I just read an article that makes big claims about mucles gains. They said it is do to the PFO ( myotatic reflex )that they have added to the program. Has anybody ever heard of this and what the hell is it?
Thanks
I just read an article that makes big claims about mucles gains. They said it is do to the PFO ( myotatic reflex )that they have added to the program. Has anybody ever heard of this and what the hell is it?
Thanks
Do you mean POF (Positions of Flexion)? It’s a training style that Ironman Magazine has been advocating. Essentially, utilize three classes of exercises: ones that put the muscle at a mechanical advantage (to push as much weight as possible), ones that put it in a stretched position, and ones that isolate it completely. For example, for biceps you would do barbell curls, incline DB curls, and then preacher or concentration curls (in that order). For quads, they recommend squats, then sissy squats, then leg extensions. Personally, I didn’t think it was all that great a workout. Basically, it throws out a bunch of fancy jargon to say that you should do compound movements before you do isolation ones, and stretch in between sets. They throw in a bunch of supersets, trisets, and postactivation warm-ups. Usually, they use a push-legs-pulls split and train either four or five days a week. And, of course, they always try to promote Muscle-Link products (the company to which Ironman is affiliated). Try it for yourself, but I don’t think it’s anything special. Oh yeah, THE SISSIES DON’T INCLUDE DEADLIFTS…
Like Charles Poliquin says, “change is good.” It will work for a while like any thing else.
The pof program sounded pretty good (all scientific and serious) when i first read about it in Ironman. The only problem with their reasoning about the stretch reflex is that it (i believe) is an instantaneous occurance, and will not result from doing a so-called “stretch position” movement before a “contracted position” movement. Oh, the myotatic stretch reflex is basically your muscles’ reaction to being stretched rapidly. A series of sensing orgrans in your muscles measure the rate and magnitude of stretch, then code for an opposite contraction of the stretched muscle. That is why you can jump a lot higher by doing a short dip before jumping instead of just jumping from a squat position. hope that makes sense…i’m in a bit of a rush.