There’s a big difference between focussing on strength and “cheating”.
You only progress as fast as your body will allow. You can’t force strength gains by bouncing/swaying…you have to earn strength with time…and eating plenty along with low volume basic routines is what makes you “earn” the best strength gains.
“Cheating” comes when, as Akuma said, you learn via experience to focus on the target muscle well.
[quote]SSC wrote:
This whole thread is malarky.
I don’t know what you guys think is priority when lifting, but when me and bros go we usually just make sure we’re doing a little bit more than the guy next to us. I mean, I’m like sitting there, doing concentration curls with 10s. And then this dude who clearly has no idea what he’s doing (but is probably just juicing his brains out) goes and does 25 lb preacher curls right next to me. The worst part is, he keeps his head down and pretends like he’s not directly challenging me and my bros.
So anyway, we all grab different DBs that are heavier than his. I grab 40s of course (since I’m Alpha Bro) and I grind out 25 reps (with a little assistance from my bros on the part of the exercise where I curl the weight up.) I finish, and stare the guy right in his eyes. I think he gets the point, because after only 1-2 sets he gets up and leaves the exercise… LOL! What a tool. At least he now knows who is the King of the weight room.
So me and my bros do a few more sets, nothing major, like 8-10 more sets of this while we plan which order we’re going to hit the bars on that particular night.[/quote]
Translation:
“Mine’s bigger than your’s!”
Are you serious with this post?
[quote]SSC wrote:
This whole thread is malarky.
I don’t know what you guys think is priority when lifting, but when me and bros go we usually just make sure we’re doing a little bit more than the guy next to us. I mean, I’m like sitting there, doing concentration curls with 10s. And then this dude who clearly has no idea what he’s doing (but is probably just juicing his brains out) goes and does 25 lb preacher curls right next to me. The worst part is, he keeps his head down and pretends like he’s not directly challenging me and my bros.
So anyway, we all grab different DBs that are heavier than his. I grab 40s of course (since I’m Alpha Bro) and I grind out 25 reps (with a little assistance from my bros on the part of the exercise where I curl the weight up.) I finish, and stare the guy right in his eyes. I think he gets the point, because after only 1-2 sets he gets up and leaves the exercise… LOL! What a tool. At least he now knows who is the King of the weight room.
So me and my bros do a few more sets, nothing major, like 8-10 more sets of this while we plan which order we’re going to hit the bars on that particular night.[/quote]
Experience…yeah that’s most of the equation. If your big then you obviously know what to do, if your “experienced” 5 years but look the same then im thinking that person doesn’t get it (or he doesn’t want to get bigger?). There is 1st year lifters who “get it”.
Anyways…this is an interesting subject, attitude can make your break you everyday in the gym even if you ate the same amount of food the day before. I believe that if you want it to get bigger and think about it then it will cause a boost in work capacity and you will get in a worthwhile session, things will just click. The mind is a very powerful thing, will stay tuned to to this thread.
[quote]bwhitwell wrote:
I am currently in the process of training my 14 yr old son and would have to say that trying to maintain a balance between feeling the muscle and and using progrssive heavier weights is a challange.[/quote]
It is a challenge because the mind muscle connection is such an individual thing. It is hard to explain to someone else how to feel their muscle work with a resistance. Watching bodybuilders train you will see different cadences, different ROM’s etc. When the individual finds that connection they either keep at it, or sacrifice it to get up more weight due to ego.
[quote]SSC wrote:
This whole thread is malarky.
I don’t know what you guys think is priority when lifting, but when me and bros go we usually just make sure we’re doing a little bit more than the guy next to us. I mean, I’m like sitting there, doing concentration curls with 10s. And then this dude who clearly has no idea what he’s doing (but is probably just juicing his brains out) goes and does 25 lb preacher curls right next to me. The worst part is, he keeps his head down and pretends like he’s not directly challenging me and my bros.
So anyway, we all grab different DBs that are heavier than his. I grab 40s of course (since I’m Alpha Bro) and I grind out 25 reps (with a little assistance from my bros on the part of the exercise where I curl the weight up.) I finish, and stare the guy right in his eyes. I think he gets the point, because after only 1-2 sets he gets up and leaves the exercise… LOL! What a tool. At least he now knows who is the King of the weight room.
So me and my bros do a few more sets, nothing major, like 8-10 more sets of this while we plan which order we’re going to hit the bars on that particular night.[/quote]
Lol i read that first sentence and was like ‘NOOOOO, i have to hate you now SSC !’ Lol you sneaky bastard.
I think this topic is truly important, especially to a lot of the beginners out there. So many walk into a gym, curl and bench, and think they are going to wake up the next day 280lbs. They dont realize the dedication required, the intensity required, or the amount of knowledge involved in this sport.
Establishing a Mind/muscle connection to me is one of those TOP level things that NEEDS to be established. No one gets big by hitting a muscle as simply a means to hit a different muscle. Compound lifts are a different story.
