Static contraction machine

[uvi]

There doesnt seem to be a lot of information about these machines on the internet, other than some promo material from the company's that developed them. I even did a search for topics with the word "static" in here to no avail.

I'm not talking about the original SCT workout that uses existing gym equipment, I'm talking about these devices below (ok apparently I cant link or post images, but if you were to google for Static Contraction Machines it would be the first set of images that come up)



Anyone ever see one of these? There are no moving parts, you simply exert maximum force against a steel plate or bar, and a scale measures how much you are pushing against it. The concept is the same as SCT (Static Contraction Training) in that you place your muscles in their maximum "torque curve" so to speak, which is usually near full extension, the only difference is unlike trying this with real weights, you dont have to actually lift them an inch to get into that power band. You simply adjust the plate to the optimal distance and just start wailing on it as hard as you can.

The machines are pretty expensive and tend to go along with the usual BS hype "5 minute workout! Only workout 1 time per week! Gain 10lbs of muscle every 8 weeks!" so I am suspicious of their effectiveness. But the concept has me intrigued nonetheless.

Ideas?

[ironwill2008]

There doesnt seem to be a lot of information about these machines on the internet, other than some promo material from the company's that developed them. I even did a search for topics with the word "static" in here to no avail.

I'm not talking about the original SCT workout that uses existing gym equipment, I'm talking about these devices below (ok apparently I cant link or post images, but if you were to google for Static Contraction Machines it would be the first set of images that come up)



Anyone ever see one of these? There are no moving parts, you simply exert maximum force against a steel plate or bar, and a scale measures how much you are pushing against it. The concept is the same as SCT (Static Contraction Training) in that you place your muscles in their maximum "torque curve" so to speak, which is usually near full extension, the only difference is unlike trying this with real weights, you dont have to actually lift them an inch to get into that power band. You simply adjust the plate to the optimal distance and just start wailing on it as hard as you can.

The machines are pretty expensive and tend to go along with the usual BS hype "5 minute workout! Only workout 1 time per week! Gain 10lbs of muscle every 8 weeks!" so I am suspicious of their effectiveness. But the concept has me intrigued nonetheless.

Ideas?

The "Static Contraction" shtick had a short run of popularity back in the early '90's in the muscle magazines, and then quickly disappeared. If there were anything to it, everyone would still be training that way.

[Wildtim]

Essentially what you are talking about is essentially isometric exercises.

From Wikipedia:

"Isometric exercises are thousands of years old, with examples listed from the static holds in certain branches of yoga or oriental martial arts.

Isometric exercises were first brought to the modern public's attention in the early days of physical culture, the precursor to bodybuilding. Many of the great bodybuilders of the day incorporated isometric exercises into their training regimens.[4]

Many of today's training protocols incorporate isometric exercises, which are often made into parts of normal, isotonic exercises. For example, during a set of seated rows, a subject can hold their position when the handles are closest to their chest in order to "squeeze" the muscle, in an effort to further strain the muscle."


Also see:



Its been around for a while, results are mediocre

[Domicron]

i was watching some video or reading something about Arnold saying that he felt like his posing between sets and exercises was a good way of isometric training as well as checking symmetry and such. i don't know how much it helped, but that's my anecdotal story.

a barbell has few moving parts (2) and you exert a force against it and see results. you may need to add plates later, but i'm willing to bet it's cheaper than the static machine.

[CliveWarren]

Essentially what you are talking about is essentially isometric exercises.

From Wikipedia:

"Isometric exercises are thousands of years old, with examples listed from the static holds in certain branches of yoga or oriental martial arts.

Isometric exercises were first brought to the modern public's attention in the early days of physical culture, the precursor to bodybuilding. Many of the great bodybuilders of the day incorporated isometric exercises into their training regimens.[4]

Many of today's training protocols incorporate isometric exercises, which are often made into parts of normal, isotonic exercises. For example, during a set of seated rows, a subject can hold their position when the handles are closest to their chest in order to "squeeze" the muscle, in an effort to further strain the muscle."


Its been around for a while, results are mediocre

I had initially though about York's rack from the 60's



Apparently isometric and static contraction are a little different.

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/work...standing-still

I think it's a bit tough to gauge how much for you'd produce with isometrics. To do a static contraction, you'd still need to move some weight but hold it at a midway position through a movement.

[Dont Want None]

I normally run 12 week programs, and probably once throughout each program, I do some form of isometric work for my chest, legs, etc. Normally, it is something like a superset of pushing an unloaded bar into pins, followed by a few reps of bench press. There was an article on T-Nation from Chad Waterbury about it awhile back.

I REALLY like isometric work for shoulders. I actually do it probably close to weekly. I'll either do isometric lateral raises (lift my arms into my pin and pipe safeties at a mid ROM of a lateral raise), do some form of a straight arm chin-up hang where I hold myself with my shoulders, or I'll get under a door frame and attempt to "lift the house". Really good contraction in the shoulders, and it always feels really good from a healthy shoulder stance, my shoulders feel nice and solid afterwords.

[uvi]

The machines I am talking to still work a little bit differently from your classic iso/sct exercise using barbells. With those exercises you still have to move the weight a little in order to get it freestanding. The kind of exercise I am talking about is more like just pushing against a brick wall with all your might. Neither you nor the wall move at all, so you arent suspending anything in the air. Apparently this kind of exercise gives you a little more mmmph.

I'm sure if it were effective they would be more popular, and their $2500 starting price and flagrant ads wreak of ripoff pricing. I actually used one before at a local gym when a sponsor was demo'ing it trying to get everyone to sign up for a special membership just to use the dang thing. I did a 400lb benchpress or something for 7 seconds and was told "good job, you're done, thats the workout!" Heh.