What is your take on training to failure?
[quote]Raimisch wrote:
Hey, I have a question about strengthening my ankle. I’m coming off a sprain where I torn a legiment (dont know the name) but it is the one that runs under the outside of ankle part that looks like a bump, and a minor tear in my calf. I am doing physio, but it just doesnt seem to be strengthing much, as I am having to still rely on my brace for support at work. My physio has also told me that at work I will always have to wear the brace now, which I dont really like that option. Any help or advice on how to build more strength in my ankle would be appreciated.[/quote]
You know, when it comes to the ankle, I think the majority of people would do well with balancing out the ratio of PLANTAR flexion to DORSIflexion. Plantar flexion=walking, calf raises. Dorsiflexion=pointing toes towards your knees.
Think about all the steps you take during the day (plantar) and all the calf raises you do (plantar) and compare that to dorsiflexion (ummmmmmm, not many people get alot of this). Needless to say there is a rather large discrepency. So, incorporating a bit more dorsiflexion movements into your programming would do you well.
As well, working on basic ankle MOBILITY (not ankle flexibility) would probably be a good idea. If you go to Mike Robertson’s article “Bullet Proof Knees”, I think he has a video of a simple ankle mobility exercise.
What is your physio doing for your ankle? I will admit that I am not a great expert when it comes to the ankle, but I think incorporating the above would do you well.
[quote]keaster wrote:
What is your take on training to failure?[/quote]
Hmmm. Not a big fan actually. I think by the time someone gets to the point where they are at failure (and thus using forced reps), their form is complete shit and they lose the total point of the movement in the first place. What is training to failure going to do for you? Recruit 4 more muscle fibers? Is it worth it; especially considering that you’re just essentially frying your CNS in the meantime?
I guess they MAY have their place on a rare occasion to kind of “shock” the body, but to use them for the long-term just isn’t worth it to me.
I’d much rather see “newbies” or anyone in general use a submaximal load and focus on strength-speed, speed strength and force production. Learn to push weight quickly and with great technique. You’ll get MUCH more out of it.
Hey Toe Knee,
I tried Sumo pulls for the first time today. My problem area with conventional pulls tends to be off the floor, but switching to the sumo, it felt pretty easy breaking off the ground.
Only thing is that lockout feels a little odd due to the hands placement inside the thighs. Is this just something to get accustomed to?
Also, what are your thoughts on training sumo pulls? Is it like a convential deadlift in the sense that the full deadlift should be performed very rarely for powerlifters as it is so taxing on the CNS and low back? If one decides to pull Sumo, should they be done for speed work on DE day? Should a powerlifter train the Sumo dead differently than a conventional one?
Too, how did u get KARAZZY veinscularity on yer bicepts? Wen I met you I thout’d yo’ud did the exakt werkout as the pros. Concentrate Curls suprasetted with Preaching Curls till fallure?! An does the leg machine tone my thies? THANXXX!
-MAtt
Hey Tony,
what’s with your last name? Is there a missing u before the o, and if so, does it apply (if you don’t speak italian ignore this question, but I thought you might)?
Second question: Would any straigth guy in the whole world have watched “Underworld” if it weren’t for Kate Beckinsale?
And finally: What is your opinion on excess energy systems work (i.e, a sport, martial arts in my case, for at least 1.5, sometimes up to 4 hours on non-weight training days) inhibiting growth?
[quote]Matgic wrote:
Hey Toe Knee,
I tried Sumo pulls for the first time today. My problem area with conventional pulls tends to be off the floor, but switching to the sumo, it felt pretty easy breaking off the ground.
Only thing is that lockout feels a little odd due to the hands placement inside the thighs. Is this just something to get accustomed to?
Also, what are your thoughts on training sumo pulls? Is it like a convential deadlift in the sense that the full deadlift should be performed very rarely for powerlifters as it is so taxing on the CNS and low back? If one decides to pull Sumo, should they be done for speed work on DE day? Should a powerlifter train the Sumo dead differently than a conventional one?
Too, how did u get KARAZZY veinscularity on yer bicepts? Wen I met you I thout’d yo’ud did the exakt werkout as the pros. Concentrate Curls suprasetted with Preaching Curls till fallure?! An does the leg machine tone my thies? THANXXX!
