It’s an old thread, but my ideas on it from reading some other parts of the forum:
bodybuliding
1.improved rate coding, leading to increased RFD
2.greater strength endurance, which builds better speed endurance
max strength methods
1.greater increase in strength without as much bodymass
2.teaches an individual how to voluntarily recruit the maximal number of motor units
Maximum concentric strength plays the largest role in the start of the race, whereas the minimal amount of time available for force to be applied during the portion of the race during which one is in the “sprint position” requires that most of the power be generated by the tendons, while the muscles contract isometrically. However, the muscles do produce some of the power, since CF says increases in squat capacity produce better speed throughout the race. It is my belief that bodybuilding methods would be more effective for the hamstring muscles’ ability to produce power while sprinting because the limiting factor while running upright is the time for the application of force, and bb methods increase RFD.
The problem with a lot of that is it’s based off the old muscle recruitment theories which have been proven false. Full muscle recruitment isn’t an issue. Even beginners using around an 80% load (depending on the particular muscle), can turn on all their motor units.
Rate coding is partly genetic and partly trainable. The genetic part is highly dependent on the excitability of the CNS and testosterone/catecholamine sensitivity. The trainable parts of rate codingis largely specific to the training method. If you want good rate coding in the squat you need to do lots of squatting. The best way to improve rate coding in the sprint is to do lots of sprints.
The best use of max strength training IMO is as as neural stimulation method, which addresses the first part of rate coding described above.
So, basically in the end we’re left with:
strength + movement efficiency + structure
The best way to improve strength is get bigger. The best way to improve movement efficiency is practice the event(s) of choice. And structure you’re born with.
I think Poliquin may have used the term neurological efficiency to describe one’s ability to activate high threshold motor units and that beginners are less neurologically efficient. How does this factor in here?
Also, in studying for the NSCA exam years ago, I recall the usual gains in strength due to neural factors, not hypertrophy message. If beginners can turn on all their motor units and there’s no hypertrophy, how do they get stronger?
My guess is that they become much more efficient at performing the particular movement being trained, and so at the start of training they may use all their motor units to lift a particular load, but as they get better at it they can rely on less motor units to accomplish the same task.
I’ve been near enough to each of these guys to speak with them on more than one occasion. MJ is naturally the largest man of the group, and while he looked very muscular in photos he was actually quite wiry. He is quite thin now.
Mo is small man and proportionally put more mass on his frame than MJ, IMO.
Andre is really little. I mean tiny. He may have put more muscle on his frame than either of the other two, but started from nothing. He was wired though and really tightly wrapped. His reaction to getting his ass whopped in Madden Football something to behold
Yeah, I agree that it is likely because the 400 guys are taller and have larger frames versus having more muscle mass. The point is moreso that the differences are not significant enough to really worry about having hamstrings and glutes that are “too big”.
Anytime someone wants to take a look can go see some top round steaks. Look at just a 2lb steak and see how big it is… probably much bigger than the muscle bellies most people have and not that many elites can even beat, so I wouldn’t worry about getting glutes and hammies that are “too big”.
Don’t quote me on this, but my understanding is that your body is very good at conserving energy, and so when you repeat a skill over and over (such as a particular weight lift), your body adapts first by using as little energy as it needs to to accomplish the task.
This might be done by decreasing the number of motor units involved, but maybe this applies more to endurance training than max strength training, I am not sure.
