have a vital impact in
the role of muscular hypertrophy.
Concentric Rest-Pause Power-rack training is an excellent way to
increase an exercises positive range of motion explosiveness and power.
The concept is straightforward yet highly effective. I lightly touched
on this idea in the 8 weeks to Battering Ram Pushing Power series.
You will be using a power-rack and a barbell for this training method.
These two pieces of equipment are literally the ball and bat of body
building!
There are a few basic rules to apply to get the most out of this
concept:
1. Set the power rack safety bars just out of reach of the barbell from
the bottom of your range of motion.
2. Explode up on the concentric portion of the movement and proceed with
the same speed on the eccentric portion of the movement as you did with
the concentric portion of the range of motion.
In other words, if it took me one second to perform the positive portion
of the movement, it should only take me one second to perform the
negative portion as well(as opposed to the typical 2 seconds that is
generally taken). However, the weight is always under control. We are
emphasizing the concentric, but don’t get sloppy on the eccentric. That
can promote injury.
3. Of course the advantage with this principle is using heavier weights
for more reps and longer durations!
To better illustrate this technique let’s use the forearm behind the
back wrist curl.
Begin by picking up the bar and doing a behind the back curl with no
weight. Always use this time as a focal point to adjust the power rack
accordingly. Fine-tune the power rack safety bars so that at the bottom
of your range of motion the power rack safety bars are as close as
possible to the barbell but are not actually touching the bar.
The most basic way to perform this shock is to start by carrying through
a set of forearm behind the back wrist curls like normal.
Upon failure of the set, “rest” the barbell on the power-rack for one
second and immediately power the weight back up through the concentric
portion of the exercise.
From here use rest-pause to continue the set to utter failure.
You should increase the rest-pause time by a few seconds as the “beyond
failure” portion of the set continues. Carry on in this manner until you
have reached your endurance point with this particular weight.
So a time scale of this set could look like this:
Begin set: normal set for 30 seconds.
Failure: rest-pause for one to two seconds until exhausted with this
time frame.
Beyond failure: Continue upping rest-pause time until total exhaustion
occurs. I wouldn’t recommend a rest-pause time of over 30 seconds. If
you are going heavy enough and truly going beyond failure, you shouldn’t
be able to go past this time anyway.
Remember the main goal of each of these reps is to power up and explode
on the concentric portion of the rep. Concentrate heavily on this form
even as the severe pain sets in during the beyond failure portion of the
set.
Try this technique with the following exercises for giant gains in
strength and explosion!
Dead lift-
This is one of the best all-star mass builders for the back. Apply the
Concentric Rest-pause principle and see a whole new side to this already
insanely hardcore exercise.
This exercise is commonly called the Rack Dead lift or Pin-Pull lift.
Good Mornings-
Barbell good mornings are perhaps the most brutal of all erector
exercises.
Concentric Rest-pause power rack Good Mornings will enhance your lower
back explosiveness and power like never before. Use these and watch your
dead lift, squat, and bench press maxes sky rocket. I wouldn’t advise
going too heavy with this one without proper warming up and plenty of
stretching, and remember to stay in total control.
Barbell Shrugs- If a bull size neck is your goal, then this is
your exercise. Nothing will blast this area, like the power-rack
principle!
Try them forward and behind-the-back for optimal development!
Standing press- As I described in the “8 weeks to bigger delts
part 2”, this is an excellent way to increase your shoulder power.
Another great thing about this particular exercise is that as you rest
pause you can use your feet to push off and help cheat the weight up. I
like to begin using this when I get deep into the rest-pause portion of
the set.
Squats- Get ready for a burn baby! These will fry your legs.
However, like the good mornings, really be careful if you decide to go
heavy. This can really strain your lower back if you’re not warmed up.
So wear a thick belt and stretch heavily. However, I don’t want to scare
you off, this is an excellent exercise.
Static Barbell Hold- OUCH! Lee Priest would be jealous if he knew
about this exercise. This will singe the deepest forearm fibers! I
recommend picking a weight that you can hold for 15-30 seconds, then
begin rest-pausing!