-MAtt [/quote]
I know this probably goes without saying, but have you used chains while deadlifting? I am assuming you do, but just wanted to make sure. Chains will definitely help with starting strength off the floor. As well, training from a deficit would help too.
As far as lockout out with a SUMO pull; I guess it is just a matter of getting used to it. Just make it a point to emphasize popping the hips through and to put away your vagina…;o)
I can tell you from experience that training SUMO and conventional are two seperate training stimuluses. Due to my knee issue the past few years, I have been training SUMO (and well, based upon my leverages, training SUMO is much easier for me) and I JUST recently started using a conventional pull again. And boy does it suck. My best SUMO pull is 560 and I was struggling with 405 conventional. But it really is just a matter of getting used to them again. In the end, if you’re going to train SUMO, train SUMO. About 80% of PL’ers use a SUMO stance when deadlifing and I would think it makes sense that they use the same stance with training on DE days. But like anything else, mixing it up certainly can’t hurt to keep the body guessing. You may train SUMO for a few weeks, and then just revert back to conventional to train the extra ROM.
I will not comment on your last paragraph. Needless to say, I owe you a swift drop kick to the side of the face for writing something so stupid…
Hope that helps
[quote]Robert P. wrote:
Hey Tony,
what’s with your last name? Is there a missing u before the o, and if so, does it apply (if you don’t speak italian ignore this question, but I thought you might)?
Second question: Would any straigth guy in the whole world have watched “Underworld” if it weren’t for Kate Beckinsale?
And finally: What is your opinion on excess energy systems work (i.e, a sport, martial arts in my case, for at least 1.5, sometimes up to 4 hours on non-weight training days) inhibiting growth? [/quote]
-
Nope, my last name is spelled like you see it. I did speak Italian in my sophomore year of college, but I don’t remember a lick of it now.
-
Highly doubtful. I met her trainer though. So I was ONE degree away from Kate Beckinsale. So close, yet so far. I watched the first Underworld and have yet to watch the second one (the first one sucked that much). Man, she is hot.
-
Um, yeah…1.5-4 hours of “extra” energy system work on non-training days seems a bit overkill IMO, and will DEFINITELY inhibit growth if that is indeed what you’re looking for. Martial arts is kinda a misnomer, cause there is really no “off-season” from it. Unlike the majority of sports that actually have an off-season (and hence, where athletes can rest, train and NOT play their respective sport), martial arts doesn’t have that luxury.
In any case, lets put it this way. Fatigue ALWAYS masks fitness. And if you’re spending upwards of 4 hours on your days off for extra conditioning, you are NEVER going to allow your body to exhibit it’s “true” fitness. You are just constantly beating it to oblivion. And if growth is one of your goals, then you are basically just shooting yourself in the foot in that regard.
[quote]Tony Gentilcore wrote:
Robert P. wrote:
Hey Tony,
what’s with your last name? Is there a [b]missing u before the o, and if so, does it apply (if you don’t speak italian ignore this question, but I thought you might)?
Second question: Would any straigth guy in the whole world have watched “Underworld” if it weren’t for Kate Beckinsale?
And finally: What is your opinion on excess energy systems work (i.e, a sport, martial arts in my case, for at least 1.5, sometimes up to 4 hours on non-weight training days) inhibiting growth?
-
Nope, my last name is spelled like you see it. I did speak Italian in my sophomore year of college, but I don’t remember a lick of it now.
-
Highly doubtful. I met her trainer though. So I was ONE degree away from Kate Beckinsale. So close, yet so far. I watched the first Underworld and have yet to watch the second one (the first one sucked that much). Man, she is hot.
-
Um, yeah…1.5-4 hours of “extra” energy system work on non-training days seems a bit overkill IMO, and will DEFINITELY inhibit growth if that is indeed what you’re looking for. Martial arts is kinda a misnomer, cause there is really no “off-season” from it. Unlike the majority of sports that actually have an off-season (and hence, where athletes can rest, train and NOT play their respective sport), martial arts doesn’t have that luxury.
