I applied this principle today! on lateral raises, instead of just going through the motions and swinging the weight up, I actually flexed the mid delt and concentrated on using it to steadily raise the weight! wow I feel it so much more.
one question, (not really important just throwing it out there) why do people bash concentration curls then if mind muscle is so important?
[quote]sumabeast wrote:
…like a switch to turn on your innner mental powers, get in the zone for those BIG lifts.[/quote]
I lift at home usually (in a cold, dark garage lol), but when I need more equipment I go to the “local” gym - it just isn’t the same. Being in the garage where there’s peace, no distractions, dark walls with no mirrors…it’s all the things I’ve grown used to to keep me in the zone.
As soon as I’ve got 3 cardio bunnies watching me, a fat man chatting away next to me on his phone, and a woman doing tricep kickbacks on the bench press bench (that I’m wanting to use)…I’ve lost it, it’s gone completely (like thinking of Akuma’s granny while having sex…erm, not that that’s ever happened).
Thanks for this Very Very interesting discussion. I’ve been deliberating this muscle vs movement for some time, and this discussion helped, especially with the distinction between isolation moves and compound movements (and even then…).
You talked about DB rows, and I identified myself there… thing is, I can’t seem to create a connection with the lats. Can’t get into them, feel them contracting. Got any idea how to do that?
[quote]xilinx wrote:
Thanks for this Very Very interesting discussion. I’ve been deliberating this muscle vs movement for some time, and this discussion helped, especially with the distinction between isolation moves and compound movements (and even then…).
You talked about DB rows, and I identified myself there… thing is, I can’t seem to create a connection with the lats. Can’t get into them, feel them contracting. Got any idea how to do that?[/quote]
Keep the rep range reasonably high for most back muscles…that’s one place to start (e.g. 8+reps /set). The nearer you reach failure, the more other muscle groups take over. It’s easier to allow other muscles to take over when using lower reps/higher loads.
Or, you can use lower reps, but don’t go to failure until the very end set (after you’ve got in enough volume with a decent load). An example is ramping, but with smaller jumps in weight.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I remember Shawn Ray saying that he could get a great workout with nothing but a couple of 35 lb dumbells. He understood it.
S[/quote]
Is this true? For me, I can use very light weight and focus entirely on the contraction but it seems like all I get is a pump because the weight is so light. When I use heavier weights some other muscles DO come into play, but it seems like the heavier load makes up for the reduced MMC.
I guess what I’m asking if MMC is the number one priority, or if shifting the emphasis towards heavier weights is better. After all, aside from Paul Dillet just about all bodybuilders train heavy as hell
[quote]eyegainweightbig wrote:
one question, (not really important just throwing it out there) why do people bash concentration curls then if mind muscle is so important? [/quote]
Most people do them wrong. If you do them seated, with your elbow digging into your thigh, then you’re removing a lot of emphasis on your bicep. If i do Concentration curls, i do them Arnold style- standing up, bent over, arm fully hanging, curling up and twisting the hand to where the pinky is high than the thumb at the top of the movement. The trick is to not allow your arm to sway while you curl. All ive showed this movement to have to get that idea DRILLED into their head before they get it.
Another reason why some people may not like them is because the main focus of this style of curl is for bicep peak development, while most would try to say that is purely genetic.
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
[quote]sumabeast wrote:
…like a switch to turn on your innner mental powers, get in the zone for those BIG lifts.[/quote]
…I’ve lost it, it’s gone completely (like thinking of Akuma’s granny while having sex…erm, not that that’s ever happened).[/quote]
interesting insight…didnt know you were into necrophilia…
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
[quote]sumabeast wrote:
…like a switch to turn on your innner mental powers, get in the zone for those BIG lifts.[/quote]
…I’ve lost it, it’s gone completely (like thinking of Akuma’s granny while having sex…erm, not that that’s ever happened).[/quote]
interesting insight…didnt know you were into necrophilia… [/quote]
That explains a lot - I wondered why she didn’t seem to enjoy it as much as I did
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
[quote]sumabeast wrote:
…like a switch to turn on your innner mental powers, get in the zone for those BIG lifts.[/quote]
…Ya, i totally love ice cream man…[/quote]
interesting insight…I too am a fan … [/quote]
That explains a lot - I wondered If you enjoyed it as much as I did[/quote]
Fixed. Since i will not allow this thread to Die to a bad Itsjustme Joke (its ok bud, i know you tried).
what else we got? Mind/Muscle, Go!
