Anybody tried Static Contraction Training?

[TheNewSteel]

just wanted to see if anyones tried it and how well it worked for them

[zmatalucci]

nope,,,have you?

[saboudian]

I've really thought about trying it, but haven't yet cuz i'm trying out a different type of program right now. Variation is always good though and i think anyone trying anything new at first should get something out of it, however i don't know how effective a long term program would be, but i will definitely eventually try it out for at least a few weeks.

The one thing i'm confused about is how long your static contraction set should be. I read an article on the net saying you should be just about rdy to drop the weight around 45 seconds and not be able to get to 60 seconds, but then i saw a book on it and it called for failure at about 15 seconds. Hope someone could clear this up for me.

[GetPsycho]

i use static contractions as a shocking method, not necassarily as a routine.

occassionally i will use static contractions on leg extensions, i will rep out heavy with about 8 reps, slightly lower the weight and try to hold it at peak contraction for 30 seconds.

my favortite is seated db side laterals. but you use a drop set at the beginning. it looks like this...
weight is per db
40\30\15 .... 40 x 10, dropped to 30 x 8, dropped to 15 x 30 seconds at peak contraction

* adjust the weights to your ability, this is just an example

[GetPsycho]

more info here (source: www.abcbodybuilding.com - http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magazine03/sculpting.htm)

Extended Peak Contraction: The chisel of muscle shape manipulation

I am an avid believer in static contraction for shaping a muscle. This technique is literally the chisel that chips away at our biological stature.

A static contraction occurs when tension develops, but there is no observed shortening or lengthening of the muscle. Tension is generated in the muscle, but the muscle does not shorten. Isometric means literally "no change in length" and because limb movement does not occur it can also be referred to as static exercise. This type of exercise does not cause much of an increase in oxygen uptake because the high forces generated in the muscle prevent blood from entering or leaving the tissue.

Some various methods of the static theme can be used for shaping a muscle.

1. Basic static contraction at the end of a set. Read more about this concept in a previous issue of HYPERplasia magazine, Use Static Contraction To Make Your Biceps Peak Higher, Shoulders Widen and Quads Separate! Of course, “basic” is a deceiving word to use, because the methods described in that article are down right barbaric.

2. The Static strip method. If I ever compose a dictionary, I’m going to include a picture of a body builder doing a static strip set next to the definition of Torture. Jacob covers this inhuman theme in Static Strips and Opposite Body part Supersetting .

3. Static Super Sets. This technique will give the kind of burn that will take you to the threshold of your pain tolerance! You can read more about this static stun in How To Shock Your Body Out Of The Comfort Zone Part One

4. Static Over Load. I introduced this shock technique in the “8 Weeks to Bull Sized Traps and Neck” workout, and it is without a doubt highly effective for molding a muscle.

To implement this method, begin by pumping the desired region with a higher number or repetitions. I prefer a range of 10-15. Work on strong contractions with each rep as to achieve a solid mind-muscle link and blood pump.

Immediately upon fatigue, select a much heavier weight, hoist it up to its “peaked” position and hold until static failure. This is much easier said than done!

I prefer cables or cable machines for this method for two reasons. The first is the constant tension provided by the pulley apparatus. The second is you will probably have to cheat the weight to hoist it after the higher rep failure. Cheating with cables is much safer and faster.

However you can use free weights as well. As the example I gave in the trap workout lays out.

Using our same example, perform one-handed cable press downs to failure for 15 reps.

Once a strong pump has been achieved, significantly increase the weight and cheat the weight to a peak contracted position, using both momentum and your “free” arm to do so.

Hold the static contraction to failure. This static overload system works like a charm in profiling the most stubborn of areas!

4. Static Range Strain. As you workout with a specific exercise, watch in the mirror and observe where the preferred area you want to shape is exerted hardest. For example, if I was working on shaping the lateral head of my tricep for the sake of my “Most Muscular” pose, I might be more concerned about the half way point of the muscles full contraction.

