Reducing tension in opposing muscle groups can lead to greater strength output, today.
Today I am going to talk to you about a method we use in many of our programs for our members. By learning about this concept, you will be able to apply it to your own training and increase your performance, today!
For the purpose of this article, I want you to reference the picture above. It is of a Nordic Hamstring Curl. This exercise targets the hamstrings, the muscles in the back of the knee and the calf (gastrocnemius).
As the Hamstring contracts and shortens, think about which muscle group needs to relax and lengthen...the Quads! (thigh muscles)
In order for our body to move, muscles on opposite sides must work together. One must contract while the other relaxes. The more tension you have in your muscles, the harder the muscles on the opposite side of the joint must work to overcome the resting muscle tension.
Here is an example of what I am talking about...
Nordic Hamstring Curl x Couch Stretch superset
As you can see the couch stretch is relaxing and releasing muscle tension from the quads. Because of this, less force is needed from the hamstring to overcome the resting tension of the quads. This equals more force being expressed by the hamstring, making the nordic easier!
This concept can be applied to any muscle group. If you are training your bench press, for example, stretching our your biceps, rear deltoids (shoulders) and upper back as a superset with bench press could lead to a Personal Best today! Try it out!
If you are confused or have questions or concerns about this method, or want help on how to implement it in your training, please do not hesitate to reach out to me and ask! I love questions!
WhatsApp: +1 204 891 6851
Thank you for reading,
Matt
Comments