Strength Is a Relative Term
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Overcoming resistance is as much as a mental feat as it is a physical one. During training our goal is to get our body, a weight, or sometimes both, from point A to point B. Your gym partner may be able to push 100lb dumbbells within three seconds while you’ll thrust it up within a half a second. Different athletes excel at different aspects of strength.
Incorporating a variety of strength training modes during certain periods of a training cycle create a well-balanced individual. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) explains that we can obtain and train seven different kinds of strength. In this article, I will briefly explain these types of strength with a focus on relative strength and how it applies to every day lifting modalities.
The Seven Kings of StrengthStrength training could be subdivided based on the desired outcome.
Relative StrengthRelative strength is the amount of force generated per unit of body weight. This can be increased by using all of the various types of strength training to improve the magnitude of force production while maintaining or reducing total body mass.
Think of a 150lb diver versus a 150lb powerlifter performing a squat—who do you think will produce a greater amount of force? If neuromuscular efficiency and muscle force production increase while maintaining a consistent body mass, relative strength will increase. This is the beauty of this mode of training. It incorporates the others and one can grow alongside it.
Understanding this concept is of utmost importance in discerning the end goal of a client or trainee. For instance, would you expect the same strength goals of someone who wants to be 110lbs versus a person who is 200 lbs? As a coach, I understand the purpose of keeping a realistic mindset for strength training for each of my clients, otherwise, I will set up unrealistic expectations for them.
The theory of relativity is not simply bound to physics. It surpasses the convention and produces individual physiques. Relativity, in the sense that I’m referring to, is “the absence of standards of absolute and universal application.” Can you think of the perfect program for each individual on planet earth? No.
We are each unique and yet we try to conform to many standards and “one size fits all programs” to return to where we started. Relative strength also takes into account the factors of neurological deficits, muscular imbalances, and the like. It's so versatile and yet we take it for granted.
My clients can attest to their individual successes through my programming and, despite their varying body types, they understand why they reach the body composition they do based on their strength gains and individual quirks. I love them and I always learn from them as I create interesting and new programs.
Their growth is never stagnant and as a firm believer in relative strength, I can push boundaries such that a 150lb female can train and successfully squat twice (or even three times) her body weight. I defy the convention of providing the same exercises for each body part for the sake of fulfilling a program sheet.
Relative strength allows a coach to begin with what the trainee can do and over time provide a way to increase force output as they are losing weight and gaining more muscle. Once the trainee has achieved their ideal body weight we will enter a maintenance phase in which we keep the body composition the same but increase and outperform our last check-in.
Typical Problems with Relative StrengthDuring a cutting phase, some persons tend to undergo an improper nutrition balance and face a loss in strength. Their strength deficit is sometimes a result of improper coaching, improper eating, or both.
The solution to this problem is to talk to your coach about your eating habits and address any problems you have in order to obtain your macros. Eating more calorie dense foods is typically the option for busy people.
Another problem is a plateau. Due to a goal weight being set, most people will grow accustomed to their new weight or body composition and subconsciously believe there is no further room for growth or development. They can use the relative strength test below to prove this wrong.
The Relative Strength TestIt’s important to have a training log. Start this on day one and be diligent in your entries. You will want to record your values and have what I like to call a “test day” each month. We look at the weight of the client when they begin and check their weight a month from the start.
We also test the four main lifts: bench press, deadlift, squat, and press. In the event that I have a client who cannot perform the main lifts, we will do a modification (which I will explain later).
For now, we’ll do a simple calculation of the following:
Relative Strength (RS) = maximum weight lifted in kilograms / body weight in kilograms
We will perform the four lifts for 3 sets of 5 reps in order to warm up the muscle and/or movement then perform a one rep max lift, increasing weight each lift, until the person hits a “strength wall.” The strength wall is where there is even the slightest indication of form degradation. The goal is not to hit PRs in every lift, rather use the lifts as an assessment.
For newer lifters or people who have injuries, we can modify the movements used to incorporate machines or assistive devices such as machine chest press, assisted pull up, assisted dip, Smith machine squat, TRX lunge/weighted lunge, dumbbell or machine shoulder press, etc.
