The Judge
Total Posts: 16490
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09-27-21 11:23 PM - Post#913591
Today a young woman at the gym who I have helped previously, asked why the rear delt work on the cables didn't feel like they were working as well as they could. I told her that she was not lining up the cables in a manner that kept her arms parallel to the floor but, most importantly she kept changing the angle in her elbows which engaged her triceps and took some resistance from the rear delts.
I have often told people at the gym who have asked for help that they must "turn off their brain". The brain wants to "help" a person and engage other muscles to assist. The brain wants to make the movement easier. In order to build as much muscle as they can, they must not allow the brain to share the stress. Isolation of the muscle being worked makes an exercise the most efficient.
Once she removed the elbow extension in the middle of the movement, she felt the rear delt receiving all the stress.
Judge John
"You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln
"I live, I lift, I ache, I am." - Dave Draper
"Moderation assures mediocrity -- nice, safe. Mediocrity is for the mediocre -- simple, okay. The intense rule; the mediocre follow." - Dave Draper
Every day innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help stop the slaughter. EAT MEAT! |
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Adam S
Total Posts: 629
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Yes and no. You do have to figure out how to bypass the body/brain's tendency to try to find the "easiest" path, especially if you are trying to isolate muscles. But for me personally, that isn't accomplished by turning off my brain. To the contrary, it is only by focusing intently on what I am trying to accomplish with an exercise--which muscles I want to bias--that I get the most out of a set. If I am not focusing on feeling and contracting my lats, the rear deltoids, rhomboids, traps, and biceps will completely take over. There are set ups that make it more likely that an exercise will induce the kinds of contractions that I want, but I still have to use my brain to make sure that other muscles don't come into play, and that I am feeling the contraction. Even with the right set up, I am thinking "down, down down, externally rotate at the shoulders, squeeze around" as I do most lat exercises. Doing that has visibly improved my lats--meaning that, now, there's actually something there that can be seen! The thing that I have noticed over the years is that novices often don't have the body awareness to get much out of their exercises. That is readily apparent in things like yoga and Pilates, but also in weight-training. It takes time to develop that awareness and direct it correctly. I have no doubt that your brain, John, is working intently as you do your reps. It's just that you have developed such great awareness, that it doesn't feel like your brain is working. But it also may be true that your advice to turn off your brain works for some people.
| Why are you squatting in the curl rack? |
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The Judge
Total Posts: 16490
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09-29-21 10:26 PM - Post#913629
Okay, I, too, concentrate HARD, thinking of the muscle being worked so if you prefer, let's call it turning off your instinct.
Judge John
"You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln
"I live, I lift, I ache, I am." - Dave Draper
"Moderation assures mediocrity -- nice, safe. Mediocrity is for the mediocre -- simple, okay. The intense rule; the mediocre follow." - Dave Draper
Every day innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help stop the slaughter. EAT MEAT! |
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Adam S
Total Posts: 629
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09-30-21 02:32 PM - Post#913645
Exactly. We need to aware, not on auto-pilot.
| Why are you squatting in the curl rack? |
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Neander
Total Posts: 7755
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Oh for sure, John! I have to overpower my mind's natural instinct to make the exercise easier on the body. Isolating specific muscles is not the body's natural way to operate, so you could say that we are not natty in that respect 
It takes a lot of time and patience to teach yourself how to isolate certain muscle functions, and that adds a lot of challenge and fun to lifting in that way.
I love it when a workout is flowing and going so well that I don't even know I am me or have a mind, just fall right into the deal completely. But then, that way is not for everyone.
Personally, I look at lifting as a pretty non-intellectual event intentionally. I don't want to let my mind get in the way of the high once I have the moves down to my current satisfaction.
But honestly, my whole point with lifting has always been to look more attractive to the womens so's I can have more of the sexes with strangers before I is dead, eh.
Life's too short to worry about longevity.
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Edited by Neander on 10-02-21 04:27 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Henry
Total Posts: 1461
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The Judge
Total Posts: 16490
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Oh for sure, John! I have to overpower my mind's natural instinct to make the exercise easier on the body. Isolating specific muscles is not the body's natural way to operate, so you could say that we are not natty in that respect
It takes a lot of time and patience to teach yourself how to isolate certain muscle functions, and that adds a lot of challenge and fun to lifting in that way.
I love it when a workout is flowing and going so well that I don't even know I am me or have a mind, just fall right into the deal completely. But then, that way is not for everyone.
Personally, I look at lifting as a pretty non-intellectual event intentionally. I don't want to let my mind get in the way of the high once I have the moves down to my current satisfaction.
But honestly, my whole point with lifting has always been to look more attractive to the womens so's I can have more of the sexes with strangers before I is dead, eh.
LOL!! How's the last part working for you, Dale?
Judge John
"You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln
"I live, I lift, I ache, I am." - Dave Draper
"Moderation assures mediocrity -- nice, safe. Mediocrity is for the mediocre -- simple, okay. The intense rule; the mediocre follow." - Dave Draper
Every day innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help stop the slaughter. EAT MEAT! |
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The Judge
Total Posts: 16490
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10-03-21 10:09 PM - Post#913699
Not sure what this had to do with isolation, Henry, but it was very entertaining.
