Static WARFARE: Adding Static Contraction Training and Partials to the arsenal

[pu12en12g]

Static WARFARE: Adding Static Contraction Training and Partials to the arsenal

Intro:

Static Contraction Training (SCT), Xreps, and partials are not new concepts and have been debated to death. I first became interested in partials and static contraction / static holds when I added resistance bands to my training protocol (mostly for active recovery). The connection here should be fairly clear, but basically with each of these we are taking advantage of our own strongest / explosive range of motion = overload (which is obviously not a new concept either).

The emphasis of this log / journal is that without changing any other variables, I will simply be adding these as tools to ENHANCE my normal workout protocol because I have nothing to lose. I'm hoping for both size and strength gains beyond what I have experienced so far... but we'll see.....

[pu12en12g]

About me:

For those that don't know me, here is the long version (my ongoing journal / The WAR against genetics):
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=656557

My current recomp diet / routine:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=816707

Stats:

Age: 28
Sex: Male
Height: 6ft
Weight: 250
Bodytype: Ecto

Workout Protocol:

Still 5 days a week with a 4 x 6-8 rep range. Workouts last around 1 hour (Minimal rest between sets... usually around 30 seconds)

Sun: Upper + Cardio
Mon: OFF + Cardio
Tue: Lower
Wed: Upper + Cardio
Thu: OFF + Cardio
Fri: Upper
Sat: Lower

[pu12en12g]

"Before" Measurements / Lifts:

Weight: 250
Neck: 16
Chest: 46
Bi unflexed: 17.5
Bi flexed: 17.75
Forearms: 13.75
Waist: 34.5
Quads: 26.75
Calves: 17.75

Bench: 335
Deadlift: 405
Squat: 355

[pu12en12g]

The basics:

Static Contraction: This occurs at the Fully Contracted Point just after the positive portion or raising of the weight has occured. A Static Contraction is just simply pausing and squeezing for a full second at the Fully Contracted Point before the negative or lowering of the weight takes place.

Benefits Of Partial Range Training

- Elimination of sticking point, thus giving the trainee a biomechanical advantage to use super-maximal loads

- Increases the physical work performed in a given period of time (work=force*distance), greater work-volume equals hypertrophy

- Increases blood lactate levels, a precursor to anabolic hormone release

- Demands maximal force production and greater torque (overload)


Benefits Of Full Range Of Motion Training

- Stretching under load conditions the myotatic stretch reflex (plyometric effect) that is involved in weight training thus shutting off inhibiting mechanisms.

- Stretching under load increases muscle hypertrophy by stretching the limiting "sheaths" that encapsulate the muscle belly. In protective response to this unstable change, the stretched muscle sheets trigger an increase in protein splitting, muscle cell division and collagen breakdown and repair. The result is hypertrophy (thickening) for cell survival.

- Requires less tension thus allowing a trainee to "unload" and repair from the assault of higher intensity techniques like "strength partials".

Static Contraction (Bench):

Place a barbell in the power rack and adjust it so that it rests within the last two inches of your reach. Load the bar with 50% to 150% more weight than you usually press. If you can hold the weight more than 10 seconds, it is too light. Press the bar off the rack and hold it for at least five seconds without locking out.

Static Contraction (Leg Press):

Move the empty sled to the top of its range and engage the safety stops. Your initial position should be where you usually end up (knees bent). Load the machine with about 200% more than you usually press. Using a shoulder-width placement of your feet, press the sled up an inch or two -- don't lock out -- and hold the weight for five seconds. Don't be surprised if you can do triple your normal weight the first time you try this exercise.

Static Contraction (Shrug):

Place a barbell in the power rack at a level just above your knees. If you don't know how much you can hoist in this exercise, use the same amount you bench pressed. Take an overhand grip on the bar and lift it off the rack. Use your trapezius muscles to raise the weight an inch and hold it there. Don't worry about making your shoulders touch your ears... just raise the bar an inch.

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nice journal layout. New routine sounds intense with all the statics and partials, good luck

[spirit3530]

this thread is useless without...

