OK - I have to go to work...so I don't have the time to answer in detail...
I agree with Disgusted in - Silvio's legs COULD BE leaner...and we are working on it...
Today's workout we might put on tape...it is going to be BRUTAL...
Now as far as the exercises - it is super important HOW someone does particular exercise and I will share one of my posts from my board - which touches the subject that I want to discuss (OK - it was different debate - but nevertheless I hope that some will see my point
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Milos Sarcev
Re: Close-Grip Bench Press, Milos you said..
« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2007, 10:35:16 AM »
Quote from: Abbas Ali on April 01, 2007, 08:51:02 AM
One cannot change the shape of the muscle by changing the grip-
Shape of the muscle is predetermined by your genetics, if i want wider chest like Arnold i cant take a wider grip for my presses to get that look, i can only add lean muscle with right training, nutrition and rest and look presentable with less body fat% period. show me one pro bodybuilder who had changed his/her shape by doing concentration curls for bicep peak or super wide grip pull downs for ultra wide back etc... show be any before and after pics....
I absolutely and completely disagree with this statement.
One COULD very much change the shape of the muscle by changing the grips and angles of the various exercises carefully chosen to stimulate recruitment of different muscle fibers...
I don't know too many people who are in complete control over their muscles...
Once they are able to honesly fire up any particular muscle in isolation (without recruiting surrounding, assisting and complimentary muscles to particular one that we are trying to "fire up") - than and only than people will realize how possible really is to CHOOSE which muscle or part of the muscle will work throughout different exercises....
I've told (many times) the story about old gymnast (never knew his name) whom I met in Yugoslavia back in 1983-1985 (?)...I think.
Guy was about 60 years old and doing wide grip pull ups - like it is easiest thing to do...
I was impressed watching him do about 50 reps so effortlessly - that I just had to go and ask him how he does it?
First thing is he told me - well, I know how to switch muscles which I am using during any exercise...so when one gets tired I start using another...and another...(supporting or secondary movers for that particular exercise....) and in the mean time I can rest my primary mover....so after few reps using other muscles I can switch back to my initial - primary mover...and so on...
I had no idea what the hell was he talking about...but I said "aha" like I understand...and like I am doing the same thing myself...
He smiled and said: "You have no idea what I just said?"....and I just had to agree: " Well, no I don't."...
So he asked me another thing: "Can you, at will...like right now contract any muscle on your body..." and just when I was proudly going to say "off course"...he continued with: "WITHOUT contracting any assisting muscle...rather ANY OTHER MUSCLE but the one I ask you to?"
I looked at him and he said: " OK, let's start with the easy one: squeeze your left peck."
I immediately tried but both of my pecs fired....so I had to start focusing and I managed to squeeze only my left peck independently from the right one..."
"GOOD" he said.
"Now squeeze only right rear delt."
I tried but my complete delt region (front/side/rear) got involved....
"No, no, no...I want only REAR PORTION of the delt - common..."
And as I couldn't really do it - he demonstrated to me...and than he showed me so many other individually contracted muscles - that I started realizing....of course this man has mastered MIND-MUSCLE CONNECTION to the highest degree.
So he jumped on vertical bar and started pumping wide grip pull-ups behind the neck - with full range of motion - all the way down and up - so his neck would almost touch the vertical bar...
All of you who know this exercise will attest how hard is to do 10 reps in perfect form....well he was doing so effortlessly - it was enlightening to see "super-grandpa" (If he had some cloth I would wonder if he had Superman outfit under it...).
As he was doing it he would name the muscle which he uses at the moment and he did 100 reps...and on the 100th rep he "glued his neck to the vertical bar" (static contraction) and held it for 10-15 seconds just to finish his sentence and than he lowered himself, swinged few times before releasing himself into one of those "gymnastic jumps" often seen at competitions - landing perfectly on both feet and raising his hands (as gymnasts do during the competition).
I was - speechless....
"OK my boy...I got to leave...and BTW - what's your name?"
As he was putting his shirt on (in little gym I trained in Novi Sad) it was like a sauna...so most of the guys trained shirtless...(which I hated as I had to wipe-off the benches every time when it is my turn ....but anyway...)
As Super-grandpa was opening the door he actually already managed to put one cigarette in his mouth (waiting to leave the room before he lights it up... )...but he told me once again: "practice...and if you learn how to control each and every muscle - you could build a masterpiece..."
Than he said something that was so familiar for me - as I've heard it from my father numerous times: "EVERYTHING IS IN YOUR MIND"
And he continued with: "BTW, kid...you have pretty good body already - don't just pack muscle on top of the muscle without any order...Build first what you need the most to balance everything out..."
Needless to say - first thing I did after he left was - trying to get that rear delt to fire independently of any other muscle...looking in the mirror and getting frustrated ...until I started getting a feeling....
This is also one of my "secrets" for years when I was challenging some guys who can do more reps with certain amount of weight...
I did it to Sonny so many times...(to encourage him to train harder...). There was the times I only trained him (and his partner Brad) and asked him to do certain amount of reps...After I would tell him to do...like 15 reps on something and if he complained - I would than tell him: "OK...tell me how many reps you want me to do - and I'll do it - regardless of what you ask...
And I want you to ask me something that you think there is NO WAY IN HELL that I can do it..."
I remember once he said 58 (Gold's in Diego...1993) and it was leg day...hack squats...
After he and his partner could not finish 15 reps - I did 58...and I wasn't even warmed-up...
I saw Sonny so mad at first...but than as I finished he was so impressed and with both eyes wide open he would say: "man...how can you do that?"
I only said: "It is all in your mind" (without telling him that I was constantly switching the muscles I was using throughout the set...)
I did he same once with ALQ Gurley and Flex - in Hong Kong...we were going to train legs and they were teasing me that I am "pretty boy" with no strength (both comments being insults at the time) - so I told them that whatever they do together - I'll do it myself alone...
So if Flex would do 13 reps and Alq 15 - I would do 28....and I did this in each and every exercise - JUST TO PROVE THE POINT....
OK, without trying to "glorify" myself - I am telling you this to explain most important thing in lifting: FEELING THE MUSCLE WORKING....
And it is much more than mind-muscle connection as that term is being used so lightly (or maybe I should say - it is different levels of that "connection"
Once you master it and start feeling EVERY MUSCLE...you will realize how to recruit whichever fibers you want...
So, in this instance if someone is really skilled - and use CLOSE GRIP benches to stimulate INNER PORTION of the chest...or EXTREMELY WIDE for OUTER PORTION - do exclusively this exercise in your chest training and make sure you use technique, program, load (amount of weight) and intensity that WILL make you sore...
If you do it correctly - you'll notice "different" soreness in your chest - and instead of overall soreness - if you painfully hard touch your chest from inside - out (or vice versa) you will notice which part is CONSIDERABLY more painfull (sore)...
For people that train and never get sore - my suggestion (IF THEY REALLY NEED TO BE CONVINCED) is to stop training chest for couple of weeks and THAN train exclusively for part they want the most - with intensity which will bring soreness (stimulation has to be adequate...and if not sufficient - you might not even get sore...thus - you will not be able to conclude what you are testing...)
And BTW - I choose not to give "scientific" explanation...I find that most of the people I train responded better when I tell them these kinds of stories rather than anatomic lesson and terminology used in exercise physiology...
However, one of my goals IS to exactly do something of that nature: to make bodybuilding exercise physiology encyclopedia - where I would illustrate and demonstrate many "little details" that average trainee just doesn't think about it.
