# Weight Lifting Q&A



## AnaSCI (Sep 30, 2003)

1.) What is the true meaning of Intensity?

Over the years now the word intensity has changed. Although we have many different interpretations of the word now, the true meaning has stood for over a 100 years. Back in the early 1900's and late 1800's Russian coaches described the word Intensity as the percentage of the one rep maximum. In weight training do not get the word 'Intensive' mixed up with the word 'Intensity'. Intensiveness would best be described as emotional motivation or aggressiveness carried out. 


2.) 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 prolonged period of time. It has also been noted that many Russian scientists have conclusively come 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, have 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)

3.) 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 fasciclei (plural, fasciculi) which is encased in a sheath called a perimysium. Many groups of these fasciculi 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 contractility of the muscle. The myosin heavy chain (MHC) appears in three different iso-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 lies between them. I, IIa and IIX fibers also have various other forms as well. These fibers are known as hybird fibers. They are scarce in young people but rather common in adults. 

The differences in fiber proportions in the muscles varies dramatically according to the person's genetics and training history. It has been revealed that the elite track athletes and Olympic styles weightlifters (over 60% FT fibers) have three times the fast twitch muscle fibers than that of marathon runners (17% FT) and 50% greater than in bodybuilders (40% FT fibers). Sub-maximal and high explosive weight training also produces greater 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 greatly determined by the proportion of FT fibers. 

In every movement different muscle fiber types are recruited and fired. The velocity, load, and duration of the movement determines which fiber type is most dominantly recruited and fired. The first fiber is the Ia which is resistance to fatigue and lasts a prolonged period of time. The second fiber recruited is the IIa which is a fast twitch fiber which lasts an intermediate amount of time. The last fiber to be recruited is the IIX fiber which also has the strongest contractile output. Olympic lifters have a higher firing rate of FT fibers then ST fibers, whereas bodybuilders have a higher firing rate of ST fibers then FT fibers. The reason for the differences is Olympic lifters 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) 

4) What is Hypertrophy?

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




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

Myofibrillar hypertrophy the myofibrils increase in density and increase in individual numbers. Unlike sarcoplasmic hypertrophy the muscle density increases, which allows the ability to generate and exert more force. This form of hypertrophy is mostly found in elite Olympic weightlifters and power lifters. It is not impossible but unlikely that athletes from different sports such as bodybuilding can exert force equal to or greater than a power lifter. Nor is it common to see a power lifter exhibit muscular bulk as great as that of a bodybuilder. 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.

5.) How do I lose weight?

Step 1 - Nutrition

Diet is going to be the biggest key to your success. Keeping a strict diet and monitoring intakes will yield the desired effect. For fat loss to remain constant you need to be in a state of caloric deficit. Each lb of fat carries about 3500 calories so we can use this to measure our intakes. If we aim to reduce fat by say 1 lb a week then the simplistic way is to reduce your diet by 500 cals below daily maintenance.

Going from a bulking diet to a totally restricted diet overnight will cause you some serious muscle loss. This is not our goal. Our aim is to maintain our muscle mass so the diet needs to be altered gradually. Now, unless you are competing there is no need to totally rule out all treats. As I’m sure you will all know, variety is essential in your diet and treats are variety.

When cutting we first need to evaluate how much body fat to lose. A rough body fat measurement using a method such as calipers is a good way to monitor your progress. By calculating how much you wish to lose and a rough estimate on your body composition we can judge the balance between diet and cardio.

A rough figure is 1 lb of lean muscle burns 75 cals per day to sustain its mass, whereas as 1 lb of fat burns only 2 cals per day. You can see why the more muscle you have the easier it is to get and stay lean. As a guide we can use the following cals/lb to tailor our diets:




For bulking and adding mass you should aim to eat 18-20 cals per lb of bodyweight

For maintenance you should aim for 14-16 cals per lb of bodyweight

For fat loss you should aim for between 10-12 cals per lb of bodyweight



If we take a 200 lbs man as our example, going by that equation he need to be eating roughly 2000-2400 cals per day.

Each nutrient group provides a different cal/gram ratio.

Protein = 4 kcals per gram
Carbohydrates = 4 kcals per gram
Fat = 9 kcals per gram

Using this you can reasonably accurately measure your day’s intake. Remember that fats are essential to maintain good a healthy body. This doesn’t mean go and eat a burger, but the addition of things like a teaspoon of rape seed oil in some orange juice will go a long way to providing these good fats.

