Group: Experienced Exercise

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 50, Messages: 19484

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Static Contraction Training

docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2008/11/07, 06:59 PM
I know that there have been several posts about this in the past but the newest I could find was 3 years old so I thought I'd start a new one. Was wondering if anyone has tested this out at all on their own? I read Static Contraction Training by Peter Sisco and John R. Little and the science behind it appears to stand up. They've done some tests with it but you never know how accurate those really are so I'd like someone on here who's actually done it to tell me if they've had any results? If not then I will be taking the next 3 months and working with it and will post my personal results for you all.

Thanks in advance for any replies to this post!
docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2008/11/10, 12:15 PM
Alright, haven't received any replies on this so I'm starting my own program today. So here's my stats and I'll try and update this weekly to keep you all in the loop.
Shoulders-45"
bicep-13"
waist-35.5"(hopefully this goes down...)
forearm-11"
and i weigh 169 lbs, all of these measurements were taken yesterday morning when i woke up, according to the NASM taping measurements I'm about 21% body fat.
I started the routine today my weights are as follows
leg press-410lbs for 30 seconds(need to up this weight significantly to get down to 5 seconds)
lat pull- 200lbs for 15 seconds, going to up this next week as well
Close grip bench-245lbs 15 seconds
cable curl(one armed)-70lbs for 15 seconds
Whenever I get to 15 seconds I plan on upping my weight about 5-10%. Still figuring out what I can do for which body parts as I'm used to doing 5 sets of 3-5 reps for the bigger muscle groups. I'll keep you all posted

Ren
merrillj
merrillj
Posts: 197
Joined: 2007/06/28
United States
2008/11/11, 06:55 AM
^^ my post. I timed out I guess.
merrillj
merrillj
Posts: 197
Joined: 2007/06/28
United States
2008/11/11, 07:25 AM
That should read Bruce Lee's 1 inch punch, not 3 inch punch.
docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2008/11/11, 07:07 PM
I'm not by any means a beginner, I'm actually working on becoming a trainer right now haha I know that static contraction training isn't what NASM recommends but I figured i'd give it a shot. Is there actually any science saying that it doesn't work or have you tried it at all? Just curious
merrillj
merrillj
Posts: 197
Joined: 2007/06/28
United States
2008/11/12, 12:23 AM
If you are doing it for research purposes then try it. All of the documents I have read by strength coaches and researchers make no mention of static contraction training so I don't know if there is an official statement regarding its usefulness. They do not promote it though. I gave it a brief try years ago and all it gave me was sore tendons.
docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2008/11/12, 01:35 AM
how long did you try it for?
merrillj
merrillj
Posts: 197
Joined: 2007/06/28
United States
2008/11/12, 03:34 AM
I don't recall exactly how long. This was when I was 17 and I am now 32. Heavy negatives were also quite tough on joints and should be used sparingly if at all.
docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2008/11/12, 12:10 PM
Maybe I'll just experiment with 10 second long reps instead? 4 seconds up and 6 down, I've done those before(back in high school) and had GREAT results with those. I'm looking for something really high intensity, but these static contraction lifts are just tearing my wrists apart already and i've only done it twice so far =/
merrillj
merrillj
Posts: 197
Joined: 2007/06/28
United States
2008/11/12, 12:53 PM
I don't know what you mean by high intensity, but it doesn't get much more intense than really heavy barbell squatting and deadlifting.
docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2008/11/12, 01:30 PM
Well I get more of a burn from longer reps is what I mean. Just feel like I get more out of my time in the gym. But I do love squats, deadlifts, and cleans. Cleans are BRUTAL.
docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2008/11/22, 06:08 PM
So I decided to try out the static contraction training for another week, I measured myself tonight(i wanted to do it at about the same time I did last time to keep things as accurate as possible) I now weigh 175 lbs, my waist is 35", bicep 13.5, forearm 11.5, which puts me at 19% body fat approximately. So in two weeks I gained 9 lbs of lean mass and lost 2 lbs of fat approximately. I'm going to continue this experiment for another 10 weeks to make it an even 3 months. I'll keep you all updated on my progress. I think that probably part of my gains/losses are due to eating a little cleaner and maybe a little due to the fact that taping isn't the most accurate measure of body fat. But regardless of that it's still a good gain and loss. I didn't even think it was possible to make gains so quickly.
docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2008/11/23, 10:59 PM
I'd like to add to my previous post, I woke up this morning and weighed 173 lbs, so I think that the extra two lbs was probably water weight. Sorry about that
Aoraki
Aoraki
Posts: 4
Joined: 2010/12/28
United Kingdom
2010/12/28, 11:50 AM
Hi

I know this topic is old... I hope some of you are out there still.. docksideguy.. and update...it has been two years lol. NOw i write on this post as i've recently read about statit contraction and first thing that sprang to mind was the collosol weight people would need to lift. I've seena youtube vid of a guy with 40plus huge plates on a leg squat! That can't be safe or good for joints.