In this instance the following technique could help pronounce that area of pose.


I also believe that Compartmentalization is the key reason this shock works so well.

Take the exercise to failure and proceed to hold that particular position with as much stress resistance as you possibly can.

Let’s take tricep cable press downs in this example. Work through a typical set to failure. Upon exhaustion, hold the weight statically, at the position of the movement that tenses and strains the area you are looking to shape the hardest.

5. Drop-Level Static Negatives. I covered this concept extensively in How To Shock Your Body Out Of The Comfort Zone Part Two .If you have been struggling with shaping a particular area of your physique then drop-level static negatives are going to be your salvation!

6. Rest-pause static. This is a technique that simply allows you to take any of the above principles to a new level. Taking the “static overload method”, for example, I could go to static overload failure, rest-pause 10-30 seconds and perform another static overload.

If you want unnatural shape, be prepared to do unnatural things! That is an underlying rule for body building, in regards to all aspects of the sport!

Strategy Four-

Combine the first two strategies!!!!

1. Don’t do the same exercise twice!

2. Target the area twice per week and with more volume!

This strategy is only for the insanely dedicated to abnormal proportions.

Step Five:

Fascial Stretching-

Shape and Separation go hand in hand. Fascial stretching literally pulls the muscles apart, creating a new dimension of outline around the besieged muscle. Forcing expansion in the connective tissues surrounding a muscle girdle will add the much needed room for shaping and molding. This is a deadly force in the muscle sculpting equation. President Wilson goes into vivid detail regarding manipulation of this invaluable technique to form eerie separation in his article, Can You Use The Muscle Memory Phenomenon, Without Ever Having The Muscle!?

Step Six:

Pose Down-

Last but not least is the pose down! I recommend posing between all sets and more concentrated posing sessions after your workouts. Between sets concentrate on the pose that you are working to shape the muscle for. After your workout, stretch and pose, stretch and pose, stretch and pose!

Posing has the ability to increase the body’s nervous system adaptation capacity.

As you pose and flex the nervous system calls motor units into action causing the intense contraction of the muscle. The incredible part is that the nervous system has the capability to increase Code Rating! In other words, increasing the rate that electrical impulses are sent to the muscle! This is distinct adaptation that will intensify more and more as practice time is put into posing! Study more about this in The Theorem of Repeated Efforts .

Posing will also increase motor unit recruitment, calling more muscle fibers into action as you flex.

[TheNewSteel]

I've tried it with bench, but with having no spotter I really couldn't push myself all that hard. But still holding up 400+ pounds for 10 seconds then throwing it back on rack feels great especially when i can only physically bench around 250 through a full range.
I've read different things in different places, i've read as little as 5 seconds per set.

[GetPsycho]

it sounds like you are referring to more of a slow TUT rather than static contractions. or in other words, you are just focusing on a slow eccentric portion of the rep. am i correct?

[zmatalucci]

Thanks for the info psycho

[GetPsycho]

more info on the subject (source: http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magaz...ontraction.htm)

Static Contraction
by Jacob Wilson


What are the first two things that you notice about the pros? If asked, I would say that it is their incredible size combined with a separation that is borderline mystical. If you have not already, study a few of Lee Priests black and white photos. His body looks as if it were carved out of pure marble and fashioned by Michael Angelo himself! Each muscle is carefully separated and not one is lacking in detail. He is a living piece of art and a to say that he is a masterpiece would be an understatement.

Obviously, there are several factors involved in creating such magnificence. I believe that one of those, is without a doubt static contraction. Whole books have been written on this very shocking method! This is extremely justifiable, for I do not believe you can achieve a championship physique without it! Now, rather then stop the article here and tell you to dish out 20 to 30 dollars for the book. I have decided to save you those dollars and explain this method through the following article! Heck maybe you can buy yourself 5 pounds worth of whey protein instead!

