Comments on: Who Needs Muscle, Right?

By: Raz

Raz — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:05:56 +0000

David, you are right about the resting/recovery part…but you may want to check your sources on your last few comments…concentric contraction is when the muscle shortens under tension (what the bicep does in an arm curl)…eccentric contraction is when the muscle lengthens under tension (also known as negatives)

By: Jack

Jack — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:11:04 +0000

@ David. You don’t really get more athletic if you take 5 minute breaks between each set, if that’s what you were trying to suggest. Decrease your workload and you will see better results.

Also, it’s suggested (For baseball players, i’m not 100% sure about other sports) that athletes do olympic lifts in 1-4 reps, for 2-4 sets, and proper recovery should be possible if an athlete warms up adequately and has a 2-3 day/week stretching routine AFTER their workout.

By: Jack

Jack — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:07:24 +0000

Plyometrics shouldnt be done by inexperienced (Meaning amateur) athletes at all, and should only be concidered by advanced athletes after the age 18.
Also, the true meaning of plyometrics is heavily misunderstood (Real plyometrics are done in 2-3 reps / set, not jumping up and down over and over and over and over again like an idiot). Plyometrics can lead to a dangerous future if not done properly/if the athlete isn’t prepared for them.

That’s in short my say on plyometrics

By: David

David — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:30:06 +0000

Though there are more than one mistakes, the most tragic one is not enough resting; it is during the resting period (after pushing your body trough workout) when the body can improve. Training is only good if proper resting is used, daily plyometrics and olympic lifts would not let the body recover properly and progress would seem impsoible to obtain. Remember, improvements are achieved during the rest period.
I do like the fact that at least it tried to combined two different types of exercises, plyometrics focus on concentric muscle action (when mscle contracts), and explosive lifting focus on excentric muscle action (when the muscle explodes); however, those are not specifical enough

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:12:55 +0000

Wow, it may be easier & a heck of a lot quicker to name the things that were correct.
1. Alex has great hair.
2. Athlete 1 definitely came up with that stuff himself;)
3. There are two Olympic Lifts used in competition, but using those will not help much since they are uber-technical. Using Olympic variations MAY help some. Probably not a good idea to do any kind of O-lift after plyos

By: Lars

Lars — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:41:36 +0000

I do alot of heavy low rep squats, and it havent made me much bigger – it has improved my vertical though – more than plyos ever have!
Its also about body type – Im a naturally skinny guy, so I guess maybe bigger guys will get more out of plyos (and losing weight in general).

By: Vertical Jump Zone

Vertical Jump Zone — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:30:49 +0000

I agree with you Alex. Doing plyometrics 5 times a week is like setting a time bomb on your knees. I hear similar conversations in the gym ALL THE TIME. Been reading your blog for a while. Great stuff man!

By: A drew

A drew — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:09:08 +0000

Even if your the most efficient guy in the world at using the muscle you’ve got, you still need explosive muscles to be fast. I’d do type three exercises, like jump roping with a weighted vest, or tire running.

By: derrick

derrick — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:26:07 +0000

lifting heavier weight will not make you lean, it actually will help you gain mass.

By: derrick

derrick — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:24:49 +0000

Yea, well, plyometrics help, I think, but the main thing you need is explosive lifting, like squats, deadlifts, and depth jumps. However, doing anything 5xs a week will never positively affect your body. You only really need 2-3xs a week.