Now i've been thinking about this and what has sprung to mind is that in static contraction you hold the weight at the point of greatest strength.. so in bench press this is about 2-4 inches from lockout. Now this is the greatest point of strength because leverage is not working against you... arms almost straight. So why not do this same technique at greatest point of weekness bar just above chest. Surely then when leaverage is fighting against you it adds to the effect of extra weight applied to the muscle, thus you need to load the bar with far far less. I'm assuming that the muscle will contract the same at any point of it's stretch and the workout will be the same.

I tried this today... normals static con.. at full strength point.. could hold well over 100KG.. could get no where near enough weight on the bar and i'm a gibbon with huge long arms that make benching hard work.

Then i tried the same holding the bar just above the chest.. pecs and triceps in maximum extension.. 55kg was all i could manage for a ten second static lift! And boy did i feel it. Sadly also couldn't get the bar back up to the rest, but thankfully predicted that and had left the collars off so could tip it and let the weight slide off each end. Not good practice though.. so will need a lower rest.

Anyway what are peoples thoughts on this adaptation to static contraction..?

Im going to experiment and keep my posts on here...

measurement is as follows...

bicep 37.5 cm

chest 111cm

weight... unkonwn havent owned scales in years!
Aoraki
Aoraki
Posts: 4
Joined: 2010/12/28
United Kingdom
2010/12/28, 11:52 AM
Please excuse my terrible spelling in the last...

Also I am a complete novice at this again... used to train lots, but that was 15 years ago. now 34 years old.

So I'm sure people could give me lots of pointers!
docksideguy05
docksideguy05
Posts: 90
Joined: 2008/05/15
United States
2010/12/29, 01:00 PM
Sorry it's been awhile since I checked in, life kind of got in the way of my training. The reason you hold a max amount of weight at your strongest point is because then you use ALL of your muscle fibers. I'm not sure whether or not you'd use all of your muscle fibers at a weak point but having the weight at your strongest point makes the movement safer because at the strongest point you're less likely to injure yourself. The area where people typically get hurt is the weak point of the lift.
Aoraki
Aoraki
Posts: 4
Joined: 2010/12/28
United Kingdom
2011/07/14, 04:04 PM
Hello

Been ages since i wrote anything here, havent had the time.. but i have been training. Apart from feb- april.. bad virus thing.. took loads of us out of the gym for a while!

Static contraction was folllowed for 6 weeks, no real improvement in size.. clearly doesn't workj for me. instead i ve tried wave training....
Do three sets of:

1 lift (90% of 1 rep max)

3 mins rest

8-10 lifts (80% 0f 1 rep max)

And it works brilliantly... the first heavy lift tricks you body into thinking it gonna get a real session... so it activates all your central nevous system... but then you drop the weight to 80% and the weight feels incredibly light and you can do more than you normally would.

Without wave traning... pressing 80% of 1 rep max would normally result in 4-5 reps.

With wave traning... (90% wait 3 mins then 80%) I can do 9 reps on the 80% lift!

But also change your traning type... dont stick to anything for more than 6 weeks, and evry session do a random exercise you dont normally do. It keeps shocking your body in to growth and avoids stagnantion.

IM now moving onto 12x4.... 12 reps every time.. for 4 sets...

intially use a weight that enables the first set to be an easy 12, the second a more tricky 12 the third perhaps 10, the last around 8-9 reps. once you can do 12 easily for 4 sets, move up the weight. Never do more than 12 reps each time.. as it's easy to keep track of progression if you just stick to thius number... this will not build much weight, but will bulk out alot... it builds lots of blood vessels as give a great pump and will increase size quickly.

Im also giving my legs a great train and doing some whole body moves too such as dumbell clean and press... all good for triggering growth... testosterone etc.

Measurements now

bicep: 39cm

Chest/back 114cm


Hope this helps anyone reading to get some more ideas... there is so much dogma out there!!

Thanks for your reply dockside guy.