Out With The Old, In
With The New
Injuries are a part
of life, and any serious lifter who has been faced with having to work around
them at one point or another can attest that injuries are not as much of a
setback as they initially appear to be (unless they are career threatening of
course). In fact, injuries are often an opportunity for newfound growth, both
mentally and physically. Mentally, because an injury forces a lifter to use
their creativity to come up with new ways to subject their body to the tension
needed to build upon, or at least maintain, their previous gains, and
physically, because the new methods and techniques that are thought of
introduce a brand new stimulus to which the body has not had a chance to adapt.
Muscles Only Know Tension
A lot of people get
hung up on performing the same exercises, either because they fear losing all
that they’ve gained if they don’t keep doing them, or because they believe that
there isn’t anything better, therefore why change it, but the fact of the
matter is that muscles only know tension. They do not know movements, or
exercises, or have the ability to differentiate, for it is the nervous system (primarily
muscle spindles and the Golgi Tendon Organ, located at the musculotendinous
junction) which is responsible for monitoring and recording changes in length,
and tension, to which it responds by selectively recruiting the muscles it
perceives to be best suited for the job.
When the close-mindedness
of believing that only a select group of exercises are worthwhile, and all the others
are a waste of time, is removed, either because one has opened their mind to
the fact that muscles only know tension, or because they are forced to be more
open-minded as a result of a limiting injury, is when the opportunity for growth
is greatest.
Limiting Beliefs
Some of the most
common limiting beliefs that exist within the realm of strength and
conditioning are:
·
To get big and/or strong, you must lift free weights
·
You must lift heavy to get bigger and/or stronger
·
You can’t get big and/or strong using machines
If these beliefs
were in fact truth, and there was absolutely no benefit to performing anything
but really heavy, free weight movements, there would be a serious shortage of
bodybuilders out there, since most heavily rely on machines, while using
relatively light amounts of resistance, which facilitates their style of
training. Because muscles only know tension, it is possible to build a great
deal of size and strength without strictly performing heavy, free weight
movements.
This is not to
suggest that heavy, free weight movements should be replaced with light,
machine based exercises, but rather that each and every exercise can provide
value, and being open-minded to this concept can not only increase potential
results, but possibly help in avoiding an injury since it is generally the
heavy, free weight exercises that carry the greatest risk.
Rise Of The Machines
When lifting a free
weight, the tension the muscle is under varies based on the resistance’s line
of pull in relation to the body’s lever arm. When the resistance’s line of pull
is perpendicular (90 degrees) to the body’s lever arm, is when the greatest
levels of force are required. For optimal development, a muscle needs to be strengthened
at its longest and shortest ranges of motion, and sometimes this simply is not
possible with free weights, as the tension is all but removed in some cases at
end ranges of motion.
Machines, good ones
anyway, use what is called variable resistance to match the movement’s strength
curve, so that relative continuous muscular tension is required throughout the entire
range of motion, not just when the resistance’s line of pull is 90 degrees to
the body’s lever arm. This is the number one advantage machines offer, which
free weights do not.
While it is possible
to attempt to match the strength profile of a movement with an ascending
strength curve by using accommodating resistance, like resistance bands, or
lifting chains, this does nothing for movements with a descending strength
curve. The only way for the muscles involved in movements with a descending strength
curve to require relative continuous muscular tension is to use variable
resistance machines.
Once again, this is
not to suggest replacing heavy, free weight movements with machines, but rather
that machines in some cases provide benefits in ways that free weight never
could. The following are some examples of the more valuable pieces of equipment
found within most gym, and modifications to either increase their
effectiveness, or create a completely different movement.
Hammer Strength
Machines
Hammer strength
machines are extremely versatile in a sense that multiple variations of each
respective exercise can be performed on each machine, and each machine respects
the natural strength curve by providing variable resistance to create a more
complete movement. With a little thought and creativity, these machines can be used
to effectively target muscles in ways in which the manufacturers likely never
intended, one example being:
High Row
When performing this
movement in the way it was designed, the lats are stretched at the top, but not
to the same degree as if the hips are cocked back. Therefore, with a few
postural adjustments the extent to which the lats are stretched can be
enhanced:
·
Lean in on a 45 degree angle and stabilize the torso by resting the
chest on the pad
·
Support your weight on your feet as opposed to sitting on the seat
·
Hold onto the outer beam to which the handles which were intended
to be held attach
This creates a
slightly different line of pull than any free weight, bodyweight, or cable
exercise does.
Another effective
manner in which this machine can be used is to turn sideways and perform the
movement unilaterally. Doing so challenges the lats in their shortest position,
also in the frontal plane, as opposed to the ever common sagittal plane.
Smith Machine
The smith machine is
another versatile piece of equipment in which an assortment of exercises can be
performed. Because the bar is on a fixed path and cannot travel 3-dimensionally
the way a free weight barbell can, there is less of a stability component
needed, meaning it’s much easier to focus on directing tension onto the
targeted area, one example being:
Smith Barbell Row
The free weight barbell
row is one of the most challenging lifts to perfect because the center of
gravity is slightly in front of the base of support, which magnifies the amount
of stress the lower back is under, and increases the demand needed to maintain
stability, which ultimately affect force production potential.
The Smith machine
limits the stability component, thus improving the ability to mentally focus on
directing as much stress as possible onto the targeted area, thus increasing
the effectiveness of the movement.
Another effective
manner in which this movement can be performed is with a wide grip to allow the
elbows to flare out to the side, as the bar is pulled to the neck to direct a
greater percentage of stress onto the rear delts.
Can’t Live With Em,
Can’t Live Without Em
Even the most open
mind can have a hard time letting go of such strong beliefs that were once so close
to the heart. If one simply can’t live without their beloved heavy, free weight
movements, even if they sustained an injury when performing such movements, the
best option would be to bang out a few sets at the tail end of the workout.
This way, the involved joints are warmed up, and momentary strength levels
limit the amount of weight that can safely be used, thus reducing the risk of injury
while satiating the desire to perform the movement.
If you have any
questions about the benefits of machine based training, or working around
injuries, feel free to contact me at ben@paramounttraining.ca. I'm available for
online consulting and personalized program design, as well as one on one
training if you are located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
No comments:
Post a Comment