[ddawg91]

Awesome lay out and title, will be following a long!

[pu12en12g]

Recomp Day 47
Static WARFARE Day 1

Sunday - 7/30/2006
Upper + Cardio

Thoughts:
Crazy day.... felt pretty amped most of the day and muscle fullness is excellent on this carbup....still have bandwork and gripwork tonight so if it looks like I'm neglecting delts I'm really not.

Negatives:
Neck pain

Positives:
Recovery

Gym:

Pec Deck:
4 x 8
Reverse Pec Deck (Rear Delts):
4 x 8

(warmup)

DB Bench:
80 x 12
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 6

Great stretch and MMC

BB Incline:
135 x 15
185 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8

315 x 5 partials... holy ****
355 x 1 static hold 10 seconds.. no lockout

Upper chest felt like it was going to explode / spasm

Military press:
135 x 15
185 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 6

315 x 6 partials / smith
355 x 1 static hold 10 seconds... no lockout

CG Bench:
135 x 12
185 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 6
225 x 6

245 x 5 partials... meh

Dips:
4 x 8

+90 static hold 10 seconds..weak
+135 static hold 10 seconds..weak

Wide grip pullups:
4 x 8

+135 static hold 10 seconds..

BB Shrugs:
225 x 12
315 x 8
365 x 8
365 x 8
365 x 6

405 x 5 partials
455 x 1 static hold 10 seconds..

Seated Cable Curl:
4 x 8

+40 Partials... holy ****.

Cardio:

Morning Cardio:

Jumprope
Time: 20:00
Calories Burned: ~480

Fat: 85
Carbs: 530
Protein: 373

Total 4517

[ab-swing asianbabe]

........nothing but praise for you

I just noticed you don't actually have an "off" day where you do absolutely nothing..hmm..?

[pu12en12g]

nice journal layout. New routine sounds intense with all the statics and partials, good luck

Thanks man !! Definately intense.. about 30 seconds between sets and the partials are crazy already.... but will it lead to explosive size gains ? Who knows...

this thread is useless without...

I'll try and get some pics and vids up soon.. maybe on another carbup weekend.

Awesome lay out and title, will be following a long!

Thanks man.. I'm sure I'll be learning as I go along.

[ddawg91]

Recomp Day 47
Static WARFARE Day 1

Sunday - 7/30/2006
Upper + Cardio

Thoughts:
Crazy day.... felt pretty amped most of the day and muscle fullness is excellent on this carbup....still have bandwork and gripwork tonight so if it looks like I'm neglecting delts I'm really not.

Negatives:
Neck pain

Positives:
Recovery

Gym:

Pec Deck:
4 x 8
Reverse Pec Deck (Rear Delts):
4 x 8

(warmup)

DB Bench:
80 x 12
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 6

Great stretch and MMC

BB Incline:
135 x 15
185 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8

315 x 5 partials... holy ****
355 x 1 static hold 10 seconds.. no lockout

Upper chest felt like it was going to explode / spasm

Military press:
135 x 15
185 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 6

315 x 6 partials / smith
355 x 1 static hold 10 seconds... no lockout

CG Bench:
135 x 12
185 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 6
225 x 6

245 x 5 partials... meh

Dips:
4 x 8

+90 static hold 10 seconds..weak
+135 static hold 10 seconds..weak

Wide grip pullups:
4 x 8

+135 static hold 10 seconds..

BB Shrugs:
225 x 12
315 x 8
365 x 8
365 x 8
365 x 6

405 x 5 partials
455 x 1 static hold 10 seconds..

Seated Cable Curl:
4 x 8

+40 Partials... holy ****.

Cardio:

Morning Cardio:

Jumprope
Time: 20:00
Calories Burned: ~480

Fat: 85
Carbs: 530
Protein: 373

Total 4517

Man that is some insane stuff, may have to try it just to see how it goes. Very interesting!!!

[pu12en12g]

........nothing but praise for you

I just noticed you don't actually have an "off" day where you do absolutely nothing..hmm..?