What is Static Contraction?

Static contraction entails pushing a muscle against resistance into a peak contraction and then maintaining that peak contraction for an extended period of time preferably lasting 5-30 seconds. For example, lets say that I am using the pec deck. When I reach the point in which my arms are touching and I can not contract my chest any further I have reached a peak contraction for this particular exercise.

What Exactly Will Static Contraction do For Me?

A. First you must understand that in order to stimulate hypertrophy ( muscle growth ) you must expose a muscle to intensified muscular contraction. In other words if you do not force your muscles to contact harder or longer than they are used to, they will not grow! Extended Peak Contraction is an excellent way to produce this effect! Simply because our muscles are not accustomed to maintaining a state of peaked contraction for more than a moment. If you keep the muscle peaked for longer than it is used to it will be forced into new growth. It has no choice but to adapt when exposed to a new form of stimulation!

When you normally perform a repetition, tension at some point in the exercise is released or lessened. Perhaps the best growth factor involved in extended peak contraction is that your muscle is stressed the entire time with an incredible amount of tension until it cannot tolerate it any longer! Again the mass gains produced by this stress are as extreme as the shocking method itself!

B. Static Contraction is quite simply put, one of the best ways known to man, to separate, not only each muscle from the other but to actually create separation within a muscle group as well! Have you ever seen one of those biceps that never seemed to stop peaking? Almost as if it were the peak of a mountain gleaming out of the very clouds in the sky! I am also sure that you have seen biceps with mass that lack peak. Simply put, I cannot think of a method better than Static Contraction to give you this much desired peak! If you think about it, the reason why, is easily deduced. When do your biceps rise to their highest point? The answer of course is when you flex them as hard as you can until you cannot contract the muscle any harder. For example a double biceps pose. If you force the muscle to stay in peaked state, under the stress of resistance for a longer time than it is used to, then your peak will climb higher and higher! Its that basic! If you want a biceps peak, you must work on its peak with extreme intensity!

How to apply the Extended Peak Contraction Method to Your Routine!

There are 2 different ways in which I will discuss this advanced training technique. Originally static contraction was meant to be used on its own. Yet it can also be combined in several different ways with your normal sets. Intensifying them in a similar way to forced reps or supersets. It is the latter that I most frequently use. However both are effective and therefore both will be explained in the following paragraphs.
Method Number One, Pure Extended Peak Contraction!

Originally this method of training was meant to be used exclusively for a 6-10 week program. However I would
like to state that I feel this to be counter productive to your overall program. Instead I would prefer that you use
it sparingly and in order to break through a muscular gain plateau. If you use it in this manner then you will
reap great rewards!

What this method entails is for the participant, excluding warm-ups to purely rely, for an entire workout on
extended peak contraction to create hypertrophy in the targeted muscle group.

To best explain this best, I would like to completely outline three separate routines for you. Shall we begin?

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Chest:

A. Barbell Flat Bench Press 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds ) This emphasizes the peak
of the entire chest muscle! I want you to push the weight up to about 2-3 inches before complete lockout! This is
important because if you completely lock out it will take allot of the pressure off of your pecks and place it onto your triceps. When you reach a position about 2 to 3 inches before lockout hold it until failure!

B. Barbell Incline Bench Press 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds )
As before push the weight up to about 2 to three inches before lock out!

C. Machine Fly's 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds )
Unlike the incline and flat bench presses I want you to completely contract your muscles on this exercise! Because
this exercise emphasizes the point in which your chest is fullest and at its peak! Due to the emphasis of this position you should notice allot more fullness in your chest, even when it is relaxed! Allot of people seek out a full and hard chest and this method of training is a big boy in creating this effect!


This is the peak position I want the exercise to be performed in!

