Have any of you ever heard of this new form of training? Rumors that have come out of the former communist nation have pointed toward the ideology that closing one eye while training, and keeping the other fixed on a specific target can increase CNS output by up to 20%, instantly increasing strength.
Many other new forms of training have apparently been found in numerous dormitories that former champion olympic lifters used to live in under the communist regiem of the 60s, 70s, and 80s! Many of these secrets are said to be the surefire way to enhance anyone’s physique.
If any of y’all have any comments on this, or any other unusual methods, lets open up the forum to them.
Russians olympic lifters also used to train with a blindfold on to improve kinaesthetic sense and body control. They believed that it would increase the rate of learning proper lifting technique.
If you read about the eastern block system you’ll discover many such “tricks” but the fact is that their use was/is not widespread even over there. If it were that effective all their olympic and pro athletes would be using it, but they’re not.
Several north american authors have presented similar tips (pressing on the roof of your mouth with your tongue as you lift, performing an exercise for the triceps with one arm and for the biceps with the other arm, doing a neck exercise before working the biceps, etc.). Even I, in my “Bench press battlefield” article, describe such techniques.
But the fact remains is that the gains from the application of these methods are short lived, your body will adapt to it and it will be useless.
So in essence, what you’re saying is that we should vary the eyes that we use to keep open. We could do one set with the left eye closed, and then another with the right, or maybe blindfolding ourselves whilst doing leg raises, just as long as we keep varying it, correct? What are some of the other tricks that you are all familiar with, besides said “cyclops training” with the eyes?
Relying on these sort of obscure techniques would be a misnomer, but perhaps when going for a new 1RM or PR, using one of these Eastern European secrets could possibly be beneficial. Say when trying to powerclean a new one rep max, a blindfold may come in handy?
No, a blindfold was used by a few coaches with very young lifters to help them feel the position of their body during a lift. This was used in the very early phases of development where emphasis was on technique and the weights were seldom over 50% of maximum.
An at best this was only used by a minority of coaches. None of these methods are described or given any importance in any of the “offical” russian weightlifting textbooks by the top coaches.
Then surely if the CNS is not greatly enhanced by eye manipulation, perhaps mass building may then be increased by some sort of CNS techniques, such as a Pavlovian Anchorizing or another form of Cyclopsian training?
But in terms of power production, in order to lift very heavy weights, does the mind not need to be in sync with the body in a state of zen like harmony?
It’s been witnessed by everyone, a small guy who can lift much more than would be predicted of him, so perhaps these “powerhouse” individuals know something that we don’t and are able to apply a near telekinetic force on extrenuating loads in order to help facilitate their movement. Are there any known ways of conditioning the CNS and mind to actually accomplish feats of this nature? It would almost start to make sense that the utilization of a blindfold where the lifter must visualize the weight moving upwards must help his body actually move this weight. Have any Eastern European coaches or scientists participated in any studies examining this sort of phenomena?
Wearing an eye patch and starting each sentence with the phrase ?ARRRR?, as in ?ARRRR, matey I shall rip this bloody bar off the deck?, can enhance this method. I think the benefit results from most of the other gym members staying as far from you as possible, thereby not interfering with your concentration.
This method also improves your balance if you have a peg leg, difficulty can be varied with parrot positioning.
BTW, I actually do use sensory deprivation in my training, but see it as way of enhancing body positioning/awareness not strength.
Excellent point about the parrot positioning. For a real CNS boost, I’ve found that letting the parrot bite you in the ass works very well. However, a parrot is not necessary - any biting animal will do.
What you are referring to is actually known as “Pirate Stability/Power Training” or PSPT for short. It should be noted that not all pirates are missing an eye, or a leg, but if they are the parrot really helps.
Mike,
I tried the “biting animal” trick you mentioned with a small grizzly bear I found in the woods. It accidentally choked on my balls while I was at the bottom of my squat, and it died. My balls are OK, thank god. But the PETA people, and the gym manager are really mad that they have a 200 pound furry carcass lying there still in the squat rack. BTW, if anyone knows any good recipes for bear jerky, that’d be great.
I did the “finger ala belly routine” once, and had great success!
You stand with your right index finger sticking into your belly button as hard as you can stand. With the other hand you lift a dumbbell. This is supposed to increase your pain tolerence if you do it hard enough.
Okay, I’m kidding…I just couldn’t resist given the nature of the thread.
AeroCyclops, er, I mean AeroStallion,
Finding a dead bear in the squat rack proves beyond reason that squats are bad for you.
Zeb,
Are you sure you didn’t steal the finger trick from the sex forum? No, wait I guess you didn’t or the finger would be going in the ass, in which case it would be called Butt Pirate Power and Stability Training.
It’s not that squats are bad for you, it’s when you do them with an animal to bite you in the ass, as Mike had suggested. I almost really lost out on that set. But the next few I used the bear as a box and did box squats on it.