Barbell Calf raises- An outstanding way to increase both power
and size in the calves. These are also a great exercise for increasing
your vertical leap.
Of course there are alternatives to any shock technique and this one is
no different!
Partial Reps- You can use this principle to attack particular
areas of a range of motion of an exercise. For example if you are having
problems with the bottom portion of a standing shoulder press apply this
shock to the partial reps principle.
Set the safety racks at the bottom of the range of motion of your
standing shoulder press. As you begin the exercise, push off the power
rack and perform a partial rep, stopping about half way up through the
full range of motion. Now come back down, rest-pause on the safety rack,
and press up again!
This is a superb means of conquering concentric weak points and
increasing explosiveness in a range of motion of any given exercise.
One excellent exercise for partial-rep power rack rest-pause concentric
training(whew) is the barbell curl. Let’s say ,for example, the top of
the range of motion is your problem area in this exercise.
I would have you adjust the power rack safety bars to the mid point of
the range of motion for a standard barbell curl. Now curl the weight off
the power-rack and complete the half-rep, accenting the concentric
aspect of the lift, then lowering the barbell back down on the
safety-rack.
Rest-pause and proceed again, gradually increasing the time of the
rest-pause from one too two seconds until total failure occurs.
You can also use the partial-reps principle here to bust plateaus in
strength as well! Let me explain using the above barbell curl example.
In the above sample, we focused on the upper portion of the range of
motion. I would recommend two sets in the same manner for the top of the
range of motion. Next we would want to focus on the lower portion of the
barbell curl. Simply adjust the power-rack so that it is just out of
reach of the bottom of the range of motion. Now use the principle to
rest-pause out concentric partial reps focusing on the bottom of the
range of motion!
By centering on both parts of the barbell curls range of motion, you
will gradually be able to add more weight to your normal barbell curls,
and bust through plateaus like never before!
Can it get more hardcore Old School?
Oh ye of little faith! Now that you have decimated the upper and lower
portions of the barbell curls range of motion, strip some of the weight
off, and perform 7 complete reps! Seven reps? That seems familiar? It
should! I call this (get ready) Concentric Power-rack rest-pause partial
rep 21’s! In other words get 7 concentric rest-pause reps at the top of
the range of motion, 7 at the bottom, then strip some weight, and do 7
regular barbell curls!
Talk about a pump! You’ll love that one!
Try this same principle with reverse barbell curl as well as triceps
extensions and calf raises.
Static Shocks
Muscular contraction is the key to success in the pursuit of
hypertrophy. Perhaps there is no better way to stimulate this than
through an added emphasis on the static portion of a given lift.
By emphasizing the peak contraction of a lift you can increase hardness,
separation, and density. Another added benefit is the increased
mind-muscle connection that is established as a direct result of static
training! I don’t have to tell you how vital a strong mental link to the
body is in regards to growth.
No one can argue that time under tension plays a monstrous role in
achieving new gains. We can break this down even further by directly
emphasizing time under tension with the concentric, negative, or static
portion of a set.
Static conditioning is an area no body builder should ignore. However it
his highly excruciating, so if you give in to pain easy this is not the
shock for you.
“If it’s painful do it, if it hurts strip it, and if it’s pumped stretch
it”. - Jacob Wilson
That is one of those immortal quotes we all need to memorize and adhere
to. Static training fits into that equation to the tee.
Dead Weight
The first principle I’m going to discuss is barbaric in nature and will
provide a total nervous system shock.
There is nothing difficult about it to understand, but I believe it is
paramount in the pursuit of lifting mammoth weights.
Static contractions of dead weight focuses muscular coordination to such
a point that your body will begin to fine tune itself from the inside
out.
As an example let’s say your goal is to one day be able Dumbbell press
150 pound dumbbells, what are some good ways to go about achieving that
goal?