Shoulders:

A. Barbell Upright Rows: 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds )
B. Seated Lateral Raises: 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds )

Triceps:

A. Triceps Cable Pressdowns: 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds )

B. One Arm Cable Reverse Pressdowns 1 set on each arm for a total of 30 seconds to failure

How to carry out workout:

As always warm yourself up extremely well! You then need to choose a weight that will cause your muscles
to fail in the targeted range of seconds. When I say fail I mean that you cannot hold that contraction for a second longer! To completely overload your muscles you will need to emphasize the negative portion of the rep.
Which means that when I cannot hold a peak contraction on the bench press any longer I will fight the weight for at least 6 seconds on the negative phase of the repetition! If you do not emphasize the negative then your gains will not
be optimal!

Lifting Speed: Again you are just holding a peak contraction till failure followed by a long and brutal negative repetition!

Rest in Between Sets: Rest about a minute to a minute and a half between sets. Rest Two to three minutes
between muscle groups.

Notes: I know that allot of you are looking for a nicely shaped and peaked pair of pecs! Extended peak
contraction may be the answer to your problems!


Quads and Hamstrings

Quads:

A. Squats 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds ) I want you to go about half to three fourths way to being parallell. So around 45 degrees. Hold this position till failure! This is dangerous and you need to make sure that you are in a great squat rack so that you can set the weight down after you hit failure.

B. Leg Extensions 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 30 seconds, 30 seconds )
I always get a complete peak contraction on my quads in this exercise! While you are in a state of peak contraction,
be sure to squeeze the life out of your quads! Almost as if you were attempting to push your knee past the point of
lock out! Talk about pain!

Hamstrings

A. Lying Leg Curls 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds )
Again curl the weight up untill you get a complete peak contraction and hold it to failure!

B. Standing Leg Curls 1 set on each leg ( 30 seconds to compete failure )
Again squeeze the life out of your hamstrings! Attempt to crush them with brute force!

How to carry out workout:

As always warm yourself up extremely well! You then need to choose a weight that will cause your muscles
to fail in the targeted range of seconds. Now when I say fail I mean that you cannot hold that contraction for a second longer! To completely overload your muscles you will need to emphasize the negative portion of the rep.
So when I cannot hold a peak contraction on the bench press any longer I will fight the weight for at least 6
seconds on the negative phase of the repetition! If you do not emphasize the negative then your gains will not
be optimal!

Lifting Speed: Again you are just holding a peak contraction till failure followed by a long and brutal negative repetition!

Rest in Between Sets: Rest about a minute to a minute and a half between sets. Rest Two to three minutes
between muscle groups.

Notes: Pain! The squats peak contraction is unbelievably painful! Your legs will shake as they have never shook
before! And lets not talk about the next day! You will be crawling out of your bed! For a nicely separated pair of
quads and a peaked and full pair of hamstrings this method again might be your best bet!


Back, Biceps, Forearms

Back:

A. Pullups with hands facing away from you 3 sets to failure

Now notice I did not give you a set time! I want you to pull yourself up to the top of the bar and just hold yourself
there till complete failure in the contracted position! I believe that through this whole program you will have to muster more heart and more fire on this exercise than any other! Your mind will want to quit but you must press
on till failure!

B. Close Grip Chins 3 sets to failure

As before hold the contracted position till you painstakingly reach failure!

Biceps:

A. Two Hand Cable Curls 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds )
Get a complete peak contraction in your biceps and hold till failure.
B. Hammer Curls: 3 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 15 seconds )
This will destroy your forearms and Bracaillis for that 3d look!

Forearm Flexors:

A. Barbell Wrist Curls 2 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, )


Forearm Extensors:

B. Reverse Dumbbell Wrist Curls 2 sets to failure ( 30 seconds, 25 seconds, )

How to carry out workout:

Ok as always warm yourself up extremely well! You then need to choose a weight that will cause your muscles
to fail in the targeted range of seconds. Now when I say fail I mean that you cannot hold that contraction for a second longer! To completely overload your muscles you will need to emphasize the negative portion of the rep.
So when I cannot hold a peak contraction on the bench press any longer I will fight the weight for at least 6
seconds on the negative phase of the repetition! If you do not emphasize the negative then your gains will not
be optimal!