In any case, lets put it this way. Fatigue ALWAYS masks fitness. And if you’re spending upwards of 4 hours on your days off for extra conditioning, you are NEVER going to allow your body to exhibit it’s “true” fitness. You are just constantly beating it to oblivion. And if growth is one of your goals, then you are basically just shooting yourself in the foot in that regard.
[/quote]
Well, I heard the second one is even worse than the first, a friend of mine recommended just watching the trailer…all of Kate’s good fighting scenes, and none of the boring stuff.
Also, most of the training is technique training (especially if I go at it for 4 hours), I termed it energy systems work because another author (Ian King maybe), called it that in an old column of his. Maybe I can find it, I’ve been meaning to ask about it for a while and saw this as a good opportunity.
edit: Here it is, from Ian Kings “Top Ten Lessons”:
- Run or Lift? Living the Interference Principle
I played many different sports growing up, all as hard as I could. Many of these sports had significant energy costs and had a negative impact on my bodyweight and strength. I was naively clueless about this, but it did explain why I was barely 75ks! But was I fit! Body fat was in the single digits and on a sub-max VO2 bike test, I’d recorded a score of 74ml/kg!
One day while preparing for my black belt test in Tae Kwon Do, I felt a “niggle” in my lower back. I’d been showing off in the absence of a warm-up. I ignored it and kept on training. Slowly the pain got worse. I pushed through this over a period of more than a year. Finally, I consulted a doctor who took X-rays, shook his head and told me all the reasons why I should be in pain, and then sent me to a surgeon who?you guessed it? suggested surgery: spinal fusion.
Well, I didn?t know much back then, but I knew enough to say no thanks to anything called spinal fusion! I embarked on a journey to find a way to resolve my back issue. Through the help of a chiropractor, discipline in self-devised rehab exercises, and the decision to stop playing all sports until it was resolved, I slowly made progress.
As my back pain reduced I found that the weight training I was able to do was more effective in terms of size and strength than when I was doing it whilst training three other sports in ten other sessions a week! So I decided to continue my journey in strength training and keep away from energy system training for a bit longer. I needed to do this anyway to ensure I didn?t revisit the back condition, but the results were amazing.
I became my own best example of the reality of interference?that energy system training can seriously impair strength and size developments. This gave me a degree of entertainment as I watched the academics first debate this issue some ten years later (in the early 90?s), then even more mirth as they argued over what you can and can?t do, and what combinations work best (from a scientific perspective) to reduce the interference, now that they had finally agreed that there may be an issue!
I put on twenty kilos in my first year of this condition?sure, not all muscle, but I was drinking six liters of full cream milk a day (didn?t I tell you about the nutritional advice I received from Ironman magazine?), so you couldn?t expect to gain 100% lean muscle mass, even with the metabolism of a young man.
I learned two key things here?the power of interference, and the ability to rehabilitate lower back injuries. This was fortunate because it wasn?t the last time I’d sit in front of the lower back surgeon and discuss fusion, and both lessons would benefit athletes over many decades, and perhaps even generations.[/b]
Since he played sports like rugby and went running a lot, I’m not sure if the same would apply to martial arts and if it might be possible to get good gains anyway if I just ate a heck of a lot of food.
No doubt that technique training is important, but you still have to realize that if putting on size (read: LBM) is one of your goals, doing THAT much is going to be counterproductive regardless of how manu calories you eat. Resistance training and aerobic work (I say aerobic because if you’re doing 1.5 to 4 hours worth, it’s aerobic) are at two seperate ends of the spectrum. Each taxes two seperate fitness qualities and in essence… battle each other for the body’s attention so-to-speak. You can’t really train both to a great capacity and expect to improve in both simultaneously.
[quote]Tony Gentilcore wrote:
Matgic wrote:
Hey Toe Knee,
I tried Sumo pulls for the first time today. My problem area with conventional pulls tends to be off the floor, but switching to the sumo, it felt pretty easy breaking off the ground.
Only thing is that lockout feels a little odd due to the hands placement inside the thighs. Is this just something to get accustomed to?
