As sophisticated as technology has become these days it is very easy to find a radio station no matter where you are. There are more towers, networks and satellites available in order to receive and distribute the signals necessary for your favorite programming whether music or talk shows. But when it comes to improving the capacity to perform in athletics or life you must learn how to “tune into your strength”.
Now I know you may be wondering what does this have to do with developing strength so let me refer back to our radio analogy.
Think of your muscles as a radio station while your brain consists of the towers, networks and satellites available to receive and distribute the signals necessary for your muscles to produce strength. The “signals” your brain uses are electrical impulses conducted by your body’s 4G network of nerves called neurons.
Your 4G Network that controls your muscles.
These “neurological impulses” dictate the frequency and amplitude of your strength. Your frequency of strength refers to the speed of muscle tension generated by your muscle-nerve cell packages.
On the other hand, your amplitude of strength refers to the magnitude (size) of tension produced by your muscle-nerve cell packages, also known as motor units.
Your motor units control the type of strength you will be able to produce due to the inverse relationship between frequency and amplitude.
When frequency is high, amplitude is low which usually means that your muscles will produce high levels of velocity leading to high amounts of explosive power.
On the flip side when amplitude is high and frequency is low then this produces the most muscular tension within the body to exhibit a high level of “grinding” maximal strength. Maximal strength is described as a “grind” because it requires patience, persistence and a high degree of concentration due to the lower level of speed and frequency.
Duality of Strength of Strength Expression
So the same way that the yin and yang describe the duality of existence;
exploding and grinding embody the dualistic nature of the expression of the two types of strength we should all look to organically develop in order to maximize our our potential.
Now the only way you can enjoy your radio station is to minimize static and signal distortion. Static interferes with the sending and receiving of signals to your motor units and is usually caused by deficiencies in mobility. Signal distortion will cause adverse manipulations in both frequency and amplitude due to deficiencies in stability yielding signal & energy leaks.
In order to adequately develop both the explosive and grinding facets of strength a base of mobility followed by a progression to stability minimizes static and distortion to maximize your ability to Tune into Your Strength.
In the video below you will be able to see how I utilize both types of strength expression through complex/contrast training.
First I perform a maximal strength grind with a 425lb hexbar deadlift and then follow that up with a 55lb kettlebell to work on speed and explosion.
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