Lifting Speed: Again you are just holding a peak contraction till failure followed by a long and brutal negative repetition!

Rest in Between Sets: Rest about a minute to a minute and a half between sets. Rest Two to three minutes
between muscle groups.

Notes: As I said earlier, you'd better pop a caffeine pill because this workout will take every last drop
of your intensity!


Notes For the Hardcore!:

A. Originally this workout was meant for only singular exercises such as dumbbell flys and leg extensions. I added my own twist and figured out how to use it with compound exercises in order to target more muscle fibers and create a more complete workout!

B. Also originally static contraction was only meant for one exercise per body part and for the exercise to only last 15 seconds. Of course this was not acceptable to me. And I know that since you are a hardcore bodybuilder that it would not be acceptable to you either! Therefore I gave you my enhanced version of a pure static contraction routine!

How I Normally Use This Awesome Shocking Technique!

My goal is always to educate my readers first and for most. That is why I outlined how static contraction was
conceptually meant to be used. And also I feel that it gives you a more complete background on the subject and adds more variety to your workouts! However in my opinion it is much more effective if utilized in a similar fashion to forced reps or super sets. In other words I prefer to intensify a normal working set with this method rather then use it exclusively.

Explanation: The reason I discussed forced reps and supersets was to make a point. When do we use these types of shocking methods? If you said at the end of your set you would be correct. I prefer to use extended peak contraction in a similar fashion. Let me give you a few illustration of what I am talking about:

Legs: Yes I am biased but I cannot think of a better example then using this method on the quadriceps.
Lets say I am doing leg extensions. At the end of my set, when I know that I cannot get another repetition, I will squeeze as hard as I can at the top of the leg extension machine until my body cannot take the pressure of peak contraction anymore and fails. Then of course I will slowly let the weight come down.

Inner Chest: This is a problem area for allot of athletes. If you use a pair of dumbbells you can utilize extended peak contraction to improve your inner chest dramatically! When you come to the end of your set, rather than set the weight down after reaching the top of the movement squeeze the dumbbells together for as long as you can! I am always surprised at just how long I can actually hold the dumbbells in a state of peak contraction even after I have gone to positive repetition failure. I truly believe that this is the number one way to improve your inner chest muscles!

Biceps: I actually use this shocking method every workout for my biceps! When I have reached failure I will cheat out an extra repetition and squeeze and contract my muscles for up to 30 seconds so that my biceps will peak extremely higher!

I can give endless examples but I believe that you now have the concept of extended peak contraction down! And it can be utilized in almost every exercise that we use in our workouts. I.E. Squats, bench etc. etc.

Important!

You can also use this method in a less extreme way. For example you may want your biceps to peak higher. To accomplish this you will want to peak your biceps for at least a hard second at the top of each repetition. The same method can be applied to the leg extension machine squeezing your quads for 1-2 seconds at the top of each repetition. This is actually how I most frequently utilize this shocking method!

Overview

1. When using isolation exercises get a complete contraction in the muscle! Cable curls are a perfect example of this. Make sure that you squeeze as hard as you can at the top until you fail.

2. When using compound exercises like the squat you need to apply constant tension on the muscle group!
For example if you were to just just stand squeezing your legs on the squat then you would never reach failure!
You must go down about 45 degrees and hold this position till failure.

3. When failure is achieved don't just let the weight fall back down! Slowly lower it, taking a full 6 seconds
to accomplish the process.

4. Originally this method of training was meant to be used exclusively. Excluding standard repetition sets.

5. I believe that the original method is effective. However I also believe that it is twice as effective when combined with standard sets. Preferably at or near the end of the set.