Relative Strength DetailsIf you're having issues despite tracking your progress, it’s time to discuss your program with your coach. Stagnant periods will come as a result of adaptations but it isn’t an excuse for complacency.
Perhaps with newfound strength, your current body mass might not be sufficient enough to carry your increased muscle mass. For instance, a 65-year-old male will be subjected to differences in hormones which will affect their ability to maintain their muscle mass and also maintain periods of anabolism. This becomes important in catering to the geriatric or impaired audiences (for instance).
The best thing about relative strength is that it allows for time off from very intense training and allows you to incorporate all the aforementioned strength modalities. However, taking time off does not mean slacking off or using the time off as an excuse for inactivity. Marturana explains in her article that after “two weeks off from training… aerobic conditioning starts to decline.”
What I suggest is to create a plan to take time off in this fashion:
This method will keep you on track, and once you’re back in the game you know exactly what to expect.
You Have Individual Training NeedsWe are all individuals with unique gifts and talents. Our genetic makeup allows us to be something far greater than what we believe. It’s important to ensure we are respecting our bodies and our minds by setting up realistic expectations within our training.
Lift and love well, my friends! Fitness via Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/1GxgPEe November 29, 2018 at 10:42AM
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6 Muscle-Building Breakfast Recipes to Eat Any Time of Day
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz November 29, 2018 at 08:56AM
Deontay Wilder’s Head Trainer Tells Us What It's Like to be Hit by the Heavyweight Champ
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Heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder has etched a name for himself in the boxing community over the past decade through his downright scary punching power. In his 40 professional bouts, only Bermane Stiverne went the distance with the champ back in 2017. In the rematch, however, Wilder made short work of him, flooring Stiverne with a first-round KO. Hailing from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Wilder initially took up boxing to support his daughter, Naieya, who has spina bifida, an extremely expensive birth defect that affects the spine. Despite the condition, Wilder’s financial success has led to a better life for Naieya. When speaking to BT Sport, he revealed, “She came very far from what doctors said she would maybe never be able to do. Like walk or have a natural childhood ability of learning.” He also added, “She’s just become a thirteen-year-old. I’m just very proud of her.” He went to his local gym in 2005 in hopes of finding a trainer who could quickly turn his natural athleticism into a career that would help him support his daughter. The gym he entered was Sky Boxing Gym, and the trainer he linked with was Jay Deas, the gym's owner. Ever since that meeting over a decade ago, this pair has demolished the heavyweight division. He currently holds the WBC title belt, while Anthony Joshua holds the WBO, IBF, and WBA belts. On December 1, Wilder will face the undefeated Tyson Fury, the fifth-ranked heavyweight in the world. Deas believes Wilder’s power will prevail again, which is easy for him to say because he’s been absorbing Wilder’s blows for years. M&F: How exactly does it feel to be punched by a heavyweight champ, specifically Wilder? Deas: It's not pleasant—he just has tremendous power. They used to say getting hit by George Foreman was like getting hit by a Mack Truck at 35 miles an hour. Like you could feel every bit of the pain and everything. And that getting hit by Mike Tyson was like getting hit by a bullet. You don't really feel it, your body just doesn't work anymore. Deontay's a little bit of a combination of the two. Probably more on the speed side, more on the Mike Tyson side in that he, you know, he generates a lot of power through his speed. It's like a shock to the system type of a thing. In the past, Wilder has sent you, and other people in the camp, to the hospital due to various training incidents. Was there an adjustment period in training with Wilder compared to others? I had an elbow injury from playing college baseball, and I had to adjust the way that I took the punches. I had to raise my elbows up a little bit so as to take the power more on the shoulders. I had to kinda just change where the impact was affecting me. Since you’ve been training him, have you felt a difference in power? I think he’s gotten more accurate and more precise and really homing in on the punches that he's throwing. I think that the power has increased. It's not like he's just trying to hit the side of the barn; he's trying to hit the fly on the door on the side of the barn. How does Wilder’s workout regimen outside of the ring contribute to his success? So we work hand-in-hand with the strength team. But they do a lot of pushing motions, twisting motions, footwork, and agility. There’s not a lot of pulling motions because that can slow you down. What do you think separates Wilder from other punchers? So just being a puncher alone is not gonna get you there. There has to be other tools in the toolbox. And his will to win is really second to none. He's willing to dig deeper than anybody else. And no matter how deep they go, he can go even deeper. Do you have a personal favorite Wilder KO? The Ortiz fight. Everybody knew Ortiz was one of the top three or four fighters in the world. And then for Deontay to beat him like he did and overcome adversity, that was probably the sweetest one. [RELATED2]
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz November 29, 2018 at 08:34AM
Building a Healthy Body, and Active Mind, and Strong Relationships
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Dr. Wendy Walsh is a human behaviors expert. She teaches Health Psychology at California State University Channel Islands and speaks often about pro-aging (mental and physical wellness,) gender dynamics and relationship science. She is an award-winning television journalist, radio host, an influencer and brand ambassador. Time Magazine named her one of the Persons of the Year in 2017 for her work in helping to pave the way for the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements.
