Re: Starting-strength vs Acceleration-strength??

[Guest guest]

---

Hi Randy!

Starting strength is what you need to have a powerful first step out

of the blocks. Kind of like starting a bench press from a dead stop.

Acceleration strength is the force needed to quickly get up to top

speed. This follows starting strength.

I agree that some of the eastern european descriptions are confusing

to westerners.

Best wishes!

Dan Wathen, Youngstown (OH) State University, USA.

In Supertraining , " john_prophet_strength "

wrote:

>

> In Chapter 2 of the book " Fundamentals of Special Strength Training

> in Sport " , by Verkhoshansky, he gets into great detail about the

> different types of strengths.

>

> For example he says:

>

> " Thus, the working effect of an athletic movement, executed with

> maximal volitional tension, is determined to a greater or a lesser

> degree by the four qualitative special-strength abilities: absolute-

> strength (Po), starting-strength (Q), acceleration-strength (G) and

> the absolute speed of muscular contraction (Vo). "

>

> He goes on to describe which types of strength are used in different

> types of movements. So I am trying to figure which types are used in

> the different powerlifts.

>

> But then he says this confusing thing. Help me make sense of this.

>

> " Starting-strength is the ability to quickly develop force at the

> initial moments of tension. Acceleration-strength is the ability to

> quickly build up working force at the beginning of contraction. "

>

>

> To me that sounds like the same thing, so what is the difference

> between " the initial moments of tension " and " at the beginning of

> contraction " ?

>

>

> Thanks, Randy

> Danville, Va

>

[Guest guest]

> Verhoshansky notes that " the higher the level to which starting-strength is

> developed, the faster the acceleration-strength can be realized. "

>

A very good post. I only wish to add that I think the confusion exists

primarily in that starting strength at the moment of rest prior to movement of

the external object is of course the first moment of acceleration. If the

object were not acelerated from rest, it would never move. This is just an

example of acceleration at a moment of non-motion. The turn around at the top

of a vertical trajectory is a moment of acceleration when the body is

instantaneously at rest, of course, because the acceleration (not speed) of

gravity is constantly 9.8 m/sec/sec. Other examples include the moment of model

rocket lift off (although the rocket's burn period is more likely an example of

accelerated acceleration or a " jerk " ), the instant of " dropping the hammer " or

" dumping the clutch " when the lights go green and instants of two body

collisions.

Maintaining an accelerating force while the object picks up velocity (speed) is

then what is termed acceleration-strength.

As far as the object being accelerated is concerned, both the starting instant

and the following period of unbalanced force application under motion are

acceleration states. But the ability of the human body to generate applied

force (strength) under the dissimilarities of movement and non-movemnt and

accelerated (or even " jerked " ?) movement will vary. These various abilities

are

what we hope to be able to train differentially as the need arises in sport.

Cheers,

Boardman

Chicago

[Guest guest]

" Starting-strength is the ability to quickly develop force at the

initial moments of tension. Acceleration-strength is the ability to

quickly build up working force at the beginning of contraction. "

Starting strength is always developed under isometric conditions -

acceleration strength is building up to maximal force under dynamic

conditions.

As a powerlifter I think you need to develop all the strength

qualities you listed with the exception of absolute speed of muscle

contraction - that is generally defined as the ability to move a limb

at top speed under unloaded conditions, or with a very light load, so

it's pretty much on the opposite end of the force spectrum from what

you're training for.

Pat son

Bridgewater, MA

USA

[Guest guest]

Hi Randy,

Hatfield explains it as starting-strength being like turning on the lights in a

room. You flip the switch and bam, they pop on.

Hatfield's explains acceleration-strength as the lights remain on once the light

switch is flipped. Hatfield explains it on in his ISSA Personal Training video.

This information is presented in his article, " A Fresh Look At Strength. "

[http://drsquat.com/index.cfm?action=viewarticle & articleID=6]

Hatfield also differentiates starting-strength and acceleration-strength as

follows (Fitness The Complete Guide/ISSA/page 105-106)

" Starting Strength: Your ability to " turn on " (or recruit) as many muscle fibers

(muscle cells) as possible instantaneously, firinig a 100 mph fastball requires

tremendoous starting strength, so does each footfall in a 100 meter sprint, or

throwing a quick knockout puhch in boxing.

Explosive Strength: Once your muscle fibers are truned on, your ability to LEAVE

them turned on for a measurable period is referred to as " explosiveness. " A

football lineman pushing his opponent, or a shot putter " putting " the shot as

for as possible are examples of explosiveness. "

In the Fundamentals of Special Strength (fantastic book), Verkhoshansky break

the training protocol down. Starting-strength best being developed with

movements in which lighter loads are used, 20-40% of one's max.

Acceleration-strength being evoked with moderate loads, 60-80% of one's max.

(Fundamentals of Special Strength/page 61)

Verkhoshansky goes on to state, the lighter the load is the more

starting-strength is called into play. " With a large resistance (more than 60%

of PO...PO being absolute strength) the impulse force securing the working

movement is developed primarily by acceleration and absolute-strength. "

(Fundamentals/pages 65-66)

Verhoshansky notes that " the higher the level to which starting-strength is

developed, the faster the acceleration-strength can be realized. "

Thus, my understanding (which may be over simplified) is that starting-strength

is like first gear and acceleration-strength like second gear on a car. The

gear is smaller for first gear and larger for second gear. Each gear having a

different job.

Starting-strength (first gear) initiates the movemovement, so to speak. You wil

produce more speed in first gear than second, from the start postion. You can't

leave your car in first gear and expect to win any race. Nor can you win a

race by putting you car in second gear and leaving it there...you'll have a very

sluggish start.

Acceleration-strength (second gear) allows you to continue to accelerate. Once

you have drained all the speed you can out of first gear you immediate shift to

second gear.

Kenny Croxdale

Orange, CA

[Guest guest]

Starting Strength:

ability of muscles to develop force at the beginning of the working

contraction before external movement occurs.

(Siff, Supertraining)

growing force up to the magnitude of resistance over time.

(Medvedyev - Multi-Year Training of Weightlifters)

So you can see starting strength is definitely an isometric

phenomenon. seems to have it right, I'll just have to read his

post again because it was pretty technical. Starting strength is the

build up of force via initial motor unit recruitment - training with

the low %'s like Kenny wrote about would be wise because you would be

training your neuromuscular system for great rate of force

development (RFD).

Acceleration Strength:

ability over time to quickly achieve maximal external force while

developing muscle tension isometrically or at the beginning of a

dynamic contraction. (Siff, Supertraining)

increase in force up to 100% of the resistance

(Medvedyev)

From here we can see that Kenny appears to be right with his

description of starting strength being like first gear, and

acceleration being second gear - even though both can occur under

isometric conditions.

From what I remember reading about these two strength qualities in

Supertraining, I think Mel was alluding to the idea that these are

the most important strength qualities to develop for improving speed.

Pat son

Bridgewater, MA

USA