Conclusion

The Point of this article is that if you want a muscle to look full and peaked then you are going to
have to emphasize this particular area in the exercise! The point in which your muscles reach their
highest peak!

I cannot stress the importance of this shocking method enough! I truly believe that if you do not, in some way stretch or form implement this method that you will not reach your genetic potential. Your biceps will never peak as high as they could have and your side delts will not cap off as nicely!

If you have any questions feel free to post them in the forums or write me personally. I look forward to hearing
about your new found muscular gains!

Sincerely

Jacob Wilson [email protected]


Copyright 2001 Jacob Wilson and AbcBodybuilding. This material may not be copied, reproduced, or transmitted without the express written permission of the copyright owners.



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© 1998-2001 ABC Bodybuilding Company. All rights reserved. Disclaimer

[GetPsycho]

i have more and more where that came from....

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magaz...aticstrips.htm

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magaz...man%20grow.htm

[TheNewSteel]

I was lifting it off the rack, letting it down a little and holding the weight for a set period of time, then throwing it back on rack. Couldn't push myself because i'd end up with the weight on top of me, lol, and there is no way i am gonna be able to do a situp (what i do when i get stuck on the bench) with that kinda weight on my chest

[saboudian]

Very good reading, I'll have to look at those other links later, but for now i get the idea and concepts behind it.

NewSteel-I would suggest using a cage/power rack.

[TheNewSteel]

thanx for the links

[Warrior]

I have been doing these for delts recently. After some heavy presses I have been supersetting static Lateral Raises with Reverse Flyes. Doing about 40-60 seconds for each movement. I think the time under tension is very helpful for a muscle group like delts since they are recruited so often in day-to-day activities. Static contractions would probably be a good alternative for calves and quads too...

Anyway... you start to shake pretty bad but that is your body trying to recruit more fibers - so you must really focus on form while keep the hold. That way you can totally bash all the fibers of the intended muscle group = GROWTH!

[realityarts]

I use S.C. for my last rep. I watched a video from Tony Robbins that goes over it in detail. It is pretty interesting...

[usualsuspect]

Flat out, I tried and didn't like it. Like warrior said, Static contraction training may have promise for certain muscle groups such as delts and maybe calves, but there is NO way I would supplement for core muscle group exercises as squats, deads, and bench pressing. IMO this type of training belongs in the class for those on a limited time schedule with few if any hrs to devote in the gym. I'll even go as for as saying its not much better then a resistance style training workout. Lol bowflex comes to mind.

[realityarts]

Flat out, I tried and didn't like it. Like warrior said, Static contraction training may have promise for certain muscle groups such as delts and maybe calves, but there is NO way I would supplement for core muscle group exercises as squats, deads, and bench pressing. IMO this type of training belongs in the class for those on a limited time schedule with few if any hrs to devote in the gym. I'll even go as for as saying its not much better then a resistance style training workout. Lol bowflex comes to mind.

Good point on the calves and such. I suppose if this really worked, more people would definitely be doing it.

I will say that it promises a lot less impact on joints - this is especially attractive to older people and others with joint problems.

[bornbad71]

Like warrior I like static contractions for delts. I also like mass contractions but that's another story. There's an article about static cont. in m&f sept. 03 pg. 156.

[spywizard]

I love static lifting.. use a rack machine (no spotter needed) keep the pegs so that you only actually lift the weight off the pegs.. Hold for up to 15 seconds.. if you get there next week add 90 more lbs..

The real secret is you do i warm up with about 30% of the weight you are going to do.. just to get the muscle thinking.. (actually to make your head get in the game.. )

The real secret is you will work out that body part only 1 time per week at the most.... say it again.. give your self time to recover..

after 2 months go back to your normal routine.. your old 1x max will be about 75% of your new max..

have fun be safe.

[gjh]

Has anyone tried these? Any opinions.

http://www.explosivefitness.com/XFMain2.htm

gjh