Irregular resistance training bias

[Mudge]

Ok, in-line with the 'other thread', here is my question, which nobody seemed to want to touch on.

There are machines, say a preacher/scott bench for example, where you can bias the weight towards the early, late, or middle portion of the repetiton. What is the benefit of this?

I have always read, "I do blah blah excersize because it affects my lower biceps the most." It seems generally accepted now that this is a load of BS. Does this not stimulate the area where the most resistance is, and therefore grow that portion of the muscle cells the most in relation to the others? Or is this only (or by far most effectively) a way to keep your muscles 'guessing?'

 

[Scotty the Body]

Your talking about Isolating different parts of a muscle here right?

Even though it can't be done, using a machine that varies the different points of stress put on it could be usefull to work the entire muscle giving it a better workout.

 

[Scotty the Body]

it would be like doing 21's for curls and such, good for working on portions of a lift that are haveing problems.

Like for bench, some people have trouble at the bottom, some at the middle and like me, some at the top.

 

[Mudge]

Well, it would not be isolation, sort of similar to 21s but were talking over a regular, full repetition here. However the bias is placed on a certain portion, even bent over curls are similar, they are easy at the start, and hard to fully contract, so the bias is placed towards the end of the repetiton.

There are machine version of the scott bench which will do this depending on where you place the plate, positions 1-3.

 

[Scotty the Body]

I think TCD stated in one of his posts that an MRI showed more tension in parts of the muscle but it couldn't prove that there was more growth in that area where the tension was greater.

 

[Mudge]

I'd like to hear that from a person with larger arms than myself though, because these things have been talked about forever, if someone is going to debunk them then I want some kind of proof or someone physically convincing enough. I want to hear either "it doesnt do anything" or "it does this............"

In other words I want an explanation of what it does or why is it used at all.

 

[Scotty the Body]

Ok, its just another variation, does it work? sure it does.
Is it the best thing out there? Hell no, if it was every gym would have one.

There is no magic peice of equipment, yes you should use it but you should also use other things like DB and BB to.

I know its not the answer your looking for, I don't know if my arms are bigger than yours, all I can tell you is I've been lifting for almost 18 years now (no not steady) and there is no one peice of equipment that can do the job alone.

 

[Mudge]

I'm not looking for the be-all end all of machinery, I just want to know about bias in general. Some excersizes use it more than others, just interested to learn whats going on here.

I've been lifting for 15 years (likewise off and on). Wanted to start even younger, but I wasn't allowed to. For biceps all I'm doing are standing barbell curls, bent-over concentration.

 

[Scotty the Body]

Gotcha, just wondering why you pic Concentration curls, I've always found hammer or preacher to be much better.

 

[Mudge]

I get a really strong effect from the last part of the rep, I gained 1/8" this week. I do like hammers, my concentration curls are a finisher, and I dont always do the same thing every week, usually switch every 2 weeks.

 

[Robboe]

What i find quite funny about all this, is that i hardly do any direct work for biceps and yet they've grown quite happily.

 

[Scotty the Body]

Strong back = strong bi's TCD?! I agree, I don't worry to much about my bi's either but I do enjoy BB curls.

 

[Robboe]

Originally posted by Scotty the Body
Strong back = strong bi's TCD?!

Yeah sorta, but more specifically, a progressing back = progressing biceps


Yeah, direct bicep work can be fun. Keeps you enthusiastic.

 

[Mudge]

I do my best to use my arms as simple twigs and have my back do the work, I dont find that my biceps get worked that much from back movements. Reverse grip rows and pulldowns definately get them warmed up though. I seemed to do well this week with 5 total sets.