Well, number one, you have set a goal, and that is half the battle. Next
you might go about strengthening your shoulders or triceps, as well as
working on increasing your overall pressing power. You might also work
on some of the incredible suggestions Jacob discussed in The Theorem of
Repeated Efforts and Enhanced Neural Drive articles.
But, I believe there is another vital step to achieving that goal. It’s
what I call “getting a feel for the weight”.
In other words the first step to pressing your goal weight would be
simply picking the weight up, or in this case grabbing 150 lbers. off
the rack and just holding them. This would send shock waves throughout
your entire body! You have essentially just strapped 300lbs. on your
body. If you’ve never picked up heavy weights like this before it’s quit
a rush. Even if you can do nothing but stand there with them, it feels
great. And I’m telling you it sky rockets your confidence!
Next you could build up to walking around a bit with those bad boys. Man
is that a buzz! (FYI- it may take several weeks to reach this next goal.
But setting a long term goal such as pressing the 150lbers. is better
met by setting shorter term goals that help your reach your final
destination)
Finally, I would recommend placing a flat bench a good distance from the
dumbbell rack. Now walk over to the flat bench with the dumbbells and
work on powering them up to your knees as though you were about to start
the press.(Again, it may take you several more weeks to reach this next
part.)
The nervous system has an uncanny ability to adapt to new stress. So by
just picking up your future goal weight, you will be miles ahead of
relying solely on upping your pushing power.
It is my firm belief that this also affects the athlete mentally. Just
the knowledge that you have man handled a weight that is beyond your
current reach can have a profound psychological effect on your soul.
The next step would be for you to assume the dumbbell press position
with your hands held up as though you were at the top of the range of
motion. Now have your spotter or partner place the 150lbers in your
hands. Now simply hold the weights in that position until you feel
static failure setting in. Once failure begins to set in, drop the
weights, wait 10-15 seconds, then proceed with a set of dumbbell presses
that will allow you to fail within 4-6 reps.
Doing this will build connective tissue, increase muscle density, and
excite your nervous system!
There are a few rules to adhere too if you decide to incorporate this
principle.
1. Select a weight that you feel you can hold for at least 5-8
seconds.
The last thing you want to do is select a weight that is so heavy it
will just crash down on you. Doing so could easily strain a muscle or
tendon.
Say you are currently working with the 50 lbers. on your dumbbell press.
I would not recommend trying to hold up 150 lb. dumbbells.
2. Your spotters only job is to place the weights in your hands,
and stand nearby so the weight doesn’t crash down on you. Your partner
is not to help hold your arms up, or force any kind of statically
contracted state when dealing with a compound movement.
You could also use this to increase your bench press. Let’s say you’ve
been stuck at a 225 lb. bench for the past few weeks. Apply this method
and strap say 275 or 300 on the barbell. Now with the aid of a spotter
(never do this alone!) un-rack the weight and just hold it in the
contracted position until you feel failure coming on. Re-rack the
weight, and have your partner strip you down to your current max and
begin pressing!
Use this technique for compound barbell exercises such as squats, dead
lifts, or shoulder presses. It also works well with dumbbell movements
such as dumbbell curls and tricep extensions.
One word about the using this with squats. I am convinced that using
this technique in a contracted squat position will put you on the road
to diesel strength faster than you ever dreamed.
I believe the greatest hindrance to increasing squat maxes is the fear
of placing enormous weights on the back! This technique will help you
conquer that fear in record time. After you get a feel for holding 14
plates on your back, squatting 4 or 5 will seem easy.
In fact my squat bumped up 100lbs. after I began applying this! What!
100lbs! That’s right the plateau never really existed! It was all in my
mind. Once I knew I could support the weight, my confidence to squat it
sky rocketed!
Static Pyramiding-
I whole heartedly believe that this is an unsurpassed way to increase
mitochondrial density.
Static pyramiding is a very demanding shock, but the results are well
worth the effort.
There are two variations to this theme. The first one we are going to
discuss is loaded static pyramiding.
I recommend using this technique at the end of 2 or 3 regular working
sets. So that you have fatigued the targeted muscles and have a good
blood pump going in the selected area.
