Comments on: Bodyweight Training And Muscle Mass – Building The Functional Physique

By: admin

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 18:07:40 +0000

Hey Aaron,
Yeah, of course. It all depends how much intensity, consistency and frequency you apply to it…
Cheers,
Adam

By: Aaron

Aaron — Sat, 01 May 2010 17:48:44 +0000

Hello coach Steer , I also love the idea of these exercises. Sounds like it could be very useful. Do they help in building muscle mass like a gymnast? Gymnasts have very big muscular bodies, so do these exercsises help in achieving good amounts of muscular growth?

By: admin

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 18:38:22 +0000

Hi Clement,

I often have my clients hold their isos in several different positions along the range of motion. The strength carry over is about 15° so that way you hit more functional strength…

Fast twitch fibers are going to be more dominant in explosive and / or very heavy lifting…

Cheers,
Adam

By: Clement

Clement — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:59:27 +0000

Hey coach steer, I really love this idea of isometric contractions. If I were to hold the contraction at the bottom of the pushup instead of halfway down, would it cause a more intense contraction in my muscles?

Also, I know a lot of type 1 and type 2 fibre stuff gets brandished about. So, are your fast twitch fibres being recruited in
a) high-rep pushups for endurance and
b) static holds?

Thanks in advance!

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:26:00 +0000

My comment wouldn’t appear earlier, so it is now. I hope it doesn’t end up being published twice.

As a strength and conditioning coach working with many athletes I feel it is important to stress to the general public the difference between functional/performance related strength training and aesthetic value. What many people don’t realise is that training for function ironically provides a better, less manufactured looking body than training specifically as a bodybuilder would.

Anyhow, a few ideas out of my 500+ bodyweight exercise library…

Pistols/single leg squats, pull-ups, L-pull-ups, burpees, clap push-ups, single arm push-ups, two point push-ups, handstand push-ups, planche, reverse planche, L-sit, elevated L-sit, dips, L-dips, gymnastics rings dips, spiderman push-ups, tuck push-ups, and one of my new favourites…elbow bridge. This involves lying on your back with elbows tucked to your sides resting on the floor. Now push your elbows into the floor as hard as possible while trying to elevate your upper body off the floor. To make it easier have your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Chris´s last blog -> Apr 3, Personal Strength and Conditioning Coach

By: admin

admin — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:09:24 +0000

Hey Muscle Man,
I was stuck in that mentality for years, until I discovered Circular Strength Training. Actually, I was moving away from it somewhat already-exploring various resources in the “functional training” stream. But nothing made total sense until I found CST.

Thanks for the comment!

Cheers,
Adam

By: Muscle Man

Muscle Man — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:20:49 +0000

You guys sure have a unque approach to looking good and being healthy. i think the problem with guys that are preoccupied with getting really huge is that they use it as a psychological device – a sort opf way to make up for what they are lacking in personality. What they fail to see is that it’s really all about looking good/healthy.

By: John Sifferman

John Sifferman — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:36:25 +0000

I think the squat is one of the most fundamental exercises that can be used to build appreciable muscle – even without extra resistance.
John Sifferman´s last blog -> Mount Washington Climbing Trip Report – plus my hypotheses for not fatiguing quickly on a long hike