Nope... even the short 20 minutes of cardio on those off days has the potential for a hormonal response (for nutrient partitioning) during that day. Ideally it would be in the morning, but that doesn't always work out.

Also I like to aim high, for example if you plan on 7 out of 7 days sometimes you will fall short but 6 out of 7 ain't bad... I have the same theory about protein intake... aim as high as possible and then even when you fall a bit short it's still high... basically programming your subconscious mind.

[pu12en12g]

Man that is some insane stuff, may have to try it just to see how it goes. Very interesting!!!

One thing that surprised me after incline is that I seemed to feel stronger on each set of military press... it was actually my grip that started to **** up because of the pumps so I went to the smith.

The MMC during the partials was a insane feeling, BUT again who knows if it will translate into anything meaningful / noticable (the potential is definately there).

[ab-swing asianbabe]

Also I like to aim high, for example if you plan on 7 out of 7 days sometimes you will fall short but 6 out of 7 ain't bad... I have the same theory about protein intake... aim as high as possible and then even when you fall a bit short it's still high... basically programming your subconscious mind.

gotcha! I have a similar theory with my alarm clock I'm always late

[TRDE59]

Kick ass. I'm experimenting with partials and isometrics as well.

Something that you might find interesting, though:

I tried Pete Sisco's Static Contraction Training for about 6 weeks. The results were amazing. I increased my static hold in the bench by 100 pounds, yes 100, in one workout!! And I am by NO MEANS a newbie. I thought, surely, this is the holy grail of strength training! I noticed similar increases in strength for my other lifts.

However, when I decided to test my full-range max, it did not improve a single pound Nor had I gained any size.

But, when I did stretch position exercises, I DID notice a strength increase in my full range reps.

Full range lat pulldowns skyrocketed, and did shoulder raises, shrugs, and bicep curls to some extent. Deadlifts didn't improve because I did rack deadlifts.

Apparently, when the exercise is started in the stretch position, as opposed to the contracted position like in bench and squat, the isometrics have an effect in full range motion. I don't know of any scientific studies that prove this, but it seems that, in my experience, from the trained point of contraction and further, it improves strength, but it does nothing for a muscle that is stretched BEYOND that point of contraction. Hence why my bench press and squat didn't go up. They didn't go DOWN, but they didn't go up, either. Also, because of the decreased volume, I had lost a lot of endurance with both those lifts. My 8RM was a LOT lower.

This is just a suggestion, but perhaps you should try your static contraction at the BOTTOM of a bench as opposed to the top. Obviously a power rack or a really good spotter is crucial. I'm trying that right now, but it's too early to tell if it works or not (tomorrow will be my second week with it).

But, nonetheless, I've subscribed, because I'm interested to see your gains.

[pu12en12g]

Kick ass. I'm experimenting with partials and isometrics as well.

Something that you might find interesting, though:

I tried Pete Sisco's Static Contraction Training for about 6 weeks. The results were amazing. I increased my static hold in the bench by 100 pounds, yes 100, in one workout!! And I am by NO MEANS a newbie. I thought, surely, this is the holy grail of strength training! I noticed similar increases in strength for my other lifts.

However, when I decided to test my full-range max, it did not improve a single pound Nor had I gained any size.

But, when I did stretch position exercises, I DID notice a strength increase in my full range reps.

Full range lat pulldowns skyrocketed, and did shoulder raises, shrugs, and bicep curls to some extent. Deadlifts didn't improve because I did rack deadlifts.

Apparently, when the exercise is started in the stretch position, as opposed to the contracted position like in bench and squat, the isometrics have an effect in full range motion. I don't know of any scientific studies that prove this, but it seems that, in my experience, from the trained point of contraction and further, it improves strength, but it does nothing for a muscle that is stretched BEYOND that point of contraction. Hence why my bench press and squat didn't go up. They didn't go DOWN, but they didn't go up, either. Also, because of the decreased volume, I had lost a lot of endurance with both those lifts. My 8RM was a LOT lower.

