Lets take a look at what powerlifting can do for your speed and strength training. Learn the facts from Dr. Squat!

Irondom has made claims that, for years, went unheeded by Academe. The list is long. Claims like, "weight training can improve flexibility," "weight training doesn't interfere with a child's growth," or "squats are not bad for the knees -- they're good for the knees" fell on deaf ears.

Over the past few years, however, the intrepid Sleuths of Academe have been getting their act together. Many of the beliefs we have long held have, one by one, been "supported" by the scientists' research. What we knew from years of practical insight and experience, researchers slowly came to the same conclusions through painstaking, controlled clinical observations and statistical analyses.

There is one observation that we've known about a long time that scientists are finally beginning to realize. And it does my heart a world of good to see it happening. For, in one fell swoop, scientists have laid waste to the surreptitious claims of Nautilus freaks and dinosaur coaches alike. Remember the Nautilus line: slow movements for one set to failure? And, remember the coaches' sentiment regarding long distance running for their strength athletes: "It'll get you through four quarters of play" and "it’ll make a man outa ya"?


While disproved, too many of these old beliefs nonetheless persist. What disturbs me most, though, is the current practice of power athletes who spend hours on the cycle ergometer or jogging in order to reduce bodyfat.

So that you don't lose interest in what I have to say here -- and it is important --let me give you the bottom line first. Explosive movements with the weights are the only way to develop great explosive strength. Not only that, but engaging in slow, endurance type movements will prevent you from reaching your maximum potential in limit strength, explosive strength, and starting strength.

There, I've said it in clear, concise language so that there will be no misunderstandings. Now let's backtrack and have a look at some important definitions as well as the research supporting these stunning contentions of mine.

Some of the far-reaching implications from a practical perspective will also be forwarded. These observations may very well impact on your career as a powerlifter more than any single piece of advice you've ever come across. Most certainly, it's the most important advice I can give to you.


Speed-Strength


You may have heard this kind of strength referred to as "power" (p = fd/t).

There Are Two Components Of Speed-Strength:

Starting strength
Explosive strength
"Speed-strength" is how well you apply force with speed. It's importance in powerlifting cannot be overemphasized, as this kind of movement is what it takes to stimulate your fast-twitch muscle fibers to respond. Slow movements just won't do it, and (as you'll see later) actually make you weaker.

Starting Strength

Starting strength means your ability to instantaneously "turn on" as many muscle fibers (muscle cells) as possible. Firing a 100 mph fastball requires tremendous starting strength. So does each football in a 100 meter sprint, or throwing a quick knockout punch in boxing.


Both a pitchers fastball and a knockout punch are examples of starting strength.
For powerlifters, it's critical in breaking the inertia of the ponderous weight being hoisted before ATP is depleted (well within two seconds during all-out muscle contraction).

Explosive Strength

Once your muscle fibers are turned on, your ability to LEAVE them turned on for a measurable period is referred to as "explosiveness." A football lineman pushing his opponent, or a shot putter "putting" the shot as far as possible are examples of explosive strength in action. Olympic-style weightlifting (snatch and clean & jerk) is perhaps the best example of maximum explosive strength in action.


The clean and jerk is a great example of explosive strength.
The ultimate form in which explosive strength is displayed is called "acceleration." This is the type of explosiveness that'll ensure successful passage through the sticking point of each of the three powerlifts.

It'll also ensure that the lift is completed BEFORE too many of your muscle cells become so fatigued that you can't complete it.


What The Research Shows


I do not want you to wade through volumes of research findings, irrelevant data or obscure esoterica to get to the truth of the matter regarding the significance of my above-stated observations.

Instead, let me list them for you in terms that you will understand:

Maximum power output of human skeletal muscle are positively correlated to the percentage of fast-twitch fibers in a given muscle (Bosco et.al., 1983; Hakkinen et. al., 1984).



"There are two components of speed-strength: starting and explosive."


Hypertrophy -- increased size -- of muscle fibers occurs mainly in fast-twitch fibers (especially Type IIb fibers if stimulated to fuse with surrounding satellite cells) in response to stimulation afforded by weight training, and most especially weight training that is explosive in nature (Hakkinen et.al., 1985; Thorstensson et. al., 1976; Connelly, 1992).
The ultimate potential for explosive movements is determined by the fast-twitch composition of muscles (Hakkinen et. al 1985), and probably by the nature of the ATPase secreted by the respective fibers' cross-bridges (Connelly, 1992).
Endurance training reduces the inherent capability of the neuromuscular system for maximum power output (Dudley & Fleck, 1987).
Vertical jumping ability -- inherently a fast-twitch muscle function -- decreases with endurance training (Bosco et. al 1983; Ono et. al. 1976).
Strength training with weights induces little or no increase in aerobic power (max VO2 uptake), but markedly improves anaerobic endurance (i.e., short-term strength endurance such as the type necessary in sprinting, football, etc.) (Hickson et. al., 1980).
Strength training in conjunction with endurance training may enhance performances in endurance events where occasional explosive bouts of effort are called for (Dudley & Fleck, 1987).
Endurance training performed concurrently with weight training (e.g., an every other day approach) interferes with optimal strength, power and size development in muscles involved (Hickson, 1980; Dudley & Djamil, 1985).
Concurrent endurance training and weight training markedly interferes with an athlete's ability to perform explosive movements, due mainly to adaptive responses in the muscle (Hickson, 1980; Dudley & Djamil, 1985; Dudley & Fleck, 1987).
None of the above findings from research conducted prior to 1987 is resultant of states of overtraining or poor research design (Dudley & Fleck, 1987). Thus, it would appear that these findings are real, and should be considered by strength coaches and strength athletes.
The mechanisms by which power, size and limit strength are reduced as a result of endurance training most probably are:
Mechanical destruction of existing white (fast-twitch) fibers, particularly from the eccentric portion of the repetitive movements
Their replacement by red (slow-twitch) fibers, and 3) enzymatic and neuromuscular changes more appropriate for slow, endurance types of movements (Armstrong, 1987; Connelly, 1992).
There you have it, fellow iron freaks. Now, I don't want to belabor this issue, but this is what we've been saying for quite some time now. But the scientists sure do have a nice way of saying it, don't they? Now I'd like to say it for the average athlete and fitness enthusiast.