March 21, 2009
Topic:
Gaining Functional Strength
Developing physical strength might seem like a goal only for a young person or an athlete but this it not so. Today, we're going to go over not only tips to develop functional strength but why it’s so important for any age.
1. Developing strength is for all ages - You know, we talk a lot about building muscle and yes, it is true, young people have a real advantage when gaining a lot of muscle because testosterone levels are higher but remember, pure strength is not about how big your muscles are, it’s how efficient your nervous system is at recruiting your fibers. This is good news for men or women who are a little older because studies show that natural hormone changes due to aging have very little effect on your nervous system.
2. Big muscles don’t always mean super strong – Many people might think that the bodybuilders with the super big muscles are the strongest athletes. This is not true. Power lifters are on average much stronger even though they don’t always look more muscular. Remember, you can get stronger without gaining super big muscles if you just train your nervous system. A way to do this is to lift as heavy as possible, while still being safe. Try the 5 x 5 method. Doing only five reps will allow you to lift heavier and when you lift heavy, not only does your nervous system become more efficient it also strengthens your tendons and ligaments, which many believe is also a key to super strength.
3. Lifting heavy is not more dangerous than lifting light - Many experts believe that high rep lifting can be more dangerous because stabilizer muscles fatigue. When you lift heavy, a whole set of five reps might take you fifteen to twenty seconds. This isn’t long enough to tire out the stabilizers so lifting heavy can be safe a long as you use common sense. It’s good to have a spotter and also someone watching to make sure you’re keeping good form. I’ll tell you what my first coach told me. It’s not heavy weight that’s get people hurt, it’s bad form and poor alignment.
Question from viewers:
Kathy
For the ab squats & swings you showed a week or so ago, what pound weight should be used by a 5 ft. female?
Jake
I’ve recently began some competitive fighting. How can I build up my arms to have a more powerful punch?
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