Re: Muscle Confusion

[Guest guest]

<< Am I the only person doing BFL in The UK? >>

Looks like you are the UK representative on these boards at least. Yay Rule

Brittania. Leaner.

[Guest guest]

Lucy,

I believe Bill says to keep your workouts the same for the 12 weeks but I

know some folks change at around week 6. The personal trainer I hired for my

first challenge had me doing the same workout throughout my 12 week

challenge. I was making progress each week so " why fix it if it ain't

broke? "

~Laury

[Guest guest]

There seems to be a lot of debate on the concept of muscle confusion.  I suppose

in some peoples minds that periodization is a form of muscle confusion.

My question for the group is have there been any definative studies that prove

or disprove the validity of using the concept of muscle confusion.  Notice that

I did not define muscle confusion?  I don't have a good definition, but

understand it involves very frequent changes to ones workout (exercise choices,

reps, resistance levels, volume....).

The PX-90 program touts muscle confusion as the key to avoiding plateaus and

making continuous improvement. 

People that train HIT style say just the opposite.  They say stay with the same

basic exercises and be persistent and gradually increase your weights.  They

feel that your gains come from persistently using the same exercises.  They

don't even believe in any form of periodization.

What do you think? 

Thanks,

Ed White

Sandwich, MA USA

[Guest guest]

From a non scientists point of view, taking into consideration the principal

of specificity of training and, thinking, the principal is defined to the

point of, when performing a movement, that particular movement course,

involving the muscles that make that movement possible, are only trained in

that exact way,in that exact course, it stands to reason that as many angles

of exercise targeting a muscle has to be performed in order to attempt to

train the targeted muscle as much as allowed by the limitations of the

principal of specificity of training?

GPP?

Before I get hammered, this is an off the cuff questioning statement

hopefully sparking the thoughts of those who read it.

Carson Wood.

Westbrook, ME USA. .

Re: Muscle Confusion

There seems to be a lot of debate on the concept of muscle confusion. I

suppose in some peoples minds that periodization is a form of muscle

confusion.

My question for the group is have there been any definative studies that

prove or disprove the validity of using the concept of muscle confusion.

Notice that I did not define muscle confusion? I don't have a good

definition, but understand it involves very frequent changes to ones workout

(exercise choices, reps, resistance levels, volume....).

The PX-90 program touts muscle confusion as the key to avoiding plateaus and

making continuous improvement.

People that train HIT style say just the opposite. They say stay with the

same basic exercises and be persistent and gradually increase your weights.

They feel that your gains come from persistently using the same exercises.

They don't even believe in any form of periodization.

What do you think?

===========================

[Guest guest]

I have always been confused by the term muscle confusion. I get the feeling

that it is the athlete who becomes confused and not the muscle. The muscles

(and all the supporting components including nervous system) only react and

adapt to the stimulus applied and not the method.

Perhaps some one can enlighten my confusion as to the scientific explanation (

if there is any) for the purpose and results of muscle confusion.

Ralph Giarnella MD

Southington Ct USA

________________________________

From: Carson Wood <cwood1@...>

Supertraining

Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2009 11:38:23 AM

Subject: Re: Muscle Confusion

From a non scientists point of view, taking into consideration the principal

of specificity of training and, thinking, the principal is defined to the

point of, when performing a movement, that particular movement course,

involving the muscles that make that movement possible, are only trained in

that exact way,in that exact course, it stands to reason that as many angles

of exercise targeting a muscle has to be performed in order to attempt to

train the targeted muscle as much as allowed by the limitations of the

principal of specificity of training?

GPP?

Before I get hammered, this is an off the cuff questioning statement

hopefully sparking the thoughts of those who read it.

Carson Wood.

Westbrook, ME USA. .

Re: Muscle Confusion

There seems to be a lot of debate on the concept of muscle confusion. I

suppose in some peoples minds that periodization is a form of muscle

confusion.

My question for the group is have there been any definative studies that

prove or disprove the validity of using the concept of muscle confusion.

Notice that I did not define muscle confusion? I don't have a good

definition, but understand it involves very frequent changes to ones workout

(exercise choices, reps, resistance levels, volume....).

The PX-90 program touts muscle confusion as the key to avoiding plateaus and

making continuous improvement.

