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April 25, 2005
How to Explode Your Weight Lifting Poundage Using After-Effect Overloads
It is not unusual for modern power programs to include supramaximal walkouts, lockouts, or supports after regular lifts. They condition the body and mind for heavier weights. It works, but what if instead of walking out 600 pounds after your maximum 500 pound squat, you do the overload a couple of minutes BEFORE the heavy full squat? – 500 pounds will feel like 400 and an all time high 515 will go up like 490!
Every gym rat knows that the heavier the weight, the more muscle is recruited. Manhandling 600 pounds fires off more motor units than 500 pounds, even if you only hold the bar. This is called the Henneman’s size principle, probably because it builds some serious size! Especially if combined with the after-effect phenomenon, or the fact that your nervous system is a bit slow on the uptake.
Remember pushing your arms against the doorway at the summer camp and then watching them float up involuntarily? It happened because your brain had not caught on quick enough to the fact that the resistance had been removed. Good! After you have supported 600 pounds on your back, five wheels will explode to lockout!
After-effect overloads make you stronger in more than one way. In addition to boosting muscle recruitment, they lower the sensitivity of the Golgi tendon organs, spinal mechanoreceptors, and other governors of strength. After dealing with 600 pounds, these subversive sensors think, “Hey! 515 is not too bad!” and pull the brick from under your gas pedal! This type of disinhibition training has an awesome potential for reaching the final frontier in strength development.
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Posted by james at April 25, 2005 6:33 AM
Comments
Posted by: LAWAYNE RUFFIN at March 19, 2007 10:59 AM