to squeeze or not to squeeze?

[texasRUSH]

what are your thoughts? is it really THAT important to hold and squeeze the muscle as hard as you can for a second or two each rep?

[AVBG]

squeeze

[smaul]

Most definitely squeeze, especially for back!

[pumpster]

Unnecessary, can be exhausting. If you want, squeeze on a couple of reps at the end of 1-2 sets.

[Overload]

yes, you want to control your muscles, not just move the weight. i do it on everything...i don't hold it for 2 seconds but i squeeze every rep.

[texasRUSH]

makes sense..i squeeze and feel the muscle throughout the movement but I don't squeeze and hold it. Just wondering if it made that big of a difference.  I was watching a rather large dude who is new to the gym workout his back along side me...he was using half the stack with the same movement I was doing but squeeze and holding for a good 2-3 count each rep..and not just that one particular exercise but all of them he did!

[alexxx]

Its like asking if you should or should not squeeze a woman's breast. Jeez Texacrush you need some good old parenting advice. SQUEEEEZE GIRLIE MAN!

[texasRUSH]

thanks coach 

[smaul]

Its like asking if you should or should not squeeze a woman's breast. Jeez Texacrush you need some good old parenting advice. SQUEEEEZE GIRLIE MAN!

I like it when they squeeze 

[WOOO]

Its like asking if you should or should not squeeze a woman's breast. Jeez Texacrush you need some good old parenting advice. SQUEEEEZE GIRLIE MAN!

you mention breasts and parenting advice in the same thought... russian incest instinct?

[WOOO]

yes, you want to control your muscles, not just move the weight. i do it on everything...i don't hold it for 2 seconds but i squeeze every rep.

i tend to pump the first 8-10 ten reps of a set, using goodform but with only a light pause between reps... then i will squeeze the last 2-3 reps

[JPM]

No real logical reason to squeeze, that I'm aware of. A squeeze is a active hold/flex at the contracted position of a exercise. But I would doubt any more positive tension could be applied to the muscle fiber that way. Lot's of '60-'70's BB'ers used that method. I guess if it works for you, it works for you. Good Luck.

[Jr. Franco]

If I don't flex em, I just dont feel like there getting hit as much as they could be, thus resulting in a not so good work out. So queeze that fucken shit man!