In this latest edition of the Outliers podcast for Breaking Muscle, I am talking to Dr. Walsh primarily about the mental aspects of health answering the question of what does an actual healthy person look like in totality.
Although some people may appear healthy from the outside, in their physical appearance, Dr. Walsh talks about all the components of a healthy life. Healthy people treat their body a little bit like a temple as far as diet, exercise, sleep, but then psychologically they have good stress coping habits. They are able to do some mindfulness and find ways to be able to calm themselves so that stress and cortisol levels don't get the best of them. In addition, healthy people tend to have secure healthy relationships, both social relationships within the community and interpersonal one-on-one relationships.
There’s a lot of great ideas and concepts to dig into here, dealing with isolation, infantile urges in our adult attachments, and general behaviors that sabotage our wellbeing. So, it’s not just enough to be physically healthy, you need to be healthy in your mindfulness, and healthy in your relationships, whatever they may be.
Fitness via Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/1hdUh1E November 28, 2018 at 07:15PM
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John Cena Battles Transformers in the New, Action-Packed ‘Bumblebee’ Trailer
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Paramount
John Cena is on the hunt. The WWE superstar and sometimes-comedic-actor is now putting his action chops to work in the new Transformers film Bumblebee. Cena stars in the film as Burns, an agent of Sector 7, the government agency that deals with the Transformers robots on earth. Cena spoke with Men's Journal for his cover story earlier in 2018 about his transition from being a WWE superstar to a Hollywood actor. Cena spoke about honing his acting skills while being a wrestler: “I’m never the person who asks the question, How far do I go?” he says. “I’m like, ‘If we are going, you have to tell me to stop.’” Bumblebee is a prequel for the Transformers franchise, taking the action back to 1987 to show how the titular robot began his adventures. Hailee Steinfeld stars as Charlie, who befriends Bumblebee in California, while Cena will lead a group of Sector 7 agents looking to track down Transformers. Paramount The most recent trailer is filled with action, and reveals that Cena’s government organization is working alongside some of the bad Transformers—the Decepticons—who are also trying to track down Bumblebee and other Autobots. The film will also have appearances by numerous other Transformers, including the iconic Optimus Prime. Here’s a look at the trailer:
In a new featurette for the film, Cena also spoke about playing with his own Transformers toys when he was a kid and what it meant for him to be part of the new movie. Here’s a look at the behind the scenes video about designing the Transformer characters for Bumblebee: Bumblebee will be released on December 21.
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz November 28, 2018 at 12:48PM
Did Sylvester Stallone Just Announce He's Done Playing Rocky After ‘Creed 2’?
