A 5-second trick to help overcome physical weaknesses.

As longtime lifters we gradually move into a mindset that divides the day into time when we work out, and time when we do everything else.

However, during the time when we are not working out, it is possible to do a few things that are invisible to the people around us and can help a lot in overcoming specific weak spots that we may have.

This technique is very useful when recovering from an injury as an additional form of physical therapy.

It is also useful to work on stubborn weak points in our lifts.

 

Example: Weak parts in the bench press

Everyone is familiar with the dreaded sticking point in the bench press when the bar is a few inches off your chest and you encounter a major point of weakness at the point where the lift transitions from one set of muscles to another.

This is the spot where most bench presses fail.

Building strength at this point is difficult when doing a full lift since momentum is used to break past the sticking point.

In the gym you can try to set a bar on rack pins at the sticking point and isolate the area where you are weakest.

Outside the gym you can build up your strength a bit at the sticking point by doing an isometric pose and generating maximum muscle tension for 5 seconds.

You can do this sitting at your desk.

Put your arms in the position where the sticking point occurs. Arrange the pose as if you were pressing off a bench.

Generate as much muscular tension in your arms, shoulders, neck and back as possible for 5 seconds.

Then relax.

You can do this neuro-muscular tension drill multiple times during the day and 98% of the time no nearby will have any idea you are doing it.

 

Isometric poses to work on weak spots

Doing isometric poses and generating muscular tension can be used to work on weak areas of lifts when you are alone at home or out doing some errand.

For example, you can practice mobilizing muscular tension in some part of your body when walking your dog, shopping in the grocery store or riding as a passenger in a car.

The key is working on developing neuro-muscular control so that you can more readily summon strength when doing heavy lifting.

This practice was one that old time strong men used regularly.

The more muscle control you have, the more force you can voluntarily produce.

 

Using in rehabilitation

When undergoing rehabilitation from a significant injury, you will be working to extend the range of motion where you have strength.

Using isometric tension at the places where you are trying to improve can help speed the process of recovery.

For example, if you suffer a traumatic shoulder injury you will find that you can only exert force in a limited range of motion.

Using isometrics to gradually rebuild your strength right at the places where it begins to fail can speed your progress.

For example, you can push upward against an immovable table with your arm extended to the point where you have difficulty holding it in place.

This will enable you to slowly increase your range of motion where you have good strength.

Like the example above, you can do this multiple times a day and no one around you will have any idea what you are doing.

 

Bottom Line

Use any opportunity to work on muscle control and building strength at difficult spots in your lift.

You dont have to be in the gym to do useful strength building.

Lift Big!

Richard