So from this we can now measure our intake.

We should aim to eat 1.5-2 grams of protein per lb body weight. For our example man, this equals 300-400 grams of protein. Assuming he consumes 300 grams on an average day, that is 1200 kcals. He should also eat 1.5 grams per lb of bodyweight of carbs so again 300 grams and another 1200 kcals. Fat intake is quite low at 40-50 grams, which equates to 360-450 kcals. So the diet total here is between 2750 and 2850 kcals per day. This is below maintenance for him so fat loss should begin from here bearing in mind he will begin to add cardio to the routine.

Depending on the duration of your cutting phase you might want to increase the rate at which you lose fat. To do this carb levels should gradually be reduced. Reducing 25 grams of carbs per day for 2-3 days and then leveling off will be a nice slow adjustment to the diet and shouldn’t effect your muscle mass that much. It is not recommended going much below 200 grams of carbs per day if you can help it though (unless competing and going for a keto diet but that is another article)

Choice of foods is up to you, but as a minimum you should consume at least 50% of your daily protein intake from whole foods. Your ideal carb selection would be whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes, whole meal bread, couscous, oats etc. All of these are good sources of carbs. Fats should be taken from things like oily fish. Supplementing with CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) may be of some benefit here if you find it difficult to get good fat intake. Remember the key to the diet is variety and clean foods.

When on a calorie-restricted diet you may find yourself becoming hungry a lot of the time. Your biggest tool against this is water. Water is cheap, readily available and most importantly calorie free. Drinking water will provide your digestive system something to absorb and will also aid with the rest of your digestion through the increased transportation of nutrients. Water is the second most important element needed for sustaining life (next to oxygen) so drinking it by the bucket load is nothing but good for you.

Another aspect of your diet should be the consumption of fruit and vegetables. You should eat a minimum of 5 portions a day and especially green vegetables. Not only will they help fill you up without adding lots of calories to the diet, but they also contain loads of useful nutrients, which the body needs. They will help with your other bodily functions, too.

Timing of meals is important. Once again regular and little meals are the key here. Spacing your meals evenly through the day and eating smaller amounts will allow the digestive system a better chance to utilize the nutrients you are supplying it.

Step 2 - Cardio

Cardio is catabolic and therefore you need to make sure that you don’t overdo it or do it at the wrong time. It has long been said that for fat burning you need to work at a consistent rate of about 60% of your max heart rate (220 - your age). This is a good rule of thumb for many and will provide steady losses. However, as with all aspects of weight training variety is the key and therefore utilizing techniques such as interval training and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) will also have some benefit. Short bursts of high intensity followed by short rest periods should help to create a good environment for fat loss.

Cardio is best done first thing in the morning when the glycogen levels in the muscles are at their lowest. This will mean that all exercise will draw from other sources of energy, i.e. fat cells. If first thing is not an option then a separate day is best or after weights as your last resort. On days when you have done no previous exercise and it is not early morning then the first 20 minutes of the cardio session should be considered a warm-up, as your body will burn glycogen from the muscle before attacking other energy sources. It is because of this that 40-50 minute cardio sessions on off days are a good recommendation.

Your cardio exercises should vary, too. Try and incorporate as many different forms as possible as this will improve the body’s natural ability to draw energy. 15 minutes on 3 different machines will be more effective than 1 long run.

When to do cardio? 

If you are an early riser then 4-5 days per week is ample to begin. Rest is important as your body still needs time to recover so keeping at least 1 or 2 rest days per week is good practice.

Once you have been cutting for some time and you wish to up the cardio then you could begin to do cardio twice a day doing early morning and after weights, but I would still advise at least 1 rest day per week and try to remember your nutrition.

In your daily routine I would strongly advise that the cardio be done first thing in the morning. First thing in the morning before anything else, drink at least 20 grams of whey in water. This fast-acting protein will help kick start the body out of its catabolic state without replacing blood/muscle glycogen. This will leave your morning cardio sessions effective for fat loss and will prevent as much muscle loss as possible.

After cardio it is a good idea to drink a protein shake again and follow this shortly after (maybe a 30-40 minute time gap) with a full meal consisting of carbs (complex) protein and fats.