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Sylvester Stallone may have finished his final round as Rocky Balboa. The actor appeared in Creed II as the iconic character, and a new video on Stallone’s Instagram page has us asking the question if he'll play Rocky again in the future. [RELATED1] In the video, Stallone gives a speech on the set while filming Creed II, mentioning that the movie was “probably” his “last rodeo” and that Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed is ready to “carry the mantle” for a “new generation.” Fans took to the Instagram post to write comments about how much the character meant to them over the years. Here’s the full speech: “Well, this is probably my last rodeo because what I thought happened, and has happened, I never expected,” Stallone says in the video. “I thought Rocky was over in 2006 [Rocky Balboa]. And I was very happy with that. Then all of a sudden this young man presented himself and the whole story changed. It went on to a new generation. New problems. New adventures. And I couldn’t be happier as I step back because my story has been told, there’s a whole new world that’s going to be opening up with the audience, with this generation. Now you [pointing at Michael B. Jordan], have to carry the mantle.” [RELATED2] Here’s the full video: While this post not an official statement that Rocky won’t appear in future Creed films—he could potentially pop up so the audience can check in with the character, but not as a main part of the ongoing Creed story—it sounds like Stallone is ready to hang up his boxing gloves. Even though Stallone might be done playing Rocky, it doesn’t mean he’s done playing iconic characters. Stallone will reprise his role as the iconic John Rambo for Rambo V: Last Blood, which is currently filming. The movie will follow Rambo as he takes on a Mexican drug cartel after the cartel kidnaps someone close to Rambo. [RELATED3] Below, we’ll add some more context to the announcement, but SPOILER ALERT if you haven’t yet seen Creed 2. Warner Bros. Pictures Creed II set Thanksgiving box office records and has had strong reviews, so a third film seems likely. From the way Creed II ended, coupled with Stallone’s speech, it sounds like the actor could be ready to step away from the iconic character. [RELATED4] In Creed II, after the final fight between Adonis Creed (Jordan) and Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), Rocky stays outside the ring when Adonis celebrates, and the two share a moment that could be interpreted as Rocky passing the torch to Adonis. From the speech, it appears that Stallone might be doing the same with Jordan.
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz November 28, 2018 at 12:34PM People Are Selling Empty Bottles of Conor McGregors Whiskey on Ebay (And Theyre Making a Profit)11/28/2018
People Are Selling Empty Bottles of Conor McGregor’s Whiskey on Ebay (And They’re Making a Profit)
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Conor McGregor has had a whirlwind 2018, and it doesn’t seem like his name is leaving the news cycle anytime soon. From struggling to throw a football with the Dallas Cowboys to losing a fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October, McGregor’s autumn has been eventful to say the least, but his major victory has been his whiskey brand, Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey. The brand has been such a success that people are selling their empty bottles on eBay—and they're actually making money doing so. Proper No. 12 was released in September, and while some poked fun at how much promo McGregor did for the drink across social media, it looks like it all paid off because the brand sold hundreds of thousands of bottles, leading to the worldwide shortage. [RELATED1] McGregor, who admits he is never one to apologize, apollogized to fans for the shortage. He went on to say Proper No. 12 "sold more cases in less than one month than many whiskey brands sell in a full year" according to TMZ Sports. He later took to Instagram to tell the UFC fans and whiskey drinkers of the world that Proper No. 12 would be back in stock come December. Just in time for the holidays.
But because the internet is weird, the people who just couldn’t wait the measly month for their Proper No. 12 found the next best thing—the empty bottle, which are selling on eBay for as much as €80 ($90.27 USD). According to The Irish Mirror, the item description online reads “You are bidding on an ‘empty’ bottle of the hottest new whiskey on the market. Only a limited amount were released for sale. Very rare. Great price that includes free shipping!" The prices of what people are actually paying for these ‘very rare bottles’ varies. The Mirror goes on to report Eric Hammer of New Jersey bought the whiskey for $31 and was able to sell the empty bottle for $40. Hammer says he was surprised he was able to sell the bottle for more than he paid, but goes on to say, “the obsession with anything McGregor-related is no joke.” But for all of you who actually want alcohol when you buy a bottle of whiskey, Proper No. 12 will be back in stock in December and will be available in even more countries in 2019.
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz November 28, 2018 at 12:20PM
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