This first form will require two spotters.
Begin with a moderate weight that you can hold fairly easily in the
statically contracted position. Have both spotters slowly and evenly
adding weight to both sides every 3-10 seconds. I would recommend
moderate increases in weight. Remember to keep tight and contract hard!
Continue in this manner until you begin to lose grip of the static
contraction. This would be your maximum static weight for the set.
When static failure sets in have your spotters begin reversing the
process and removing the weight they have previously been adding. Hold
each drop for as long as you can, being sure to keep tight. As you begin
to fail with the current weight, have your partners strip to the next
lower weight (use a head nod, or some signal to let your spotters know
to when to reduce you down to the next weight).
Your spotters should begin to strip the weight off as fast as your
strength gives out.
You could also do this technique with just one partner, on some machines
and by using the EZ curl bar.
For example let’s take close-grip presses for triceps using the EZ curl
bar.
Perform 2 sets of standard close grip EZ curl bar bench presses to
failure.
On the third set (which I recommend following up after 30-45 seconds
after the 2nd set) simply hold the weight you used in the second set in
the maximally contracted position so that your muscles are extremely
tight. Focus your mental energies on this tightness. Do not let it go
under any circumstances.
Next, have your spotter begin slowly adding plates evenly to both sides
of the EZ curl bar( I recommend having the plates ready to go).
Continue in this manner until static failure sets in, then have your
spotter remove the weights as fast as your static strength gives out.
You can add another level of intensity to this technique. Using the same
example, let’s say you reached the point where you are now at your
maximum weight in the contracted position of the close-grip tricep
press. At that point begin executing partial burn reps to failure,
reassume the static position, then begin using the strip static
technique to blast the localized muscle group to nothing. This variation
will work all the muscle fibers in the tricep as well as train them for
explosiveness via the partial reps.
Manual resistance static contraction-
Another variant of this pyramiding theme entails manual resistance while
you are maintaining a statically contracted state.
I also feel this will create a mental bond between partners that is on
another level. I call this the “mind meld”. Over time partners can
develop this to such an extent that they can “read” each others bodies
to a tee! This method of static contraction will enhance that bond
tremendously!
Let’s use the seated calf raise as our sample exercise.
Begin just as we did using the plate pyramid technique, working through
two grueling sets of raises.
As I said earlier static contraction of dead weight strengthens
connective tissue. As a general rule of thumb always incorporate fascia
stretching after a set of static dead weight.
Now, for this method, instead of adding weights to each side, your
partner will apply resistance with his or her hands.
The goal here is to press down hard enough that your partner is
struggling to maintain the weight statically, but not so hard that you
are performing a forced negative. In other words don’t try to tear their
calves off. Push just enough so that their calves can be in a fully
contracted peak position without moving and the pressure you are
applying is challenging.
Now as you see your partners calves start to fail in their contracted
state, begin releasing pressure from the static push. Continuing
releasing pressure in this manner until your partner can not hold a peak
contraction at all.
This requires excellent communication between partners. You both have to
be extremely focused and paying close attention to the others body
signals.
Eccentric Obliteration
The Descent….Your arms feel as though they are being torn off your
torso. As you plunge into the pain the burn begins to pierce…the sweat
begins to boil…you want to quit but you won’t…you can’t…and it
happens…blood is shed.
I don’t have to tell you the severe pain the negative portion of any
exercise induces. In fact you have to be almost masochistic to endure it
and in most of our cases...like it!
Perhaps no one described this mindset best than the seven time Mr. O
himself did in “Education of A Bodybuilder”:
“That was when I realized that pain could become pleasure. We were
benefiting from pain. We were breaking through the pain barrier and
shocking the muscles. I looked at this pain as a positive thing, because
I grew. It was a fantastic feeling to gain size from pain. All of a
sudden I was looking forward to it as something pleasurable. The whole
idea of pain became a pleasure trip. I couldn’t tell anybody about it
then, because I knew they would say I was weird. Which wasn’t true, I
had just converted the pain into pleasure - not for its own sake but
because it meant growing. We bragged to each other about how much our
workouts hurt. “--- Arnold Schwarzenegger
The reason we endure this pain? In a word, Growth.