People that train HIT style say just the opposite. They say stay with the

same basic exercises and be persistent and gradually increase your weights.

They feel that your gains come from persistently using the same exercises.

They don't even believe in any form of periodization.

What do you think?

============ ========= ======

[Guest guest]

Colleagues,

I think we need to take these old Weider principles with a grain of salt. Most

of them (including this one) had elements of truth to them along with elements

of nonsense.

The truthful aspect: planned variation in the means and the methods of training

is a good idea. That's the essence of periodization.

In my opinion, the notion of confusing a muscle is where the nonsense starts.

Regards,

Plisk

Excelsior Sports •Shelton CT

www.excelsiorsports.com

Prepare To Be A Champion!

[Guest guest]

> Re: Muscle Confusion

>

>

> There seems to be a lot of debate on the concept of muscle confusion. I

> suppose in some peoples minds that periodization is a form of muscle

> confusion.

>

> My question for the group is have there been any definative studies that

> prove or disprove the validity of using the concept of muscle confusion.

> Notice that I did not define muscle confusion? I don't have a good

> definition, but understand it involves very frequent changes to ones workout

> (exercise choices, reps, resistance levels, volume....).

>

> The PX-90 program touts muscle confusion as the key to avoiding plateaus and

> making continuous improvement.

>

> People that train HIT style say just the opposite. They say stay with the

> same basic exercises and be persistent and gradually increase your weights.

> They feel that your gains come from persistently using the same exercises.

> They don't even believe in any form of periodization.

>

> What do you think?

>

> ===========================

*******

The late Dr Siff wrote:

Training variation cannot be discussed adequately if we think in terms of muscle

action alone. Training variation may be discussed more thoroughly if we draw on

the early work of neuroscientist Norbert Wiener and regard the body as a

self-regulating cybernetic (control and communication) system.

This enables us to formulate an information processing of systems model of

physical training in which the central nervous. system processes input

information associated with the neuromuscular system. This information is

derived from our conscious thoughts and our senses, with a particularly heavy

emphasis on the kinesthetic sense. Input reaches our central nervous system from

transducers such as the eyes and mechanoreceptors (e.g., proprioceptors, touch

and pressure receptors of the skin, stretch receptors of the lungs). Output is

in the form of muscle action. Continuous monitoring and control of muscle action

takes place via numerous feedback loops in the body. All the processing involved

produces learning, and it is this phenomenom that has to be discussed when

training variation is discussed...Appropriate variatio0n therefoire is necessary

to enrich the development of the neuromuscular system. Variation can be used to

sustain sufficient neuromuscular stimulation and psychological motivation.

The principle of gradual overload must be reformulated to mean progressive

neuromuscular overload, where variation is one means of facilitating

overloading. The bodybuilding emphasis on hypertrophy obscures the vital

principle that muscle growth and performance are determined primarily by

neuromuscular overload and not by steroid ingestion. How else is it possible to

explain the continual increase in strength of weightlifters who remain for years

the same mass? I am convinced that major increases in performance and

hypertrophy will occur when we learn how to modulate predictably and safely the

inhibitory neuromuscular processes, both to increase overload and to enhance the

rate of recovery....

Variation may be introduced into exercise not only by changing biomechanical

efficiency of a particular muscle group, but also by varying speed of movement,

the acceleration over any range, starting position, ending position, range of

movement, type of muscle contraction (isometric, concentric, eccentric),

sequence of exercises, orientation of hands or feet (internal/external rotation,

pronation/supination, spacing), use of different apparatus (e,g., dumbbell

versus barbell, free weight versus pulleys or machines), number of repetitions,

alternation of electrostimulation with weights exercise, use of ballistic versus

co contraction processes, performance of exercise in time to music versus

exercising without music, performing exercise with eyes open ami closed, varying

the extent to which the lungs are inflated during each exercise, changing head

and eye position, training with and without a belt, wraps or straps and changing

the rest periods between repetitions and sets.

Variations should be used to enhance efficiency, to improve safety and avoid

overtraining, to facilitate progressive neuromuscular overload, to rehabilitate

injuries or to assist an athlete through periods of physical or mental

stagnation or

stress.

===============================

Carruthers

Wakefield, UK