Also, what are your thoughts on training sumo pulls? Is it like a convential deadlift in the sense that the full deadlift should be performed very rarely for powerlifters as it is so taxing on the CNS and low back? If one decides to pull Sumo, should they be done for speed work on DE day? Should a powerlifter train the Sumo dead differently than a conventional one?
Too, how did u get KARAZZY veinscularity on yer bicepts? Wen I met you I thout’d yo’ud did the exakt werkout as the pros. Concentrate Curls suprasetted with Preaching Curls till fallure?! An does the leg machine tone my thies? THANXXX!
-MAtt
I know this probably goes without saying, but have you used chains while deadlifting? I am assuming you do, but just wanted to make sure. Chains will definitely help with starting strength off the floor. As well, training from a deficit would help too.
As far as lockout out with a SUMO pull; I guess it is just a matter of getting used to it. Just make it a point to emphasize popping the hips through and to put away your vagina…;o)
I can tell you from experience that training SUMO and conventional are two seperate training stimuluses. Due to my knee issue the past few years, I have been training SUMO (and well, based upon my leverages, training SUMO is much easier for me) and I JUST recently started using a conventional pull again. And boy does it suck. My best SUMO pull is 560 and I was struggling with 405 conventional. But it really is just a matter of getting used to them again. In the end, if you’re going to train SUMO, train SUMO. About 80% of PL’ers use a SUMO stance when deadlifing and I would think it makes sense that they use the same stance with training on DE days. But like anything else, mixing it up certainly can’t hurt to keep the body guessing. You may train SUMO for a few weeks, and then just revert back to conventional to train the extra ROM.
I will not comment on your last paragraph. Needless to say, I owe you a swift drop kick to the side of the face for writing something so stupid…
Hope that helps[/quote]
Actually, I’ve never used chains while deadlifting. I thought that it was mainly a tool for those with lockout issues. But I can see it being useful for learning to explode through at the bottom. I’ve been doing 4" defecit pulls and I’m up at 430. Haven’t tested my full deadlift in a while. This past ME session, I went one for one with sumos and defecit pulls once I hit around 85%, but I’m sure my efforts would be more well spent concentrating on one lift.
And I think you may be right about my vagina. My enlarged clitoris is downright…large! 
And as for the last paragraph…glad you liked it haha.
Thanks for the help. Talk to you later.
-MAtt
[quote]Sabastian525 wrote:
Hey Tony, I got an on-topic Wiki quote for ya:
“Stimulation of the G-spot through the use of a finger or tongue is possible through the combined pressure of pushing down on the clitoris while arcing the tongue or finger upwards in a beckoning motion. The finger or tongue must be approximately 1-3 inches (2.54-7.62 cm) inside the vagina for this to work.”
I was with a chick who was, let’s say, more experienced than me. I proceeded to throw down the above-mentioned technique of G-spot stimulation, and within a half-hour, she was worshipping me, and I quote, “It’s like you know exactly what you’re doing.”
Sabastian: 1
Every other loser she’s ever met: 0
Knowledge is power, and T-Nation is knowledge.
-Sab[/quote]
Definately giving this a try. It can also be done using the thumb on the clit and index and middle fingers inside right?
How much/long should the leadup to this be? Can I just go right to it?
[quote]Miserere wrote:
He-Man was a hermaphrodite, wasn’t he. Is that what you want to tell us?
Miserere wrote:
Hey! Was my question not pertinent? Is that why you ignored it? Why did you put it on your list? Now look what you made me do, I had to quote myself! Shame on you…
Tony Gentilcore wrote:
haha. I totally missed it, sorry.
I don’t know about being a hermaphrodite, but he certainly had some feminine qualities, eh?[/quote]
OK, I feel better now
So, was it the gyno and haircut that made him a bit femenine? (Although the make-up artists did a good job of hiding the gyno in those cartoons.)
And come to think of it, he was always playing around with Duncan, wasn’t he…?
PS: Your surname probably was Gentilcuore once upon a time, before one of your ancestors dropped the u; but I won’t tell anyone what it means in Italian so you don’t get picked on by the other boys in the playground
Tony, what’s it like having a man crush on Ben Affleck?
Oh yes I did!