The inducement of a eccentric contraction is notorious for achieving new
found mass. And new studies are revealing a link to hyperplasia and the
negative! This is due to the greater injury to muscle fibers produced as
a direct result of the eccentric contraction. We can link this variable
to the verity that induced muscle fiber injury activates satellite
cells; one of the key components to hyperplasia!
Hyperplasia- Know No Boundaries!
As we discussed earlier, hyperplasia arrives as a result of two
components. The minor component being muscle fibers splitting and the
major component being satellite cell proliferation (satellite cells are
the cells responsible in part for the repair of injured fibers, the
addition of myonuclei to growing fibers, and for the formation of new
muscle fibers.)
Although science has evidences of hyperplasia in animals, direct proof
in humans is still out of reach. The reason behind this is the sheer
number of muscle fibers and our ability to count them! The tibialis
anterior muscle (on the front of the leg) contains approximately 160,000
fibers! Imagine counting 160,000 fibers, for just one muscle! The biceps
brachii muscle probably contains 3 or 4 times that number! (Costill, D.
L., E. F. Coyle, W. F. Fink, G. R. Lesmes, and F. A. Witzmann.
Adaptations in skeletal muscle following strength training. J. Appl.
Physiol. 46(1): 96-99, 1979.)
We have to rely on indirect evidence for hyperplasia…however that
indirect evidence provides a clear conclusion.
Studies have revealed that bodybuilders have larger fibers instead of a
greater number of fibers when compared to a control population.
(Häggmark, T., E. Jansson, and B. Svane. Cross-sectional area of the
thigh muscle in man measured by computed tomography. Scand. J. Clin.
Lab. Invest. 38: 355-360, 1978. / MacDougall, J. D., D. G. Sale, S. E.
Alway, and J. R. Sutton. Muscle fiber number in biceps brachii in
bodybuilders and control subjects. J. Appl. Physiol. 57: 1399-1403,
1984.)
Jacob gave us this quote in Physiological Aspects of Physique Building
Part 1 and I felt it is worthy of repeating:
“Some scientists have suggested that the reason many bodybuilders or
other athletes have muscle fibers which are the same size (or smaller)
versus untrained controls is due to a greater genetic endowment of
muscle fibers. That is, they were born with more fibers. If that was
true, then the intense training over years and decades performed by
elite bodybuilders has produced at best average size fibers. That
means, some bodybuilders were born with a bunch of below average size
fibers and training enlarged them to average size. I don't know about
you, but I'd find that explanation rather tenuous. It would seem more
plausible (and scientifically defensible) that the larger muscle mass
seen in bodybuilders is due primarily to muscle fiber hypertrophy but
also to fiber hyperplasia. So the question that needs to be asked is not
whether muscle fiber hyperplasia occurs, but rather under what
conditions does it occur.”
A quote from Jose Antonio PhD from: Antonio, J. and W.J. Gonyea.
Skeletal muscle fiber hyperplasia. Med. Sci Sports. Exerc. 25(12):
1333-1345, 1993.
On a side note this is why guys like Seksi and myself are so opposed to
this notion of “genetic limitations”. It may well be that what we deem
as “good hypertrophy genetics” is in fact due in part to hyperplasia!
Science is now revealing that there may very well be a lot more to
achieving mammoth proportions than genetics alone.
Although hyperplasia of new muscle fibers is unproven at this time,
hyperplasia within the muscle fiber and cell is confirmed reality.
Nikituk and Samoilov identify two types of subfibral hyperplasia:
- Sarcoplasmic hyperplasia, which involves an increase in the number of
sarcoplasmic organelles
- Myofibrillar-mitochondrial hyperplasia, which involves increase in the
number of myofibrils and mitochondria.