Judge John
"You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln
"I live, I lift, I ache, I am." - Dave Draper
"Moderation assures mediocrity -- nice, safe. Mediocrity is for the mediocre -- simple, okay. The intense rule; the mediocre follow." - Dave Draper
Every day innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help stop the slaughter. EAT MEAT! |
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Henry
Total Posts: 1461
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10-04-21 10:39 AM - Post#913710
Judge John, I watched it and thought about turning off the brain haha!
"Go Henry - Live, lift, learn and grow - Never quit - Dave Draper" |
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The Judge
Total Posts: 16490
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10-05-21 12:15 AM - Post#913723
Judge John, I watched it and thought about turning off the brain haha!
Judge John
"You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln
"I live, I lift, I ache, I am." - Dave Draper
"Moderation assures mediocrity -- nice, safe. Mediocrity is for the mediocre -- simple, okay. The intense rule; the mediocre follow." - Dave Draper
Every day innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help stop the slaughter. EAT MEAT! |
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Richard Sanchez
Total Posts: 4023
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I'm aware when I start an exercise what I'm doing however the Brain Turns Off when I get to the last rep or two. I'm in survival mode and everything is just lifting that weight or running that last mile. My weightbelt could pop off but nothing is stopping me from getting that last rep.
Judge looking really ripped in that photo.
rick
Today a young woman at the gym who I have helped previously, asked why the rear delt work on the cables didn't feel like they were working as well as they could. I told her that she was not lining up the cables in a manner that kept her arms parallel to the floor but, most importantly she kept changing the angle in her elbows which engaged her triceps and took some resistance from the rear delts.
I have often told people at the gym who have asked for help that they must "turn off their brain". The brain wants to "help" a person and engage other muscles to assist. The brain wants to make the movement easier. In order to build as much muscle as they can, they must not allow the brain to share the stress. Isolation of the muscle being worked makes an exercise the most efficient.
Once she removed the elbow extension in the middle of the movement, she felt the rear delt receiving all the stress.
Edited by Richard Sanchez on 10-26-21 12:35 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Henry
Total Posts: 1461
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10-27-21 07:20 AM - Post#914239
Because I have been into advanced Tai Chi Chuan and Yoga I notice many not aware of how off form they are. This is why it's not really a good idea for a beginner to learn from a video, no one to correct bad form. I've gotten good comments about my form when working out at a gym, esp. my squatting but also know what I'm doing with other exercises.
"Go Henry - Live, lift, learn and grow - Never quit - Dave Draper" |
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The Judge
Total Posts: 16490
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Love it, Rick! "Survival mode!" Yes!
Thanks for the props, Rick. I am actually more cut today than I was on my birthday when I took that photo. I am down another 6 lbs. from that photo. I can't seem to stop dieting. I weigh 186 now while my usual weight was around 206. I am the lowest I have been in decades.
I'm aware when I start an exercise what I'm doing however the Brain Turns Off when I get to the last rep or two. I'm in survival mode and everything is just lifting that weight or running that last mile. My weightbelt could pop off but nothing is stopping me from getting that last rep.
Judge looking really ripped in that photo.
rick
Today a young woman at the gym who I have helped previously, asked why the rear delt work on the cables didn't feel like they were working as well as they could. I told her that she was not lining up the cables in a manner that kept her arms parallel to the floor but, most importantly she kept changing the angle in her elbows which engaged her triceps and took some resistance from the rear delts.
I have often told people at the gym who have asked for help that they must "turn off their brain". The brain wants to "help" a person and engage other muscles to assist. The brain wants to make the movement easier. In order to build as much muscle as they can, they must not allow the brain to share the stress. Isolation of the muscle being worked makes an exercise the most efficient.
Once she removed the elbow extension in the middle of the movement, she felt the rear delt receiving all the stress.
Judge John
"You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln
"I live, I lift, I ache, I am." - Dave Draper
"Moderation assures mediocrity -- nice, safe. Mediocrity is for the mediocre -- simple, okay. The intense rule; the mediocre follow." - Dave Draper
Every day innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help stop the slaughter. EAT MEAT! |
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JonZ
Total Posts: 1021
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11-03-21 11:23 PM - Post#914469
"Personally, I look at lifting as a pretty non-intellectual event intentionally. I don't want to let my mind get in the way of the high once I have the moves down to my current satisfaction."
My workouts are my "mindfulness". It has been the one avenue I can clear my melon. That does not mean I discount other folk's methods, whether it be running, meditation, etc. Swimming works for me as well. I have rediscovered there is something cleansing about a strenuous workout. No counting seconds up and down with the metronome, stressing about doing a lift wrong (they should be performed correctly though...) losing count of time etc. I spent many years over thinking workouts. I am glad for almost a year now I just exercise. I start, I lift or exercise until I am breathing hard, and sweating. I compare it to a question I asked my Wing Chun sifu a few years back. "How come we don't stretch, do push ups, and run around the mats like the Tae Kwon Do guys I know?" He asked me, "If you get cornered somewhere, and the only way out is physical confrontation, are you going do stop and do push ups first?"
So now my workouts are do the movements, do them well, huff around a bit, sweat, do it again the day after next.
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
The world needs fewer business majors and more history majors. - Carl Sagan
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