After resistance training in the evening it is a good idea to follow this with a high quantity protein shake. 40-60 grams immediately after work out and again a full meal following this 30-40 mins later. If you are following your weights with cardio then drink a few mouthfuls of your protein shake before the cardio if possible. It is advisable to keep the carb portion small though.

Finally your last protein shake of the day can be mixed in milk at the start of your cutting phase, but as you get further in you may want to swap this out for a water mix and then supplement with a protein shake half way through the night (depends on how serious you are about this. Personally I don’t like waking myself, but if you frequent the toilet during the night then keep a ready mixed shake to hand and consume then).

6.) How do I stay away from lifts that contain a lot of momentum?

This question is very simple to answer. It is impossible to NOT have momentum while doing any activity. The mathematical formula for momentum is P= MxV.

P which is momentum, M which is for mass, and V which is for velocity. Once you understand is, then you realize that all movements in life have both velocity and mass so therefore they have momentum. The only time an object does not have momentum is when it is sitting at rest.

Example of Momentum in Bench Press vs. Power Clean

(P=MxV)

Bench Press weight 100kg (220lbs)
Bench Press velocity 1.5m/s

100kg x 1.5m/s= 150 kg m/s

(P=MxV)

Power Clean weight 50kg (110lbs)
Power Clean velocity 3m/s

50kg x 3 m/s=150 kg m/s

As you can see you can generate the same amount of momentum by doing a bench press as a power clean. Many people stereotype the power clean and other Olympic lifts as lifts that rely ONLY on momentum. I find the people that believe this have never tried a power clean, clean and jerk, or a snatch before in their entire lives. I think if people would actually perform the movements they would understand that there is nothing easy about the movements and that you do have to apply a great deal of force in order to complete those lifts!

7.) Why haven't my strength and mass gains improved lately?

There are several factors to why you could not be gaining the desired amount of hypertrophy or strength. 




Your body could have adapted to what you are doing. Your body needs stress in order to gain strength or mass. Many people train on the same training program over a prolong period of time doing the same exercises constantly with the same amount of loading. Your body adapts to this. This is why is it very important that you should change up our training program often so your body cannot adapt to it and will keep ‘incorporating’ new stress to the body, thus allowing us to grow and gain strength.


Lack of training could also be another factor. Many people are to worried about the hype of overtraining so they do not train enough or to often. Motivation could also be a reason. Some people just cannot find the desire inside themselves to go to the gym and train on a consistent basis.


Training too much could very well contribute to your problem. Many new lifters just starting can get away with outrageous routines seen in the eyes of some people because there body isn’t used to the stress and therefore increases its performance. For the more elite group of lifters they need an ample amount of restoration time for recovery of the muscle or group of muscles and even the nervous system. Dr. Vladimir Zatsiorsky from Penn State University, who was a world-renowned sports biomechanist and former strength and conditioning consultant for the Soviet Union Olympic team’s, outlined in his book “Science and Practice of Strength Training’ that when he was training the Soviet teams he used the following guidelines for recovery time:



Training Load of One Workout Restoration Time, Hr

Extreme >72
Large 48-72
Substantial 24-48
Medium 12-24
Small <12

This outline is just an outline. This doesn’t take into account ever single person on this earth because we all have a different biomechanical makeup and respond different to different things. Like said, it’s just a gridline for some to follow. 

7) 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 powerlifting meets.

Absolute Strength which is the maximum of all maximum strength, 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 “There absolute strength is that of a 1rep max.” People tend to use the words interchangeably which is incorrect. Absolute strength is an involuntary reaction whereas Maximal strength is a voluntary reaction. These are two completely different things.

(Zatisorsky,1995)

8.) What are eccentric, concentric and static contractions?

Eccentric muscle contraction is the lengthening of the muscle in a given movement, such as the extension phase of a bicep curl (the downward movement) where 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 contraction is muscle action where the muscle is at a constant length and does not change, therefore no movement occurs.

9.) 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. An 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

10.) 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 have fallen for the "Hype" of ballistic movements being dangerous, which are mostly forms of Western text that try to denounce it. Most of the text that does try and show how ballistic type movements, in this case Plyometric Training, have dangerous side effects are very false and not clinically proven. The reason for this is there is no way to actually isolate the effects of Plyometric from those of other training methods. To also believe that Plyometric actions are safe but not Plyometric training can only cause some good laughs among sports scientists. In actual terms joints subjected to heavy impacts 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? In joints exposed to such impulsive loading the 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 ability

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 you're a discuss thrower and you want to increase throwing distance you 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 being done. If the athlete does a lot of box jumping and depth jumps then I would suggest it be porformed no more then 2 times a week. If the athlete wants to train a third 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 number of exercises that can be performed 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 jumping counterpart it can also have a range of 1-3 movements per session trained.

