Pavel on DVRs

Pavel on DVRs
« on: Today at 11:30:27 AM »

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" Because strength generally does not exceed 30% of your tendon strength, the strength govenor mechanism is set up way too conservatively. Scientists believe that pulling the brake from your gas pedal, that is minimizing the inhibitory imput into the muscles is the key that will open the door to super strength undreamed of by the strongest people in the world. Despite grandmothers wrestling leopards and mothers
lifting cars to save their progeny supposedly do something to prevent the 'take it easy, you might get hurt' commands from reaching their muscles. Insane people bend bars in the windows of their cells- I believe they call them wards in the US- because their neural circuitry is goofed up. It does not recognize inhibitory input and does not hold you back.. This is the essence of DISINHIBITION TRAINING, THE HOTTEST NEW DIRECTION IN STRENGTH TRAINING. Of course we do not want to to totally lose our senses, rather learn to ignore them when we choose to.

Enter FEED-FORWARD TENSION, one of the most promising disinhibition techniques. It requires you to maximally contract your muscles with a submaximal weight or NO WEIGHT WHATSOEVER. Remember Charles Atlas and his 'Dynamic Tension'method? You are supposed to imitate lifting a weight by flexing your muscles for all you have got. Just as Tai Chi Kung differs from visually similar calisthenics in concentration and awareness , 'Dynamic Tension' is an Oscar Winning pantomime of a world record powerlift, and not just a mindless going through the motions.

The guy in the leopard skin swim suit did not invent the method. Russian Scientists Anokin and Proshek did in the early 1900s. Or so they thought. Bodhidharma, the semi mythical progenitor of Oriental martial arts from India, may have practiced such exercises a millennium and a half ago.

Scientists were sleptical of 'Dynamic Tension' for a while suspecting that by creating artificial resistance within your muscles you learn to put on the brakes. Then a Soviet study by Kovalik established beyond the shadow of a doubt that 'virtual lifting' builds strength even in the so called quick lifts."


"Power to The People"

by Pavel Tsatsoline

Pages 71& 72

What is DVRs? I thought you meant a video of Pavel.

I do dynamic tension. I do some of Pavel's workouts too. He dosen't suggest you only do dynamic tension. Instead, the entire book you quote from is about why powerlifting is better for most athletes than bodybuilding.

I'm becoming a big believer in cross-training. No one method is going to give you across the board results. Dynamic tension may be a piece of the puzzle for some people, but no one should confuse it for the whole picture.

I totally agree,but as he points out virtual resistance is one way to break through your psychological brakes. DVR stands for Dynamic Visualized Resistance which over the years has gone by a variety of names. It is lifting imaginary weights, pulling on imaginary cables etc,It is one component of a total conditioning program,but a very effective component.

Used by itself, DVR or whatever it's called is not going to do much. I think Ford wrote a long post once explaining why this was the case.

Use it however it works for you,but I think this supports the fact that it is a valuable principle.

There are dynamic tension sets in the Southern Tai Tzu. They DO build strength, but not anywhere near as much as weight lifitng does. They do however have a weird effect of making your muscles able to sustain more impacts and also giving more density.

I myself have found they are good AFTER you lift. It's sort of like the final squeez in the routine.

I like to use them on days I can't lift, for whatever reason. Dynamic tension has been particularly useful and satisfying when I have been working double shifts: I can do them in my office on a break.

Yes,but they are able to take you beyond your limitations. Your mind is your most powerful muscle and if you are lifitng weights once you reach you limits you start to close down,but with DVR you can mentally take yourself through your limits. You can move through your mental brakes- that is huge. Just like the crazy man breaking handcuffs.

Check out the following quote from page 109 of Mike Dayton's " Chi Mind Control" Course which was published in 1978: The Proper Breath is a deep breathing exercise, the Chi exercises are all DVR, and the mental rehearsal is exactly as it says. Pretty impressive. Don't underestimate the power of yourt mind.

" Michelle Klimesh, the model used in section 1, came to me to study weightlifting and Chi training in February of 1978. She had never lifted a weight before., and was 23 years old.

After five weeks of training [ using the Proper Breath, all of the physical Chi exercises and the mental rehearsal,particularly in the dead lift ] . I accompanied Michelle to the State Power Lifting Championship at Stockton, California. There she broke three out of four women's weightlifting records in the 123 lb class. For only five weeks of training , her debut was sensational."

In my head I can lift three-and-a-half times my bodyweight... but it tires me out and then with the iron I can only lift about bodyweight...! :rolleyes: :D

I hope that isn't the same experience that you have with sex.