[quote]xilinx wrote:
Thanks for this Very Very interesting discussion. I’ve been deliberating this muscle vs movement for some time, and this discussion helped, especially with the distinction between isolation moves and compound movements (and even then…).
You talked about DB rows, and I identified myself there… thing is, I can’t seem to create a connection with the lats. Can’t get into them, feel them contracting. Got any idea how to do that?[/quote]
When I train back I pretend that my arms are in a cast and can’t bend. I move my lats and scapula first and only bring my biceps in towards the end of the movement. Also, squeeze the muscles you are training as this will help you concentrate and target them.
I had the same problem as you do now. Its’ been echoed numerous times, but train the muscle not the movement. 3/4 of the total movement should be your back muscles moving the load and the biceps simply finish off the lift. Hope this helps.
Not really from a bodybuilding point of view per se, but I’ve found that this sort of thing helps enormously when focusing on a lagging muscle group as part of a compound movement - for me, it was my glutes in both the squat and the deadlift. I found I could get a lot more out of the middle/top portion of the movement simply by concentrating on contracting my glutes hard.
[quote]dnlcdstn wrote:
[quote]xilinx wrote:
Thanks for this Very Very interesting discussion. I’ve been deliberating this muscle vs movement for some time, and this discussion helped, especially with the distinction between isolation moves and compound movements (and even then…).
You talked about DB rows, and I identified myself there… thing is, I can’t seem to create a connection with the lats. Can’t get into them, feel them contracting. Got any idea how to do that?[/quote]
When I train back I pretend that my arms are in a cast and can’t bend. I move my lats and scapula first and only bring my biceps in towards the end of the movement. Also, squeeze the muscles you are training as this will help you concentrate and target them.
I had the same problem as you do now. Its’ been echoed numerous times, but train the muscle not the movement. 3/4 of the total movement should be your back muscles moving the load and the biceps simply finish off the lift. Hope this helps. [/quote]
I’ll think that way today training back. thanks.
[quote]xilinx wrote:
[quote]dnlcdstn wrote:
[quote]xilinx wrote:
Thanks for this Very Very interesting discussion. I’ve been deliberating this muscle vs movement for some time, and this discussion helped, especially with the distinction between isolation moves and compound movements (and even then…).
You talked about DB rows, and I identified myself there… thing is, I can’t seem to create a connection with the lats. Can’t get into them, feel them contracting. Got any idea how to do that?[/quote]
When I train back I pretend that my arms are in a cast and can’t bend. I move my lats and scapula first and only bring my biceps in towards the end of the movement. Also, squeeze the muscles you are training as this will help you concentrate and target them.
I had the same problem as you do now. Its’ been echoed numerous times, but train the muscle not the movement. 3/4 of the total movement should be your back muscles moving the load and the biceps simply finish off the lift. Hope this helps. [/quote]
I’ll think that way today training back. thanks.[/quote]
Yes, it helped a lot. Also, visualizing the set before going into it, ‘seeing’ the lats doing the pull, was also a great help to keeps the arms out of the effort.
As soon as you feel a stretch occurring, concentrate on that stretch. When i do HS isolateral Rows, my arms are no more than Straps for my Lats, to connect to the machine.
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
As soon as you feel a stretch occurring, concentrate on that stretch. When i do HS isolateral Rows, my arms are no more than Straps for my Lats, to connect to the machine. [/quote]
Well put.
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
[quote]sumabeast wrote:
…like a switch to turn on your innner mental powers, get in the zone for those BIG lifts.[/quote]
I lift at home usually (in a cold, dark garage lol), but when I need more equipment I go to the “local” gym - it just isn’t the same. Being in the garage where there’s peace, no distractions, dark walls with no mirrors…it’s all the things I’ve grown used to to keep me in the zone.
As soon as I’ve got 3 cardio bunnies watching me, a fat man chatting away next to me on his phone, and a woman doing tricep kickbacks on the bench press bench (that I’m wanting to use)…I’ve lost it, it’s gone completely (like thinking of Akuma’s granny while having sex…erm, not that that’s ever happened).[/quote]
yeah you’re own garage/ or basement gym is the best.
maybe one day i’ll have that.
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
As soon as you feel a stretch occurring, concentrate on that stretch. [/quote]
I used that yesterday, it helps in timing when and where to pay attention.