An increase in muscle diameter is due to enlargement of individual
muscle fibers by an increase in the number and size of individual
myofibrils (Goldspink), accompanied by an increase in the amount of
connective tissue (McDonagh & Davies). That is why limiting
yourself mentally to being “genetically challenged” is illogical. The
purpose of this article is to destroy this myth of limitations. The
truth is we don’t know enough about hyperplasia and it’s properties to
set boundaries around it.
We have seen “bad” genetics defied again and again. There are many
classic examples of guys who would by today’s standards have been
labeled as having “bad genetics” that went on to become body building
champions!
Lou Ferrigno and Larry Scott being two of the most infamous cases.
However when we examine these mighty men of valor up close, we see they
have very common traits…their ability to destroy mental barriers! They
ignored the critics, set solid goals, and stopped at nothing to achieve
them.
How much of their growth was pure hypertrophy and how much was due to
hyperplasia? We’ll never know, but the central theme is that they pushed
the restrictions of both, and the result was world-class physiques!
In the Physiological Aspects of Physique Building Part 1, Jacob
describes five plausible means of inducing muscular hyperplasia.
These include “Old School Negatives”, assisted negatives, heavy
negatives, emphasizing the negative, forced negatives, stretch overload,
and blitz style workouts. I covered “Old School Negatives” quite
extensively in part one of this series. As a side note, “Old School
negatives” were the invention of body building legend Mike Mentzer, who
was known for his Herculean mass and strength. No doubt this man’s size
was largely induced by hyperplasia. In fact what most don’t realize
about HIT is that it is really training for hyperplasia, not so much as
hypertrophy. True HIT is taking a set to the brink of injury and
then some… In this final installment of this series I am going to cover
forced negatives and heavy negatives. Two brutal shocks that will have
you on the path of splitting fibers like a battle axe!
Before we get into the fun stuff though, I want to emphasize how
imperative stretching and a complete warm-up are to these two shocks.
Remember intensity and insanity are the two premier variables involved
in the hyperplasia formula. Either two of these factors alone are
extreme enough, but combining the two into one set is sheer madness. Be
sure you are flexible and warmed up before attempting any type of
hyperplasia-inducing set.
Heavy Negatives-
I am a firm believer that conquering fears establishes new heights to
grasp for. Perhaps nothing will release more terror than
intentionally loading a bar with more weight than you know you can
handle. Heavy negatives live and thrive on that mindset! For
example when we discussed the Dead Weight Principle we conferred the
importance this shock plays in increasing connective tissue strength.
Let’s take this principle one step further. Deliberately loading a
bar with more weight than you know you can handle triggers a signal of
fear throughout your psyche. Many body builders believe that fear itself
has the potential to unleash phenomenal strength! That’s why time
and time again you’ll see pictures of Arnold performing squats using
insane poundages with no spotter or safety rack!(FYI- I don’t recommend
this!)
Is there any science to fear and growth? The answer is unequivocally
yes! Fear is an excellent example of the endocrine system
producing a quick response.
The endocrine system is one of the most complex systems in the human
body. It consists of three parts – glands, hormones and receptors in
target cells. Working together these three parts relay information and
instructions throughout the body.
The endocrine system controls many tasks, including:
· responding to external stimuli
· growth and maintenance
· metabolism
Some endocrine actions, such as your body's reaction to fear, are
rapidly occurring, sometimes taking place within seconds.
But, for every job it controls, the endocrine system follows this
general pattern:
· a signal is received
· a hormonal response takes place
· a reaction occurs
Most endocrine activities are synchronized by a series of intricate
feedback loops. This brings up an impending question…
How does your body react to fear?
“The adrenal glands, seated on top of each kidney, are part of the
endocrine system, that is: the internally secreting or ductless glands
which release their secretions directly into the blood stream. The
adrenals, often referred to as the suprarenal, are the Creator's most
intricate chemical factories. "It would take acres of chemical plants"
to synthetically manufacture "the 50 odd hormones or hormone-like
substances" produced by the adrenal glands. (Ratcliff, 1975, p. 69)”
The adrenal glands are a pair of endocrine (ductless) glands, situated
atop the kidneys. Each gland is composed of two distinct areas: the
large, outer area (the cortex) and smaller inner area (the medulla).
