Muscles, Power and Strength
Discussion
What is it that gives a man strength?
(Apologies if I don't use the correct words, or terminology)
Some blokes have more strength than others. Some blokes even have extraordinarily more strength than those who have better defined/developed, or bigger muscles (or defined/trained physiques to be more precise).
So what is that difference? I realise there are power/strength techniques and body 'buildibg' exercises, but where does that 'inner' (or, core?) strength come from? Is it determination? Aggression?
(Apologies if I don't use the correct words, or terminology)
Some blokes have more strength than others. Some blokes even have extraordinarily more strength than those who have better defined/developed, or bigger muscles (or defined/trained physiques to be more precise).
So what is that difference? I realise there are power/strength techniques and body 'buildibg' exercises, but where does that 'inner' (or, core?) strength come from? Is it determination? Aggression?
Size of muscles and ability to recruit a high percentage the muscle fibres to do work are a factor. The balance between types of muscle fibres ("fast twitch" and "slow twitch") will also have a bearing on strength. Relatively "small" people who are able to develop more power & strength than those who might be more muscular are normally capable of this because, due to a combination of training and genetics, they have a higher proportion of Type IIa and Type IIb (anaerobic) muscle fibers and a nervous system trained to be able to recruit a lot of them at once.
Also to be considered are the levers and angles at which somebody is working; a shorter lifter will have less work to do squatting the same mass as a taller lifter.
Also to be considered are the levers and angles at which somebody is working; a shorter lifter will have less work to do squatting the same mass as a taller lifter.
Sometimes it seems as though someone is stronger/weaker than they appear because they are lifting differently. For example, the weight that anyone can bench is different if you do fast reps and bounce it off your chest, as opposed to slow reps and holding it at the bottom for a second or more.
The same with bouncing the weights of the ground when doing dead lifts as opposed to coming to a rest at the bottom and starting again.
I'm always amazed at weight lifters lifting many times their body weight above their heads, without looking anywhere near as strong as a body builder!
The same with bouncing the weights of the ground when doing dead lifts as opposed to coming to a rest at the bottom and starting again.
I'm always amazed at weight lifters lifting many times their body weight above their heads, without looking anywhere near as strong as a body builder!
Bonkbonk is spot on.
Two things give you strength - muscle size and nueromuscular changes. Fibre types as mentioned also effect it with 2a and 2b fibres being responsible for short, high power movements.
Muscle fibres can increase in size with training, but not increase in number (probably). You can also shift to a certain degree your percentage of fibre types, with 2a having the ability to become more like a type 1 fiber, or more like a 2b depending on your training.
The nureal system can, as Bonkbonk mentioned, increase strength by each firing recruiting a larger proportion of muscle fibres, creating a stronger response from the same nueral input. They can also fire more rapidally, giving more efficient firing to improve strength.
Two things give you strength - muscle size and nueromuscular changes. Fibre types as mentioned also effect it with 2a and 2b fibres being responsible for short, high power movements.
Muscle fibres can increase in size with training, but not increase in number (probably). You can also shift to a certain degree your percentage of fibre types, with 2a having the ability to become more like a type 1 fiber, or more like a 2b depending on your training.
The nureal system can, as Bonkbonk mentioned, increase strength by each firing recruiting a larger proportion of muscle fibres, creating a stronger response from the same nueral input. They can also fire more rapidally, giving more efficient firing to improve strength.
Glassman said:
Some blokes even have extraordinarily more strength than those who have better defined/developed, or bigger muscles (or defined/trained physiques to be more precise).
There are muscles for show and muscles for go.Sarcoplasm
Sarcomere
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