I’ve got an very interesting and awesome post on STRENGTH from my buddy and fellow strength-addict, Tyler Bramlett, author of the NEW 0-6 Abs Training System.
Check it out…
Most people think that lifting heavy is the root of building strength. I disagree…
A mentor of mine said it so simply, “strength equals tension.”
You’re ability to generate muscular tension is the key to unlocking your true strength potential and lifting heavy is only a small part of this equation.
In fact, I would argue that lifting heavy is simply a test of how well you generate tension and is NOT the only way to amplify the tension you can generate.
Take old-time strongman from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s Maxick. Maxick (his real name was Max Sick) was known for his amazing strength. In fact, here’s just a few of his accomplishments as a student of strength At a height of 5′ 3 1/4” and a weight that never exceeded 147 pounds:
- Right hand military press 112lb
- Right hand snatch 165lb
- Right hand jerk (shouldered with both hands) 240lb
- Two hands military press 230lb
- Two hands continental press 254lb
- Two hands clean and jerk 272 1/2lb
- Two hands continental jerk 340lb
Pretty crazy, right?
But what’s even more crazy is that Maxick didn’t originally train with weights. Instead he used isometrics and muscle control techniques that have been lost in the modern day.
It wasn’t until he had already transformed his body using these techniques that he began lifting heavy and guess what? He was able to lift heavy by virtue of his ability to generate controlled tension NOT from purely lifting weights.
For most people in the modern day, generating muscular tension at will is the missing piece of the puzzle that limits their performance. And the #1 area you should focus on if you want to get the most bang for your buck is your abs!
The same mentor that told me, “strength equals tension” also taught me that, “the tension you can generate within your abs is like the volume knob to a radio. The stronger they are, the “louder” (i.e.greater) your muscle tension will be.
An easy way to think about this is to imagine that your abs are the 8 cylinders of a souped up mustang convertible. If all 8 cylinders are firing at 100% you get the most power out of your ride, right?
But what if I were to tell you that you had a souped up 8 cylinder mustang convertible BUT… Only 5 or even just 3 cylinders were working. What would happen if you tried to drive this car as hard as you drove the one with all 8 cylinders firing at 100%?
You’re performance would be much lower and your engine might even burn up in the process, right?
My point isn’t that you need to go out and buy a bad ass car although that would be fun. My point is you need to get your abs firing on all 8 cylinders and only then will you be able to squeeze out the performance you really want from your workouts.
Right now, I’m gonna show you a simple move that’s so simple in fact that you might brush it off as a pussy exercise just for beginners and old ladies. But I assure you, that if you practice this ONE exercise (it’s real more of an ab activation technique) during all of your workouts, you’ll be safer, stronger and get better overall results.
Alright, here’s the exercise…
THE ELEVATOR
Try it out right now while your sitting there and see if you can generate the proper ab “bracing” tension with the use of your core muscles NOT by breathing in. If you can great, try using this ab activation technique during every rep of your next workout and keep perfecting it until it becomes second nature to you.
If you cant do this exercise while still being able to great naturally, you better get your butt working on it because you are at greater risk for injury and your working off of less then your 8 available cylinders.
Either way remember 2 things…
1) Strength is a measure of the tension you can generate with the coordinated use of your muscles NOT a number on a barbell. They are not mutually exclusive.
2) The fastest way to increase your overall strength and injury resistance is to strengthen your abs using the proper activation techniques like the one above.
Here’s to you running 110% on all 8 cylinders!
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Great article by my buddy Tyler.
Truth is, when it comes down to getting stronger, faster, more explosive, whatever, your CORE is the central of everything.
Have a weak core?
You’ll be WEAK overall.
Being able to properly “brace” and create tension is only the beginning to building up a stronger, more powerful core.
In addition to that, when you’re able to properly train your core in the right way, not only will your performance based results go up, your physical results (AKA – getting a SHREDDED core) will go through the roof as well.
Just understand that it goes well beyond doing 1000’s of back crushing sit ups and crunches. Forget that stuff…
It’s time to UNCOVER the Evolution of Ab Training…
Discover more about Tyler’s unique and effective ab training techniques HERE.