[quote]Matgic wrote:
Tony Gentilcore wrote:
Matgic wrote:
Hey Toe Knee,
I tried Sumo pulls for the first time today. My problem area with conventional pulls tends to be off the floor, but switching to the sumo, it felt pretty easy breaking off the ground.
Only thing is that lockout feels a little odd due to the hands placement inside the thighs. Is this just something to get accustomed to?
Also, what are your thoughts on training sumo pulls? Is it like a convential deadlift in the sense that the full deadlift should be performed very rarely for powerlifters as it is so taxing on the CNS and low back? If one decides to pull Sumo, should they be done for speed work on DE day? Should a powerlifter train the Sumo dead differently than a conventional one?
Too, how did u get KARAZZY veinscularity on yer bicepts? Wen I met you I thout’d yo’ud did the exakt werkout as the pros. Concentrate Curls suprasetted with Preaching Curls till fallure?! An does the leg machine tone my thies? THANXXX!
-MAtt
I know this probably goes without saying, but have you used chains while deadlifting? I am assuming you do, but just wanted to make sure. Chains will definitely help with starting strength off the floor. As well, training from a deficit would help too.
As far as lockout out with a SUMO pull; I guess it is just a matter of getting used to it. Just make it a point to emphasize popping the hips through and to put away your vagina…;o)
I can tell you from experience that training SUMO and conventional are two seperate training stimuluses. Due to my knee issue the past few years, I have been training SUMO (and well, based upon my leverages, training SUMO is much easier for me) and I JUST recently started using a conventional pull again. And boy does it suck. My best SUMO pull is 560 and I was struggling with 405 conventional. But it really is just a matter of getting used to them again. In the end, if you’re going to train SUMO, train SUMO. About 80% of PL’ers use a SUMO stance when deadlifing and I would think it makes sense that they use the same stance with training on DE days. But like anything else, mixing it up certainly can’t hurt to keep the body guessing. You may train SUMO for a few weeks, and then just revert back to conventional to train the extra ROM.
I will not comment on your last paragraph. Needless to say, I owe you a swift drop kick to the side of the face for writing something so stupid…
Hope that helps
Actually, I’ve never used chains while deadlifting. I thought that it was mainly a tool for those with lockout issues. But I can see it being useful for learning to explode through at the bottom. I’ve been doing 4" defecit pulls and I’m up at 430. Haven’t tested my full deadlift in a while. This past ME session, I went one for one with sumos and defecit pulls once I hit around 85%, but I’m sure my efforts would be more well spent concentrating on one lift.
And I think you may be right about my vagina. My enlarged clitoris is downright…large!
And as for the last paragraph…glad you liked it haha.
Thanks for the help. Talk to you later.
-MAtt[/quote]
Actually, I’m an asshole…chains would NOT be used for someone who has issues off the floor. I had a brain fart. Bands would be a good tool though (as well as the deficit training).
Question: Does performing a swift drop kick on Matt’s face count as a glute activation technique?
<3,
Alex
[quote]budlight1 wrote:
why do bananas make me fart so bad??[/quote]
Don’t put them in your ass. Eat them.
[quote]EdChap wrote:
Tony, what’s it like having a man crush on Ben Affleck?
Oh yes I did![/quote]
You shall die a horrible death. And by “die a horrible death,” what I really mean is “you’ll be forced to listen to John Tesh cd’s for a month straight.”
[quote]DemiAjax wrote:
Question: Does performing a swift drop kick on Matt’s face count as a glute activation technique?
<3,
Alex[/quote]
That, and a great dynamic flexibility warm-up to boot!
[quote]Miserere wrote:
PS: Your surname probably was Gentilcuore once upon a time, before one of your ancestors dropped the u; but I won’t tell anyone what it means in Italian so you don’t get picked on by the other boys in the playground :-)[/quote]
That’s the reason I asked, assuming he spoke italian. But we don’t want to scare promising new writers away from T-Nation, so we won’t say what it means.
[quote]bikemike wrote:
budlight1 wrote:
why do bananas make me fart so bad??
Don’t put them in your ass. Eat them.[/quote]
WAIT! YOUR SUPPOSED TO EAT BANANAS??? haha no but honestly if i eat a banana its all over. i could kill a baby from 20 yards.