guardian7
Level 6 Valued Member
I was thinking the other day about how to do calf raises. This got me thinking about a number of things I have read and the different types of training I do, particularly with isometrics and the hardstyle plank, as well as my new effort to do an L-sit.
Here is the theory. I invite anyone to poke holes in it or those with a better science background to point out if it is wrong. It is a bit long. Skip to the THEORY and PRACTICE parts if you just want the conclusion.
ASSUMPTIONS
1. Both muscle growth and strength occur as the result of muscle contraction. The greatest contraction recruits the most muscle fibre.
2. Muscles are limited in the amount they can maximally contract. This is limited by the body's ATP systems, which are involved in both energy and muscle contration.
Understanding Why "Less Is More" with Anti-Glycolytic Training | StrongFirst
3. Old time strongmen (muscle control), bodybuilders (posing, don't laugh this is really demanding like hardstyle planking your whole body, try it), and traditional martial artists have used isometrics, which is a contraction of various intensities ranging from maximal to endurance effectively for a long time.
4. Some theory supports the idea that muscle strength is mainly about contraction. One school of thought advises max speed and contraction on all lifts regardless of real bar speed (Hatfield?). Indeed SF is recently promoting the velocity tool to test bar and swing speed. Chad Waterbury has a great article on how pushups should be done like SF swings: max effort repeats of about ten, stop when you slow down. We can interpret this as reduction of maximal contraction speed. The higher the intensity the greater the need for contraction. However, many bodybuilders including Arnold himself swear by pausing and contracting hard when doing bicep curls and calf raises to promote mind-muscle connection as a key to growth. However, this is normally done for 2-3 seconds only, why not more.
5. Contraction is the focus of many common lifts including StrongFirst staples such as the hardstyle plank and the hanging arm raise option for pullup progression. Indeed, the hardstyle plank is one of the most effective exercises I have ever encountered.
6. The ability to alternately produce high levels of contraction followed by relaxation is a measure of elite competence across motor skills: Gymnasts, martial artists, KB swings, powerlifting, one arm pushups and many other skills depend on the ability to create tension and often relaxation or in the case of striking Contraction (to initiate movement)-relaxation (for power)-contraction (at the latest possible point of striking (what KIME in karate really means). However, isn't tension just contraction?
7. Some recent StrongFirst protocols are related to short sets of maximal effort, interspaced with short rests to recharge ATP and avoid glycotic training.
8. Apparently there is a Russian training method of super-super slow sets of squats. Pavel has an article on this about a famous Russian dancer who did a two minute squat or something from Thai? dance.
9. It is possible to gain strength with unweighted contraction. Try max effort bicep contractions. It is much harder than you would think. Muscle control used to be a part of physical culture and directly praticed.
THEORY
We should directly train maximal contraction. This means that many exercises should have a protocol the same as a hardstly plank. A MAXIMAL contraction for roughly 6-9 seconds, the limit of ATP and well what most people can maintain anyway.
Therefore, a standing calf raise should be sets of holds with a contraction at the top of about 6-9 seconds, what I will call maximal contracted set (MCS) hereafter. Rest about 30 seconds or so for ATP to recharge and then repeat.
PRACTICE
- BU press holds should be MCS.
- Pullups sticking points, particularly points like the transition to the muscle up could be holds.
- Pushups could also be done more like Yoga chaturanga No, Chaturanga is Not a Pushup—Here’s Why - Sonima
- Pushup holds or hollow holds should be MCS repeat reps more like hardstyle planks.
- Bodyweight squat could be done at a sticking point for MCS repeats.
- Some weighted assistance exercises should incorporate MCS, like bicep curls.
- Hanging from a bar could be done with attention to shoulder packing and full body tension for MCS repeats.
- L-sits could be done in MCS repeats rather than 20-30 second holds.
- This method is already used for planks. Why not other movements? It is clearly effective.
- press could be thought of as a max contraction, which it often is when going for a one rep PR, but intense contraction can be done without high levels of intensity. A swing is always done the same regardless of the weight. We can't hold the top position of a swing or it could be a candidate for this method. max contract and hold.
etc. Many possibilities that I have not thought through.
I tried this for calf raises. It is intense. It feels like it gets deeper in the muscle belly. The downside is increased soreness. Total reps have to be greatly reduced but it feels so much more effective than high rep work.
This would not replace all other types of protocols because strength endurance, cardio etc. needs to be trained with different ATP systems and therefore different protocols.
This does not apply to powerlifts of higher than 85% intensity work because it is too hard or unsafe.
