Ironfist, Ford,Static Contraction Training?

[Scarletmantis]

Hey, has anyone tried this wieght training program by John Little and Peter Sisco? It looks like one of the most radical concepts in wieght training I've ever seen.

The basic premis is that muscle growth and strength increase is most efficiently stimulated by high intensity training, but intensity is sacrificed when you engage in high volumes reps and exercises because you can't possibly maintain maximum intensity for any great length of time.

Furthermore, they believe use of full range of motion during wieght training also decreases the level of intensity since your muscle isn't fully contracted until the peak of the movement. Once you move out of that peak, the muscle has a chance to rest, meaning that most of the exercise is wasted.

So basically, what they ask you to do is hold the wieght in the position of fullest contraction for between 5 and 15 seconds, and that's it. No movement. That will be your one and only set for that exercise. You won't perform the same exercise again until two weeks later!

I would normally laugh myself unconscious if someone told me that's how they trained (in fact I almost did when I read it) but I figure I've got nothing to lose by trying it. They aren't asking for any money outside of the measly $17.95 for the book. They claim that my one rep max (full range of motion) on the flat bench will go from 250 when I start, to 310 lbs in ten weeks! Thats a whopping 30 % increase with only five workouts that last less than fifteen seconds total.

One of the things I really like about the program (assuming it's not bullcr@p) is the short amount of time you spend in the gym, leaving 'lots of time for kung fu practice. Also, the static wieght lifting somehow seems to jive with internal martial arts principles since you're using zero movement in your strongest area to lift the wieghts. "Strength in Stillness"

So who else is doing this? What do you think Iron, Ford?

Thanx for your replies.

[SevenStar]

two weeks? I call BS on that one. After two weeks, whatever you gained will have been long lost.

[abobo]

I've seen that site and browsed the static contraction training book at the bookstore.

I've also read the reviews on Amazon. There are some common complaints that I can agree with. The book is filled with pictures of juiced up bodybuilders, for one thing.

The website is even more strange, though. It has the look and feel of an infomercial. And far too much highlighting.

Then there is this chart comparing the effectiveness of the ten most popular chest exercises. It doesn't say what the ten exercises are, or how they are measuring the effectiveness. It just has a bar graph with some bars labeled 1 through 10.

I think that they are trying to tell you that if you don't know the most effective chest exercises, you need to buy their totally rad book.

They also wrote a book with a similar workout for golfers. As far as that goes, it doesn't make much sense to cite 30 yard drive increases which could owe more to swing mechanics than strength.

Anyway, Fred Hatfield says there are seven laws of weight training...

'Don't use a full range of motion and increase strength in that motion by almost double (with only a few minutes under the bar over 12 weeks)' doesn't sound like one of them to me.


There was some more talk about Pete Sisco here (http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=16063).

[Ford Prefect]

Hi Scarlet,

I have one name for you: Charles Atlas. That program seems to be right along the same lines as Atlas' old isometric contraction program except you use weights rather than immovable objects. There is nothing new and radical about this training. It was quite popular in the 50's and 60's, so I wouldn't be surprised if Bruce Lee tried it and Little found some references to it in his notes. This actually can increase size though. After all, time under tension (TUT) is the a key ingredient in all strength/hypertrophy programs. The problems with this program:

1) When in a static contraction strength gains are only held to the exact angle of the contraction and 15 degrees in either direction. In other words, you will not gain strength throughout a large range of motion. Traditional weight training is better in that case.

2) Although your muscles may be physically strong enough to lift a heavy weight after training like this your nervous system will be unaccustomed to the heavy load and refuse to lift it. It's kind of like useless strength. Again, traditional weight lifting is better.

3) Althought the main muscles used in the contraction (the squat for example) will become stronger and capable of lifting a heavier weight, the stabalizing muscles involved won't and you will collapse under a heavy weight. Yet again, traditional weight lifting methods are better.

4) John Little is a biographer. Have you ever seen the guy? It'd be like buying a fitness book that John Candy co-authored.

Unfortunately there is no real magic pill. The only way to gain size and strength is through blood, sweat, and tears. The closest thing to a magic pill that I've found is Pavel's Power to the People . It can found at http://www.dragondoor.com You won't gain much if any size on the principles used from his book, but you can gain a lot of strength in only 20 minutes per day and 5 days per week.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Scarletmantis

Furthermore, they believe use of full range of motion during wieght training also decreases the level of intensity since your muscle isn't fully contracted until the peak of the movement. Once you move out of that peak, the muscle has a chance to rest, meaning that most of the exercise is wasted.

You only get stronger through the range of motion that you train.


So basically, what they ask you to do is hold the wieght in the position of fullest contraction for between 5 and 15 seconds, and that's it. No movement. That will be your one and only set for that exercise. You won't perform the same exercise again until two weeks later!

So, if you want to get stronger only at the end of the movement, then just hold the weight up at the end for 5-15 seconds. This will not improve your strength throughout the range of motion.

I would normally laugh myself unconscious if someone told me that's how they trained (in fact I almost did when I read it) but I figure I've got nothing to lose by trying it. They aren't asking for any money outside of the measly $17.95 for the book. They claim that my one rep max (full range of motion) on the flat bench will go from 250 when I start, to 310 lbs in ten weeks! Thats a whopping 30 % increase with only five workouts that last less than fifteen seconds total.

So, going from 250-310 in ten weeks, benching once every two weeks, and not even benching, but just supporting the weight locked out at the end? Right.

One of the things I really like about the program (assuming it's not bullcr@p) is the short amount of time you spend in the gym, leaving 'lots of time for kung fu practice. Also, the static wieght lifting somehow seems to jive with internal martial arts principles since you're using zero movement in your strongest area to lift the wieghts. "Strength in Stillness"

So who else is doing this? What do you think Iron, Ford?

I think it's crap. The author has no idea what he's talking about. If you do it, and it works, I'll eat my words, but it won't work, so don't worry about it.

One more time, just for clarity's sake, when you do static contractions (appying force against an unmoving or stationary resistance) you only strengthen the muscle in that position (+/- 10-15 degrees of motion). Doing one position for any amount of time will not give you strength through any range of motion.

IronFist

[Scarletmantis]

Well, I'm already two weeks into the program, so I figure I'll be the guinea pig here and see how it works. Eight more weeks isn't all that much time as far as I see it, since I consider myself a lifer when it comes to lifting and the CMA.

After the eight weeks are up, I'll post a complete record of my results. If it's B.S. then hopefully no one else on this board'll get suckered into it, and if it's legit, then you all will have something new to play with (and I'll be ten weeks ahead of everybody!).

My only complaint about the program so far is that I actually LIKE working out in the gym for a few hours a week, so it's sorta frustrating having to hold off like this, then anti-climactic to work out for fifteen minutes and leave. :rolleyes:

[Ford Prefect]

Scarlet,

That's cool that you don't mind experimenting and all, but it really is just a recycled program from the 50's and 60's. There aren't any secrets any more where strength training is concerned. Discipline, consistency, and planning are the only magic pill you'll find.

[guohuen]

He he! I learned that stuff from the comic books and boy's life in the sixties. Good old Charles Atlas.