Muscle Training

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Muscles are designed to allow movement. However, we tend to train only muscles and not movement. Think of a variable resistance machine, where you’re affixed in a particular position, training a specific muscle group.

Although muscle isolation is valuable and is used in this training repertoire, it shouldn’t be the only type of training that should be, performed. Why?

Because movement is equally, if not more, important in the functional development of the human body. If our only purpose was to sit and flex our biceps, training would be simple and designing training programs would be even less, complex. However, we move: we’re designed for that, and within our wonderful bodies lies such laws, such as Newton’s third law, which states “ for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This can be observed as muscles contract both concentrically and eccentrically simultaneously to oppose an existing force.

They oftentimes contract, isometrically on that same force.

Simply stated, lifting a barbell requires positive forces to push the weight upward, negative forces from antagonist muscles (opposing muscles) to stabilize the weight through fluid movement, and/or lowering the weight, or when we reach a “sticking point” and the weight is momentarily, stationary (isometric contraction.)

Let’s not get too caught up in terminology, however. Instead, let’s look at why variation in all phases of contraction will allow for enhanced neuro-muscular facilitation and greater size, strength, speed and power gains!