Each area is responsible for the production and secretion (releasing) of
several different and very potent bio-chemicals.
Essentially, your heart rate increases due to the endocrine system
releasing hormones that in turn cause noticeable physical changes (i.e.
a tensing of muscles, faster heart beat, sweaty palms, etc.). So, how
does this happen?
First the adrenal glands detect chemical signals triggered by nervous
stimulation in response to physical or mental stress. Once signaled, the
adrenal gland releases the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline (also
known as epinephrine and norepinephrine) into your bloodstream.
These hormones then journey to a target cell, attach with the cell's
receptor site and set off complex chemical chain reactions that assemble
glucose and fatty acids. Cellular energy reserves are increased and your
muscles contract. These instinctive and abrupt chemical responses bring
about the “flight or fight” syndrome!
Increased eccentric contractile strength via adrenaline “rush” ,combined
with an overload of negative force limitations is an ideal environment
for hyperplasia.
Now that we’ve discussed the advantages to this technique, let’s delve
into the mechanics of it. Heavy Negatives will force your body to
suffer new levels of muscle blasting intensity. I suggest tackling these
when you are fresh in your workout, and ready to administer a
self-inflicted beating to yourself. I advise one or two sets of super
slow semi-heavy emphasized negatives to prepare for this shock both
mentally and physically.
For this case let’s use the Incline barbell bench press. Begin your
first heavy negative set loading the bar with approximately 10% more
than your 1 rep max. Your spotter’s job is to help you through the
concentric portion of the exercise. Your job is to shoulder the
negative. Really struggle to take the brunt of the weight. You CAN NOT
simply lower the weight. I can’t emphasize that enough! You have to
actively push (or pull) against the weight, aggressively battling it all
the way down.
Do not cut the eccentric range of motion short. This is where partner
trust comes in, and also the point where fear is most likely to be
released! Make the most of this situation, and sink deep into the bowels
of the movement. Battling the depths of the overloaded eccentricity will
generate the atmosphere of hyperplasia. The best way to describe proper
execution of a heavy negative movement is to concentrate your efforts as
though you are trying to perform the concentric aspect of the movement.
As the weight bears down on your frame, subject it to every morsel of
muscle you can muster! Go to total eccentric annihilation. You’ll know
you’ve reached this point, when you can not even muster enough strength
to control the weight on the descent. For any proceeding sets you can
ascend in weight up to 20% more than your 1 RM. Another option is
finishing a set off by stripping the weight and continuing on. I highly
recommend this principle for heavy barbell compound movements. The
squat is a prime example. Nothing will generate nausea faster. Your
spotter should help you reinforce the concentric portion of the
movement, but let you take the heavy negative.
Forced Negatives-
Forced negatives offer an exceptional way to stimulate the eccentric
stretch and contraction in any given movement.
The concept is downright barbaric ,and just like the manual static
resistance will increase the partner mind meld factor to another
dimension. To perform forced negatives begin by lifting a weight
in a standard fashion.
As you are enduring the negative portion of a movement, your partner
will lightly press on the weight for the purpose of adding additional
stress to the eccentric segment of the exercise. I am convinced
this technique is a magnet for hyperplasia. The intensity needed for
this shock is ruthless to say the least. You will have to have superb
mental focus and a drive to push yourself far into the pain zone. But
the fruits of your labor will be plentiful! To better explain this
shock, envision a set of standing alternating dumbbell curls. I
recommend two or three sets of regular standing alternating curls. The
goal here is to induce a pump and ensure the tendons and muscles are
ready for the impending punishment. I recommend pyramiding up in a rep
scheme of 10-8-6. Next you will pick up the dumbbells that caused
you to fail in the 10 reps zone. As you curl the weight up, your
partner will apply pressure to your arm and force extra emphasis on the
negative. For this phase I would recommend a few basic rules.
The first being in regards to safety. Your partner should only be | 
