@Anna C : I am just a beginner and sometimes I feel that this extra tension drains energy. Does one adapt to feed-forward tension so that it becomes less fatiguing?
That's a great question. I'm not sure if I know the correct StrongFirst answer, but I'll give my opinion. A few things come to mind:
1) The tension is part of the exercise itself. It builds strength, creates stress which drives adaptation and increased ability as you practice it. So if you were to apply maximum tension while pressing a 12kg bell, you would be getting quite a workout even though the press itself is pretty easy. I would argue that you would build strength doing this. I could be wrong... but I think you would be. So instead of thinking of it intitively (
i.e., why waste energy on this extra tension when I need all the available energy to get through this session of presses), just accept the counterintuitive idea that applying this extra energy in the form of tension will move you more effectively towards your goals.
Yes, you might have to step down in weight, sets, or reps -- but the training will be of higher quality and will get you farther in the long run.
2) Tension is like the "volume knob" concept in S&S, in that you develop your capacity for maximum and then you learn to dial it back. You learn to apply maximum power in the swing, then you learn to dial it back to the amount of tension needed for a given weight or "volume knob" of swing. Same with tension when performing a strength move. Practice maximum, increase your capacity to generate maximum, then learn to dial it back to the amount you need to move a given weight.
3) You want to learn to plug ALL the leaks, so that you can move heavier weight, so that you can get stronger, so that you can move heavier weights, all the while doing it safely... it's an important component to acheiving greater strength without suffering setbacks or injuries. So even once you learn to dial it back, you always want to err on the side of "slightly more tension than is required" rather than "slightly less tension than you think is required", so that if you get off balance or something else unexpected happens, you're more in control.
4) As far as, "does it become less fatiguing," yes, I think it becomes much less fatiguing with practice. Taking the get-up as an example, when you watch someone do one for the first time, they are hyped-up, sweating, breathing shallowly, and moving stiffly. As they practice and get bettter, they are relaxed-tight, breathing more evenly, and moving gracefully. The application of tension is like this, too. The body learns to do it gracefully and calmly, with practice.
