The following is one of many which show that improvements in motor skill and
the ability to stabilise the body play a major role in the acquisition of
strength and the ability to use it in specific activities.
I have selected this article out of numerous others to support an earlier
contention of mine that a well designed weight training program probably is
more than adequate to enhance one's stability and 'functional' strength
without any need for the use of specialised 'functional conditioning' or ball
balancing regimes. The research is out there - why is that so many fitness
gurus and therapists do not seem to be willing to accept the obvious? Note
that I have not even cited studies on the motor skill and postural
improvements produced by other more demanding skilled activities like
gymnastics. It appears that even quite basic weight training exercises are
quite sufficient to "do the trick".
Sure, theremay be no special harm in performing various basic balancing
routines, but, as I commented in earlier letters, we have to examine training
economics and judge whether or not the time being spent on additional
stabilising sessions is the most efficient way of spending valuable athletic
training time.
Read the following abstract and pay special attention to the conclusion.
---------------------------------
Rutherford OM & Jones DA The role of learning and coordination in strength
training. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1986;55(1):100-5
The central changes associated with a period of strength training have been
investigated in a group of 32
young healthy volunteers. Subjects participated in one of three 12 week
training programmes, which required different degrees of skill and
coordination. Study 1 consisted of unilateral isometric training of the
quadriceps with the contralateral leg acting as a control, the apparatus
providing firm back support and a lap strap. In Study 2 training consisted of
unilateral concentric leg-extension with back support and hand-grips. In
Study 3 subjects performed bilateral leg-extension with no back support.
Measurements of maximum voluntary isometric strength were made at 2-3 week
intervals and a continual record was kept of the weights lifted in Studies 2
and 3.
The largest increase in isometric force was seen for the trained leg in Study
1 (approximately 40%). There was no significant change in strength in the
contralateral untrained leg. In Studies 2 and 3 there was a large increase in
training weights (about 200%) associated with smaller increase in isometric
force (15-20%).
It is concluded that a large part of the improvement in the ability to lift
weights was due to an increased ability to coordinate other muscle groups
involved in the movement such as those used to stabilise the body. The
importance of these findings for athletic training and rehabilitation is
discussed.
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Dr Mel C Siff
Denver, USA
http://www.egroups.com/group/supertraining
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