11.) How are Olympic Lifts beneficial to strength training athletes?

In the Olympic games the weightlifting competition consist of two lifts: The Clean and Jerk and the Snatch. The clean and jerk, also referred to as C&J, is taking a barbell from the ground to above you head in two movements combined. First the weight is cleaned to the shoulders then the lifter drops under the weight and jerks it above his head. The Snatch is a lift taken above the head just like the clean and jerk, but in one motion. The barbell starts on the floor and the lifter takes a much wider grip on the barbell then proceeds to take the barbell from the ground to above the head like an overhead squat. Then the lifter will then stand up with the weight above his head.

Now that you have a basic understanding as to how to perform the Olympic lifts we will talk about the benefits of the lifts. I find the benefits outlined in the book "The Weightlifting Encyclopedia” , by Drechsler rather well written. Here are the examples he has given about the benefits of doing Olympic lifts:




The mere practice of the (Olympic) lifts [the snatch and the clean & jerk as well as related lifting techniques] teaches an athlete how to explode.

The practice of proper technique in the Olympic lifts teaches an athlete to apply force with his or her muscle groups in the proper sequences.

In mastering the Olympic lifts, the athlete learns how to accelerate objects under varying degrees of resistance.

The athlete learns to receive force from another moving body effectively and becomes conditioned to accept such forces. 

The athlete learns to move effectively from an eccentric contraction to a concentric one.

The actual movements performed while executing the Olympic lifts are among the most common and fundamental in sports.

Practicing the Olympic lifts trains an athlete's explosive capabilities, and the lifts themselves measure the effectiveness of the athlete in generating explosive power to a greater degree than most other exercises they can practice.

The Olympic lifts are simply fun to do.



It has also been well documented by people the amazing vertical jumping ability these Olympic lifters have. This is really amazing once you think that these guys don’t jump but yet can out-jump the pro basketball players in the NBA. In the Mexico City Olympic Games Dr. Yessis did a field test with the Olympic lifters competing with the Olympic sprinters and jumpers. The had two tests, the 25m sprint and the vertical jump. It was documented that the Olympic lifters out-sprinted the Olympic sprinters in the 25m and out-jumped the Olympic jumpers in the vertical jump! This is quite a feat for men weighing 250-300lbs.

Olympic lifts have also been used to rehab people from past injuries. This is truly amazing when you think of the approach most people have with Olympic lifting being dangerous.

12.) What is GPP and SPP?

Athlete’s can incorporate GPP and SPP as ways of getting out of the weight room and doing certain things that have a greater carryover in the true world we live in today. GPP is General Physical Preparation, whereas SPP is Specialized Physical Preparation. Both GPP and SPP are involved in low intensity work. Both forms can be used for overall conditioning and help to improve overall skills in a certain sport. Where the work would be done to help improve a certain sport it would be more associated with SPP rather then GPP. Both GPP and SPP can also help speed up recovery time and help improve balance and coordination. These two methods allow people to leave the walls of the training room and go out into the world we live in and use their strength like man did years ago.

13.) How are KettleBells different then Dumbbells?

Kettlebells are shaped much differently then dumbbells. I am sure everybody reading this knows what a dumbbell is shaped like. A kettlebell is a large ball of iron or steel with a thick handle attached to it. I guess you could say it looks more or so like a cannon ball with a handle. For years kettlebells have been used. This object dates back to the days of the early strongmen in the late 1700’s. Many people believe they can accomplish the same thing using dumbbells as a kettlebell and that the only difference is shape. You can ask a good friend of mine, Josh Henkin, who is a well respected strength coach in the nation, about the difference between a kettlebell and a dumbbell. The shape has a lot to do with the difference between them. The shape of the kettlebell makes it harder to maneuver and the leverage is different. The thickness of the handle of the kettlebell also allows for the grip to be worked as well. If you are interested in buying a kettlebell it's rather easy to find them on the internet, just search for them! One training session with the “Ball of Hell” should make you a believer in them.


----------



## Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

great post!


----------



## yngguns (Jan 25, 2004)

thanks for the good read!


----------