Does this make theoretical and practical sense? Thoughts? Just a theory at this point to test out.
Warning: it is simple but not easy.
Here is the theory. I invite anyone to poke holes in it or those with a better science background to point out if it is wrong. It is a bit long. Skip to the THEORY and PRACTICE parts if you just want the conclusion.
ASSUMPTIONS
1. Both muscle growth and strength occur as the result of muscle contraction. The greatest contraction recruits the most muscle fibre.
2. Muscles are limited in the amount they can maximally contract. This is limited by the body's ATP systems, which are involved in both energy and muscle contration.
Understanding Why "Less Is More" with Anti-Glycolytic Training | StrongFirst
3. Old time strongmen (muscle control), bodybuilders (posing, don't laugh this is really demanding like hardstyle planking your whole body, try it), and traditional martial artists have used isometrics, which is a contraction of various intensities ranging from maximal to endurance effectively for a long time.
4. Some theory supports the idea that muscle strength is mainly about contraction. One school of thought advises max speed and contraction on all lifts regardless of real bar speed (Hatfield?). Indeed SF is recently promoting the velocity tool to test bar and swing speed. Chad Waterbury has a great article on how pushups should be done like SF swings: max effort repeats of about ten, stop when you slow down. We can interpret this as reduction of maximal contraction speed. The higher the intensity the greater the need for contraction. However, many bodybuilders including Arnold himself swear by pausing and contracting hard when doing bicep curls and calf raises to promote mind-muscle connection as a key to growth. However, this is normally done for 2-3 seconds only, why not more.
5. Contraction is the focus of many common lifts including StrongFirst staples such as the hardstyle plank and the hanging arm raise option for pullup progression. Indeed, the hardstyle plank is one of the most effective exercises I have ever encountered.
6. The ability to alternately produce high levels of contraction followed by relaxation is a measure of elite competence across motor skills: Gymnasts, martial artists, KB swings, powerlifting, one arm pushups and many other skills depend on the ability to create tension and often relaxation or in the case of striking Contraction (to initiate movement)-relaxation (for power)-contraction (at the latest possible point of striking (what KIME in karate really means). However, isn't tension just contraction?
7. Some recent StrongFirst protocols are related to short sets of maximal effort, interspaced with short rests to recharge ATP and avoid glycotic training.
8. Apparently there is a Russian training method of super-super slow sets of squats. Pavel has an article on this about a famous Russian dancer who did a two minute squat or something from Thai? dance.
9. It is possible to gain strength with unweighted contraction. Try max effort bicep contractions. It is much harder than you would think. Muscle control used to be a part of physical culture and directly praticed.
THEORY
We should directly train maximal contraction. This means that many exercises should have a protocol the same as a hardstly plank. A MAXIMAL contraction for roughly 6-9 seconds, the limit of ATP and well what most people can maintain anyway.
Therefore, a standing calf raise should be sets of holds with a contraction at the top of about 6-9 seconds, what I will call maximal contracted set (MCS) hereafter. Rest about 30 seconds or so for ATP to recharge and then repeat.
PRACTICE
- BU press holds should be MCS.
- Pullups sticking points, particularly points like the transition to the muscle up could be holds.
- Pushups could also be done more like Yoga chaturanga No, Chaturanga is Not a Pushup—Here’s Why - Sonima
- Pushup holds or hollow holds should be MCS repeat reps more like hardstyle planks.
- Bodyweight squat could be done at a sticking point for MCS repeats.
- Some weighted assistance exercises should incorporate MCS, like bicep curls.
- Hanging from a bar could be done with attention to shoulder packing and full body tension for MCS repeats.
- L-sits could be done in MCS repeats rather than 20-30 second holds.
- This method is already used for planks. Why not other movements? It is clearly effective.
- press could be thought of as a max contraction, which it often is when going for a one rep PR, but intense contraction can be done without high levels of intensity. A swing is always done the same regardless of the weight. We can't hold the top position of a swing or it could be a candidate for this method. max contract and hold.
etc. Many possibilities that I have not thought through.
I tried this for calf raises. It is intense. It feels like it gets deeper in the muscle belly. The downside is increased soreness. Total reps have to be greatly reduced but it feels so much more effective than high rep work.
This would not replace all other types of protocols because strength endurance, cardio etc. needs to be trained with different ATP systems and therefore different protocols.
This does not apply to powerlifts of higher than 85% intensity work because it is too hard or unsafe.
Does this make theoretical and practical sense? Thoughts? Just a theory at this point to test out.
Warning: it is simple but not easy.
