The best fix for that is deep box squats. Go even deeper than regular squats. If you focus on “chest up” and “back arched”, it will straighten out the rounded back (and other form issues).
As far as pause squats go I find them useful at one particular time. If you have exclusively box squated for a while, but don’t plan on using squat suits and lifting gear, then you will feel a little weak right at the bottom of a regular squat.
A few sets of 3-sec pause squats for 3-4 weeks will strengthen that right up.
From my experience, you need a certain frequency to appreciate results, so at least 3/w…
Eros,
My strength workouts are already longer than I like them to be (that is over 30 minutes) because I had to add some rehab/prehab work for adductors and hip flexors. I don’t know how I managed to run sub 6" 50m with my right adductor so weak, actually.
Anyhow, I will go from there and see what it brings.
I already get the feeling of light and fast legs when I get to the speed/P-C macrocycle so I am wondering what long holds would add.
No, I have never tried them as my “training plan”, but it’s not like there is some secret magic trick that happens holding an isometric contraction for a long duration of time. We know more MU’s can be contratced with an iso compared to concentric or eccentric. We also know that holding it for a sustained period of time cuts off blood flow, thus activating the fast twitch fibers, a la Kaatsu, which have a greater potential for hypertrophy, along with the benefits I mentioned before. But besides that, I don’t see how they could really make someone run faster or jump higher, unless those are things that you needed. They don’t increase your RFD or reactivity or any of that good stuff.
You mentioned you were overtrained right before you started using them and then after a period of time (I don’t remember what you said exactly), you came back and felt a lot better. Besides that fact that you were overtrained and had probably recovered and supercompensated, there are a ton of other variables that could have played a role, not to say that the iso’s werent helpful, which I’m sure they were. I just don’t understand why someone would want to hold them for five minutes. Does something miraculous happen if it’s held for that long? What more do you get out of holding it for five minutes as opposed to 1:30 or 2 minutes, besides a lot more lactic buildup?
I’m all for progress and innovation, however I must ask the question: If long duration ISO’s have so many benefits, how come we haven’t seen them in any elite athletes’ program? Surely in the Eastern Bloc countries’ extensive research they tested the LDISO’s, yet we see no use of them in their programs. Charlie also stated that they haven’t been in the programs of any elite sprinters. The closest thing I have seen to any ISO in an elite program is utilizing a pause at the bottom of the movement; this pause rarely exceeds 5 sec. I’m not trying to discount the legitimate results seen by members on the forum, I just haven’t seen these methods used at any capacity towards the higher levels of sport.
One premise…we ( and our scientists) know just a approximately how our whole body works…so I cannot exclude anything based on " nobody does it".
They do work different aspects for sure…do not forget also the Fascial effects.
Possibly because they are boring, annoying and no fun to do. Staying in a position for 5 minutes isn’t very appealing. (I’m being honest, not sarcastic)
I’m with Kacz on this one. I’ve done them, immediately hit PRs after only a couple of weeks, had my legs grow considerably, and recovered faster, but I took them out of my training because they are boring, painful, and just overall not fun to do.
Charlie, I time my sprints with a video camera and I hit a 1 frame PR in the 50M. I’m not fast, and I only went like 6.32, but it was a PR at the time. Also, I think I gained around 3/8" on my thighs (from 26" to 26.375"). ISOs were only done as an accessory to my real training.
And Mortac is right. I gave it up because they were really painful. I should go back to them, but they were a nightmare for me. They way you put it though Mort, I think I’m going to go back to them now. I’m just being a sissy by avoiding them.
And that attack on the Inno-Sport system is uncalled for. Perhaps you could tell me how full speed 200s and intense plyos are not “real work.” Or maybe how visualizing each and every rep before you perform it so it is just perfect isn’t mentally draining.
Truthfully, your post is really condescending to those of us who do work hard and use the system.
Yea I guess that was a cheap shot (edited above). Just try to have the attitude that you’d eat dirt if it improved performance. I’m just saying alot of people seem to have lost that attitude in search of the secret method or secret answer.
i also think that, if people learned to Master a Proven system that works time and again, instead of bastadizing it or trying to make up their own system, we would see much more Depth in a lot more sports.
Everybody wants to put Their own name to something, even if its a load of crap!
A slight example, McDonalds make pretty boring burgers, but sell the most burgers worldwide - because they are Masters at Marketing. Same can be said for a lot of “guru” trainers, Are they the best to create Elite world athletes, or Ok national event althletes? However, a lot of these “guru” trainers who make OK national athletes are Master Marketeers, and a good living doing what they do.
And im sure there are a lot of Trainers out there, who make the best athletes (or burgers) and make stuff all money - cause they suck at marketing!!
