Strength reps vs endurance reps: How do they apply to real-life isometric holding?

[Babylon1023]

I have an interesting twist to the old "low & heavy" strength rep range vs "higher & lighter" endurance range debate. Which type of training would be more beneficial to one's ability to hold a weight isometrically for as long as possible? Example: The raw strength allows you to lift your end of the couch you're moving, but once it's up you may be called on to hold it isometrically while somebody is moving stuff out of the way, etc. Eventually your strength just gives out.

My question is would it be more beneficial to that kind of situation to train in the strength range, thereby increasing your total strength so the object(s) you're holding are less of a total percentage of your max (and theoretically easier to hold for longer periods of time), or would training in the 10-15 rep endurance range give more of a benefit by training you to resist "the burn" of lactic acid buildup?

Ponderous...

[nerd_power]

I have an interesting twist to the old "low & heavy" strength rep range vs "higher & lighter" endurance range debate. Which type of training would be more beneficial to one's ability to hold a weight isometrically for as long as possible? Example: The raw strength allows you to lift your end of the couch you're moving, but once it's up you may be called on to hold it isometrically while somebody is moving stuff out of the way, etc. Eventually your strength just gives out.

My question is would it be more beneficial to that kind of situation to train in the strength range, thereby increasing your total strength so the object(s) you're holding are less of a total percentage of your max (and theoretically easier to hold for longer periods of time), or would training in the 10-15 rep endurance range give more of a benefit by training you to resist "the burn" of lactic acid buildup?

Ponderous...

I don't know the answer to your question, but I would think that if your goal is holding "real-life" objects up in the air for a long time, what would benefit you most is a knowledge of body mechanics and a judicious choice of how to hold the weight. Propping items on your knees by doing a slight partial squat, for example. Or saving your grip strength by putting your whole forearm under the object so the weight rests on your forearm near the elbow, which pretty much just puts all the weight on your traps. You don't need a certain type of muscle fitness, you need to know how to hold the weight so your take most of your muscles out of the equation (or the muscles that are doing the work are doing so at a level they can sustain all day). The hercules hold in strongman would be accomplished in a "real-life" situation by pulling the handles in until the columns are vertical, at which point you don't have to hold any of the weight. A "how long can you hang from a bar" competition would be accomplished by pulling yourself up and sitting on the bar.

-Andrew

[bonvec01]

F*cking sh*t if you're worried about moving couches get out of the gym and go move couches...

[JZ1986]

I once had to pick up the blade of my 12' snowplow while my wife put the blocks back under it. I had to dig into the dirt to get my fingers under the blade and then did like a hack squat with it to get it high enough to put the blocks back under it.

I was thankful for all the strength training.

[Babylon1023]

I once had to pick up the blade of my 12' snowplow while my wife put the blocks back under it. I had to dig into the dirt to get my fingers under the blade and then did like a hack squat with it to get it high enough to put the blocks back under it.

I was thankful for all the strength training.

It's great how this stuff transfers over. Just a few months of squats and I found I was lifting everything heavy (water jugs for the cooler are my favorite) using "heel drive".