Advanced Max Contraction Training by Little

[Guest guest]

I just finished this short book and like its principles.

It mimics isometrics, even citing Muller, and it also mimics

negatives, but only allows very little movement.

Here's the " Omega " workout: (it requires at least one partner

and Nautilus type machines)

- Put muscle to be trained at its most contracted position.

- Apply resistance/load which cannot be held for more than

a second.

- As soon as the resistance moves even a few centimeters

(ideally a quarter of a second, if someone's timing),

partner(s) halts the movement and returns load so that muscle

is back to most contracted position.

- Repeat 3 more times.

Rest for a week.

If workouts are such that loads are already really heavy, then

split the routine so that only one-third of the body is worked

out each week.

I haven't read the previous book (not yet " Advanced " ) but from

what I could gather, it was the same workout but with a load

that can be held for 1 to 6 seconds.

Supposedly, the rationale for working out with the muscle at its

most contracted state is because it is at this position that all

the four types of muscle fibers will be recruited when a load is

applied. This is somewhat contrary to the concept that strength

development and transfer over the full range of movement for

isometrics is greatest when the muscle is near its longest during

contraction.

The 7-day workout interval is also intriguing (3 days minimum for

beginners, but all the way up to 2 weeks for advanced). As we

should all know, exercise is only the stimulus. Growth and strength

gains occur during the rest period. But this is really a blast --

workouts only once a week? and each not even lasting half an hour?

If isometric exercises can similarly drain a muscle, we would be

doing four successive maximal contractions for each muscle group

and rest the rest of the week!

Of course, this is all for muscle mass and strength building. At

my age (50), I prefer something I could do every day. Maybe I

would try using a modified form with the BW once a week -- for

each exercise I do four successive maximal contractions held for

up to six seconds.

The book does present something different, and it's a good read.

Gerry