This is just a suggestion, but perhaps you should try your static contraction at the BOTTOM of a bench as opposed to the top. Obviously a power rack or a really good spotter is crucial. I'm trying that right now, but it's too early to tell if it works or not (tomorrow will be my second week with it).

But, nonetheless, I've subscribed, because I'm interested to see your gains.

Awesome input man.. much appreciated. I looked at both the Pete Sisco and Xrep logic (and related it to bands / chains) and I'm planning to kind of "ease into" incorporating pieces of both while keeping the rest of my routine the same.... this might be impossible with the increased intensity

Once I get a taste for how (if) it works (noticable gains ?) then I will definately tweak things further.

[TRDE59]

Also, like I said, I did not gain size, but I did gain strength in those specific lifts I told you about.

It's not merely the absolute overload that makes the muscles bigger, the way Sisco has you believe. Otherwize, my chest would have increased by several inches after that one workout.

It's the progressive overload that makes them bigger, as well as the damage to the muscle fibers.

Your nervous system recruits more muscle fibers to hold that static contraction as others tire out. This is what causes the "shaking" feeling you get the first couple weeks you use it. Also, it improves the strength of your ligaments and tendons. Don't be alarmed that your shoulders and elbows hurt a lot after some heavy partials or static contraction. These are the stimulus you need to increase their strength.

More often than not, lack of ligament strength contributes to sticking points instead of the muscle itself. But, like I said, strength is mostly a nervous system and ligament adaptation, rather than a muscular one.

With size training, you must use a full range of motion in order to stretch the fascia (the bag surrounding the muscle) and create as much room for the muscle to grow. Also, full range training stresses the muscles more and causes more microtears. This is the primary reason your muscles get bigger, not just because you're holding a heavy ass weight.

But, as long as you're using both full range and partials, you should notice some great gains.

Partials and strategically applied isometrics = more ligament strength & motor unit recruitment
More LS & MU recruitment = more strength in full range of motion.
More strength in full range of motion = more progressive overload
More progressive overload = more size.

So, good luck.

[pu12en12g]

But, as long as you're using both full range and partials, you should notice some great gains.

Partials and strategically applied isometrics = more ligament strength & motor unit recruitment
More LS & MU recruitment = more strength in full range of motion.
More strength in full range of motion = more progressive overload
More progressive overload = more size.

So, good luck.

Awesome summary right there !! Do you have a link to your log / journal... it looks like we are on a similar track here.

[TRDE59]

Awesome summary right there !! Do you have a link to your log / journal... it looks like we are on a similar track here.

nah, I keep changing it so much that there's no point in a log. I'm mainly just experimenting to see what works for how long. but if you want a link to the routine I'm doing follow this link. It's bound to change again as I learn more, but maybe you can get an idea of what I'm trying to do from this.

[pu12en12g]

Recomp Day 48
Static WARFARE Day 2

Monday - 7/31/2006

Thoughts:
Holy **** soreness

[ddawg91]

Recomp Day 48
Static WARFARE Day 2

Monday - 7/31/2006

Thoughts:
Holy **** soreness

Worse than a normal intense workout?

[TimoteoS]

Hey Paul... would you mind giving me some help for my bulk coming up? I dont want to PM you and bother you if you dont have the time.. I just have a few questions..

[ab-swing asianbabe]

Worse than a normal intense workout?

are you feeling better today master?

[pu12en12g]

Worse than a normal intense workout?

Absolutely, this is the soreness I've been missing.

are you feeling better today master?

No ! But it's a awesome soreness... due to the partials IMO

[pu12en12g]

Hey Paul... would you mind giving me some help for my bulk coming up? I dont want to PM you and bother you if you dont have the time.. I just have a few questions..

Sure man ! Shoot me a email:

pt@controlledlabs.com

[ddawg91]

Absolutely, this is the soreness I've been missing.

No ! But it's a awesome soreness... due to the partials IMO

Sweet!!!

That is one thing I don't get anymore is the soreness, miss it to speak the truth. But when ever I do my powerlifting routine I don't ge the soreness as bad.