warriors

1)What is hyperplasia?

Very little is known about hyperplasia. Hyperplasia is the splitting of muscle fibers. There has been testing done with animals such as cats(and rats) that have shown muscle fiber splitting. These cats where subjected to heavy resistance training for a prolong period of time. It has also been noted that many Russian scientist have conclusively came to the finding that muscular mass is not only through hypertrophy of muscle fibers (enlarging) but also as an increase in fiber number by means of splitting into smaller sections. It has also been documented that satellite cells, which can activate new cell formation, has been shown to be associated with muscle hyperplasia, through stretching and dynamic exercises. Many people believe that hyperplasia does exist in humans possibly through heavy intensive training sessions, but lack of human testing cannot conclude this.
(Gudz, 1968,1976;Gonyea, 1980; Hether et al, 1991; Tamaki et al, 1992; Antonio & Gonyea, 1994)

2)What is a muscle fiber?

Your body contains thousands and thousands of muscle fibers. Several of these fibers are bundled together to make up a fasciculi (fascicles) which are incased in a sheath called a perimysium. Many groups of these fasciculi's form the whole muscle, which is then enclosed in another sheath called the epimysium (or fascia). Each fiber cell has several thousand rod-like structures known as myofibrils. Myofibrils consist of a chain of basic contractile units known as sacromeres. Sacromeres consist of both myosin and actin filaments. There are also small areas of the myosin filaments that are called cross bridges. These cross bridges are temporary connected to certain parts of the action filaments that form the basic components for a muscular contraction.

Myosin plays a special role in determining the contractile of the muscle. The myosin heavy chain (MHC) appears in three different is-forms. They are referred to as I, IIa, and IIx forms. They are also located in the muscle fiber that contains them I-I, IIa-IIa, and IIx-IIx. Ia fibers are referred to as slow twitch muscle fibers (ST/Red), whereas IIa and IIx are referred to as fast twitch muscle fibers(FT/White). Type IIx is the fasting contractile muscle fiber. IIx has a contractile velocity 10 times that of a Ia fiber, where IIa lays between them. I, IIa and IIX fibers also have various other forms as well. These fibers are known as hybird fibers which are scares in young people but rather common in adults.

The difference between person to person vary dramatically according to the person and training history. It has been reveled that the elite track athletes and Olympic styles weightlifters, over 60% FT fibers, have three times the fast twitch muscle fibers then that of a marathon runner, approximately 17% FT, and 50% greater in bodybuilders,40% FT fibers. Sub-maximal and high explosive weight training has also produced great hypertrophy of FT fibers. The potential for the body to generate high power output in Olympic style weightlifting movements and other forms of speed movements is determined highly by the proportion of FT fibers.

In every movement muscle fibers are recruited and fired, depending on the movements velocity, load and duration of the set determents which fiber is the most dominantly recruited and fired. The first fiber is the Ia which is resistance to fatigue and last a prolong period of time. The second fiber recruited is the IIa which is a fast twitch fiber which last and intermediate amount of time. The last fiber to be recruited is the IIX fiber which also has the strongest contractile out-put. Olympic lifters have a higher firing rate of FT fibers then ST fibers, whereas a bodybuilder has a higher firing rate of ST fibers then FT fibers. The reason for the differences is Olympic lifter train with lower repetition sets, where their resistance is heavier and more explosive then that of a bodybuilder who normally trains with moderately heavy weight slowly to failure.(Andersen et al, 2000;Hakkinen, 1985)

3) What is Hypertrophy?

Hypertrophy is the gaining of muscular bulk. There are two causes of hypertrophy and they are:

Hyperplasia which we discussed earlier in this article.
The enlargement of cross-sectional areas of certain fibers. (Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and Myofibrillar hypertrophy)

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy the volume increases of non-contractile proteins and semifulid plasma build up or increase between the muscle fibers. Although the cross-sectional area of the muscle increases greatly, the lack of fiber density decrease causing a loss in force production. This form of hypertrophy is greatly found in bodybuilders.

Myofibrillar hypertrophy the myofibrils increase in density and increase in individual numbers. Unlike that of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy the cross-section increases which allows the ability to generate and exert force. This form of hypertrophy is mostly found in elite Olympic weightlifters and power lifters.
It is not unreal, but unlikely, that athletes from different sports such as bodybuilding can exert force to that or greater then a power lifter or its not uncommon to see a power lifter exhibit muscular bulk as great as that of a bodybuilder. Although it is highly doubtful that a bodybuilder could exert a force as great as an elite Olympic weightlifter. Heavy resistance training contributes to both forms of hypertrophy, but the design of the training program and genetic factors play a role in the development of hypertrophy to individuals.

4) What is the difference between Absolute Strength and Maximum Strength?

Strength in its simplest terms is defined as: The ability for a muscle or group of muscles to generate muscular force under certain conditions (Voluntary and Involuntary).

Maximal strength is the ability to generate muscular force under voluntary conditions with emotional motivation. This form of strength would best be found in competitions such as power lifting meets.

Absolute Strength which is the maximum of all maximum strength, which is the ability of muscles to generate force under Involuntary conditions. This would be an example of electrical stimulation of the nerves supplying the muscle or muscles.

Many people are inaccurate when saying absolute strength is that of a 1rep max. People tend to use the words interchanging which in term would be incorrect. Absolute strength is an involuntary reaction whereas Maximal strength is a voluntary reaction. Two completely opposite things.(Zatisorsky,1995)

5)What are eccentric, concentric and static contractions?

Eccentric muscle contraction is the lengthening of the muscle in a given movement. Such as doing a bicep curl the downward movement (extension outward) the bicep is lengthening.