The earlier people grasp this concept, the better off they will be, and the more advanced they will become.
Being stuck in your own ways as a beginner is the sure fire way to Never grow, so 5 yrs down the road, when you look the exact same, and are sitting in a gym telling some new members what to do and how to build muscle, you can continue that trend of ignorance in the gym.
“Your muscle is a product of your strength, and your strength is a product of your mental fortitude.”
Dude this is a great fucking quote!!!
[quote]Liv92 wrote:
“Your muscle is a product of your strength, and your strength is a product of your mental fortitude.”
Dude this is a great fucking quote!!! [/quote]
Lol oh im full of em!!
Synergy, SSC’s whole post was a parody.
Akuma you are on a fuckin ROLL bro.
[quote]bugeishaAD wrote:
Synergy, SSC’s whole post was a parody.
Akuma you are on a fuckin ROLL bro.[/quote]
Thank you.
Im personally disappointed this thread didnt get a whole lot of attention though, this is actually one of my favorite aspects.
Just to contribute more:
The mind/muscle connection is more important with isolation exercises than compound movements.
Compound movements target more than just one muscle group, so it is natural and acceptable to use a bit more speed / less target muscle focus in them.
If a compound movement (e.g. Bb bench press) does little to build the target muscle, then all the focus in the world would probably do little to bring it up (e.g. delts and triceps taking over movement)…it would likely be better to pick a substitute and/or do more isolation exercises for that body part.
As regards isolation exercises (e.g. curls), you’ve lost the benefit in them by bouncing/swaying [excessively] and speeding through the reps and not keeping the tension 100% especially on the negative portion.
Disclaimer:
All the focus and best form in the world will not make the muscles grow if you don’t focus on load progression. Sure, don’t lose focus too much, but don’t get anal about it
Well said Akuma.
I don’t have much to offer that would enhance the post much but i do think it deserves a bump.
Great post man. I had an epiphany, perfectly described by your post here, about 6 months ago in regards to my training and things have really taken off since.
I remember reading somewhere that the Olympic Lifters have like a 3min limit because if there wasnt a limit they would stand their all day going over the lift mentally.
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
Great post man. I had an epiphany, perfectly described by your post here, about 6 months ago in regards to my training and things have really taken off since.
[/quote]
What was this “epiphany”?
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
Just to contribute more:
The mind/muscle connection is more important with isolation exercises than compound movements.
Compound movements target more than just one muscle group, so it is natural and acceptable to use a bit more speed / less target muscle focus in them.
If a compound movement (e.g. Bb bench press) does little to build the target muscle, then all the focus in the world would probably do little to bring it up (e.g. delts and triceps taking over movement)…it would likely be better to pick a substitute and/or do more isolation exercises for that body part.
As regards isolation exercises (e.g. curls), you’ve lost the benefit in them by bouncing/swaying [excessively] and speeding through the reps and not keeping the tension 100% especially on the negative portion.
Disclaimer:
All the focus and best form in the world will not make the muscles grow if you don’t focus on load progression. Sure, don’t lose focus too much, but don’t get anal about it :)[/quote]
If you attempt to focus on one muscle when performing a compound movement, you fail at that lift. But you can still focus on a collection of muscles. When i squat, im not thinking quads the entire movement. Im thinking of the entire muscle group involved in the movement. Glutes, Hams, Quads. Feeling the tension, feeling the fibers themselves quiver.
And yes, people are built differently. A compound lift for someone may not be as beneficial for another. Thats one big reason why i stress Isolation movements. I mean i love compound, and think they are the most beneficial at the beginner stage, but as one progress, i believe its more beneficial to switch to a medium-high isolation regiment. I agree that focus will do nothing if there is no progression. That is also another reason why i preach Ramping. I feel its one of the best methods of building muscle, breaking through strength walls, etc.
The human body is a HUGE untapped resource. We are capable of SO much more than we give credit for. Tap your well, but beware the power that may come surging forward, it will do a number on your skin.
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
Great post man. I had an epiphany, perfectly described by your post here, about 6 months ago in regards to my training and things have really taken off since.
[/quote]
What was this “epiphany”?[/quote]
Essentially what Akuma wrote in regards to really focusing on the muscle, keeping form tight and not worrying solely about the weight as a means of progression.
Akuma , i totally agree with you about the important of the mental/ psyche aspect of training.
i’ve read tons of articles on this subject, all suggesting various things: visualizations, speaking to yorself, motivational phrases, deep breathing, etc you name it.
on some days you get the perfect psyche , you’re in the zone and amazing things happen in the gym, strength is thru the roof!!
however those moments are fleeting, far & few between, now the real challenge is finding a proven technique that works for you every time, like a switch to turn on your innner mental powers, get in the zone for those BIG lifts.
Awesome. Akuma, would really like to read more from you on stuff like this, particularly about workout intensity, something that I’ve been trying to work on for the last few months. Moving gyms helped, people don’t talk to me so much!
They should make these featured articles, maybe Biotest give you some free supps as payment or something