bluejeff
Level 7 Valued Member
I think I saw your name in his supporters list a while back. Was that a different Boris Bachmann?
I just enjoy listening to his rambles while I train. I don't even care if he's doing things "optimally" or not.
Barbell Stronger or not?
- Thread starter Pete L
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I just enjoy listening to his rambles while I train. I don't even care if he's doing things "optimally" or not.
Boris Bachmann
Level 8 Valued Member
That's me. Still do. (edit: fwiw, I joined on Patreon before he started putting the names up actually - if I'd known names were going to be listed publicly, I would've used a different one but oh well)
Try not to conflate "getting stronger" with a better performance. It is hard to do with weight training, because often times the event that is performed in, is the practice.
The definition of strong is, "having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks." By that definition, considering stance, bar placement, levers, assistance equipment--they all help increase that quality.
So while I started this post with my answer being, "no," given that definition and reasoning, I would say "yes." Your contractile tissues haven't changed, but you have now have put yourself in a position to, "have the power to move heavier weights and perform more physically demanding tasks."
I learned something new today.
The definition of strong is, "having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks." By that definition, considering stance, bar placement, levers, assistance equipment--they all help increase that quality.
So while I started this post with my answer being, "no," given that definition and reasoning, I would say "yes." Your contractile tissues haven't changed, but you have now have put yourself in a position to, "have the power to move heavier weights and perform more physically demanding tasks."
I learned something new today.
Steve W.
Level 8 Valued Member
As with most things, the answer is "it depends." And one thing it depends on is what you consider GPP vs. SPP, or non-specific strength vs. specific strength.
Within a given lift, I don't really separate "stronger" from "better technique." In a given lift, if you can lift more weight, you are expressing a higher level of strength. In iron game sports, a lot of your weight room drills are SPP for the sport. So "lifting more weight" is "getting stronger" in a very meaningful way.
But I also think there are different dimensions of "technique." Some techniques are more specific to a given lift, such as a bigger arch in the bench press (better technique as SPP for powerlifting).
However, there are other techniques that are more generalized skills for generating tension and expressing strength, which are more GPP for most athletes, or non-specific training for people who want to be able to express strength in a variety of contexts.
For example, I got into deadlifting after reading PTTP. PTTP addresses specific DL technique and programming, but a big part of the book is a set of generalized techniques for generating tension (this is also true of Naked Warrior).
As a lifelong basketball player, I've found great carryover from the DL to my sport. But not because I have to pick up heavy things off the floor on a basketball court, and not because of any noticeable effect on vertical jumping or "explosiveness." In other words, not because of the movement pattern of the DL, or anything about specific DL technique.
What I got out of the DL were the generalized skills of rooting, bracing, and wedging, which most carryover to being able get and hold position, move other players off of a position, and withstand contact, especially while staying on balance and not having to lean my bodyweight on opponents, being more of an "immovable object," being able push other players around and not get get pushed around by them.
The other drills that have had a lot of carryover in these areas are overhead pressing and heavy club swinging. Overhead pressing because it also trains the ability to root and wedge, and club swinging because it trains the ability to stay rooted and stable against forces that are rapidly changing in amount and direction.
I think this is also a reason why many sports have a "strong enough" point of diminishing returns when it comes to weight room numbers. To a large degree, weight room training is a means to develop generalized strength skills that carry over to the sport. Technique refinement in rooting, bracing, wedging, generating maximum tension, learning to turn tension on and off faster and where and when it's needed, etc., can be said to make you "stronger" in a more general sense. Technique refinement that is very specific to a specific exercise can be said to make you "stronger," but in a more limited context.
Within a given lift, I don't really separate "stronger" from "better technique." In a given lift, if you can lift more weight, you are expressing a higher level of strength. In iron game sports, a lot of your weight room drills are SPP for the sport. So "lifting more weight" is "getting stronger" in a very meaningful way.
But I also think there are different dimensions of "technique." Some techniques are more specific to a given lift, such as a bigger arch in the bench press (better technique as SPP for powerlifting).
However, there are other techniques that are more generalized skills for generating tension and expressing strength, which are more GPP for most athletes, or non-specific training for people who want to be able to express strength in a variety of contexts.
For example, I got into deadlifting after reading PTTP. PTTP addresses specific DL technique and programming, but a big part of the book is a set of generalized techniques for generating tension (this is also true of Naked Warrior).
As a lifelong basketball player, I've found great carryover from the DL to my sport. But not because I have to pick up heavy things off the floor on a basketball court, and not because of any noticeable effect on vertical jumping or "explosiveness." In other words, not because of the movement pattern of the DL, or anything about specific DL technique.
What I got out of the DL were the generalized skills of rooting, bracing, and wedging, which most carryover to being able get and hold position, move other players off of a position, and withstand contact, especially while staying on balance and not having to lean my bodyweight on opponents, being more of an "immovable object," being able push other players around and not get get pushed around by them.
The other drills that have had a lot of carryover in these areas are overhead pressing and heavy club swinging. Overhead pressing because it also trains the ability to root and wedge, and club swinging because it trains the ability to stay rooted and stable against forces that are rapidly changing in amount and direction.
I think this is also a reason why many sports have a "strong enough" point of diminishing returns when it comes to weight room numbers. To a large degree, weight room training is a means to develop generalized strength skills that carry over to the sport. Technique refinement in rooting, bracing, wedging, generating maximum tension, learning to turn tension on and off faster and where and when it's needed, etc., can be said to make you "stronger" in a more general sense. Technique refinement that is very specific to a specific exercise can be said to make you "stronger," but in a more limited context.
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