Concentric muscle contraction is the shortening of the muscle in a given movement. In the example above with the bicep curl as the bicep lengthens the muscles that make up the tricep must shorten. This is a good example of how muscles work together in pairs to complete a given task.

Static muscle contractions is muscle action at which the muscle is at a constant length and does not change therefore allowing for no movement to occur.

6)What are Compound and Isolation movements?

There is a key difference between Compound movements and Isolation movements. A compound movement is a multi-joint movement that works a group of muscles. A Isolation movement is to target a specific movement and try and place the majority of the training work on that muscle. Many people argue the fact that its impossible to completely isolate a given muscle which is correct, but it is not impossible to put the majority of the training stress on the particular muscle. To understand this you must see the eccentric and concentric muscle actions and how muscles work together. Like the example of the bicep curl, which is an isolation movement, as the bicep shortens (concentric) the tricep must then lengthen (eccentric). Although the majority of the stress is placed on the bicep the tricep is still being used and thus the bicep is not completely isolated.

List of Compound Movements (not complete)
Bench Press
Clean and Press
Snatch
Clean and Jerk
Dead lift
Squat

List of Isolation Movements: (not complete)
Bicep curl
Tricep extension
Hammer curl
Leg extension
Leg curl



7) What is plyometric training?

It is a of mechanical shock stimulation to force the muscle to produce as much tension as possible. This method is characterized by impulsive actions to minimal duration (lasting period) between the end of the eccentric braking phase and initiation of the concentric acceleration phase. The maximal amount of time it shall take the athlete to perform the transition phase of the plyometric (time between eccentric and concentric) should be no longer then 0.15 seconds. If the movement takes a prolong period of time it redefines itself as an ordinary jumping movement rather then a classical plyometric. In the early 1960's Dr. Verkhoshansky used a method of training called "Shock Training". Many Western coaches believed that this was the Russian training secret to their dominance. In many countries in the East they still called it Shock Training rather then Plyometrics, which is an adoption of the method Verkhoshansky developed. The reason they favored the word Shock Training rather then Plyometrics is to recognize the difference between Plyometric Action and Plyometric training. Plyometric Action takes place in every day life. It involves running, jumping, hurdling, striking, and other forms of rebounding movements in sports. In many literature text today plyometrics are referred to as power metrics.

Safety of Plyometric Training.

Many people are fallen into the trap of the "Hype" of ballistic movements being dangerous, which are mostly forms of Western text that try to support it. Most of the text that does try and show how ballistic type movements, in this case Plyometric Training, have dangerous Sid effects are very false and un-clinically proven. Reason for this is their is no way to actually isolates the effects of Plyometric as that of other sports of which have the ability to compare overall intensity, duration and complexity of loading. To also believe that Plyometric actions are safe but not Plyometric training can only cause some good laughs among sports scientist. In actual term joints subjected to heavy impact such as Plyometric training are relatively free from osteoarthritis in old age and that those subjected to much lower loading experience a greater incidence of osteoarthritis and cartilage damage. How could this be you ask? The joints exposed to such impulsive loading attaching tendons and other tissues become much stronger and durable then those who aren't exposed to impulsive loading.
Benefits Of Plyometric Training:

* Increase Speed
* Increase Jumping abilities
* Increase Upper body speed
* Increase Upper body and Lower body reactive abilities
* Increase in variety outside the weight room
* Increase Explosive Strength
* Fun to do


Basic Plyometric exercises: (Upper/Lower)
1. Lower Body:
* Bounding
* Hurdle Hopping
* Box Jumps
* Single or Double leg hopping
* Tuck Jumps
* Depth Jumps

2. Upper Body:

* Chest Pass
* Explosive Incline push up
* Power Drops
* Incline Chest Pass
* Vertical Toss ups

That was a very short and basic list of Plyometric exercises everyone should be aware of. Before the athlete should place certain movements into their training program they must be aware of what is being demanded of their sport. For example if your a volleyball player then you could introduce some box jumping or hopping drills. If your a discuss thrower and you want to increase throwing distance one might do explosive incline push-ups or vertical toss passes. I would recommend doing Plyometric movements no more then 2 to 3 times per week depending on the movements done. If the athlete does a lot of box jumping and depth jumps then I would suggest it be preformed no more then 2 times a week. If the athlete wants to train a 3rd day with Plyometric movements then it wouldn't hurt to perform some basic bounding drills of low impact. The athlete must also be aware of the fact that with Plyometric training its not the quantity that is good but the quality that is being done. The athlete shouldn't worry about how much they do but how good they do it. Keep all movements under control and the environments safe. For certain movements such as depth or box jumps I would suggest 1-2 sets of 4-6 reps. The amount of exercises that can be preformed can range from 1-3. For all bounding and hopping movements the suggested amount would be 20-40m in length. The athlete can have 2-4 trips performed on each movement. Like its counter partner it can also have a rang of 1-3 movements per session trained.

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Master Of Puppets

Sheesh. You make your articles too well... Lots of big words

Thanks for all the great info.

__________________
Trautman: How will you live, John?
Rambo: Day by day.

-Rambo: First Blood Part II

ravadongon

He didn't write it. It's an article written by KC (fortifiediron) and Daniel Osman. http://www.wannabebig.com/article.ph...d=106&pageid=1

Hacking is a Felony

Thank you for pointing that out

Master Of Puppets

you probably should have put where you got that from . good article anyways. very helpful.

__________________
Trautman: How will you live, John?
Rambo: Day by day.

-Rambo: First Blood Part II