How do you get stronger?
In: Blog
1 Jun 2010Recently i have been doing some reading about exercise Physiology and what makes people strong. Why is someone that weighs the same as me able to lift twice as much?
Ok, Maybe not twice but 60kg more is fucking impressive. Sorry for the repeat on this video its just such a great once!
Technique plays a roll but i think there is more, and here is the basic sciency stuff that i will try to simplify for you.
Basically if you are a certain height, and a certain body fat percentage, you will have the same muscle mass as someone else with the same measurements. Just as a starting point we will use myself and olympic caliber weightlifters in my weight class (69 kg). I lift a fraction of what they do. Literally a fraction. Just from looking at pictures i would say we have generally the same build. Short and stocky. So why are they able to lift so much more?
Well, here is my take on it. Its more about activation than muscle mass. So for those of you that think getting stronger means getting bigger, listen closely. Currently i know that i am not using my muscle mass to its full potential. generally it is accepted that the beginning lifter will see great gains as their neurological system adapts to the demands placed on it by the increased load. You do move more weight but its not due to your muscles growing bigger or stronger, its due to your neurological system firing faster, and in sync with each other. The more advanced lifter will develop a more efficient system that will allow bigger neurons to fire earlier and therefore lift more weight with less effort.
The development of this efficiency takes years. Once you have activated these pathways, it takes less energy to recruit them in the future and thats how you get stronger. I also believe that this is why the guy that lifted a lot in high school or college can still walk in the gym and out lift most new lifters. I have heard of people waling into a gym, having not lifted in 10 years, and snatching 150+. I can say my experience has been similar. I snatched 95 only 3 months after a broken collar bone and literally didn’t train for at least 2 of those months. Once i got the patterns back it was not a problem to handle the weight.
This theory presents a huge issue for those of you that take a randomized approach to strength training (CF.com style programming). How are you supposed to recruit new motor units or neurons and actually get stronger if you never give yourself the chance to develop these pathways?
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20 Responses to How do you get stronger?
Shane
June 1st, 2010 at 9:44 am
So what would you recommend?
Greg
June 1st, 2010 at 9:52 am
i love that video. the guy from china is so fast. it’s unreal.. and his hair is outrageous.
Josh
June 1st, 2010 at 10:48 am
I am no expert but I am pretty sure dutch would recommend a periodized approach instead of random shit all of the time…
Nice article! Makes you think!
dutch
June 1st, 2010 at 10:55 am
shane,
how would you go about getting stronger?
simple. Lift things heavier than you can now.
Shane
June 1st, 2010 at 11:52 am
Got it. I’ve been doing strength and oly work with about 2 metcons thrown in per week, so I think I’m on the same page here.
I’d throw-out the metcons all together but I need to be able to keep up on day when I just can’t avoid working out with our clients.
kris kepler
June 1st, 2010 at 12:05 pm
great timing for me on your post Dutch.. today is the first day (12 weeks) of Everett’s Technique and Development program. metcon’s have never been a problem for me during crossfit competitions. i have always been exposed during the strength or oly workouts. time to attack my biggest weakness.
David Nichols
June 1st, 2010 at 12:53 pm
good stuff dutch.
the more o-lifting i do, the more i found its more about skill and precision than brute strength. From personal experience I am much more pleased when I clean 90k was was technically sound, than when i clean 100k and it looks and feels like crap. I have found the more I lift or practice the movements, the bigger the “sweet spot” gets.
Repetition also helps in the mental game. I have 10+ body weight (170#) ohs (attempting 15 on Thursday) but I’m allergic to the 170# snatch, even though I’m strong enough. it always seems to elude me.
But the more I practice and refine my body’s ability to perform that movement, the more comfortable I feel. That alone reminds me of how important position/technique is .
Kris – Great effort this weekend!
dan
June 1st, 2010 at 7:21 pm
some people are born with a greater percentage of type IIb fibers fast twitch, which i don’t think can be increased.
these guys are the best in the world, most of whom have been lifting from when they were pretty young.
i heard in an interview with the coach that liao hui has a 245kg back squat
Lani
June 1st, 2010 at 9:22 pm
I’m new to Crossfit (2 months in) but since starting added 2 strength days 3+hours after metcon to focus on specific lifts that I want to be stronger at. I’ve found that I am getting stronger and more efficient just form having done this.
However, I am wondering if there is also an advantage to being shorter and stockier? I’m taller then most girls at 5′10″ and about 62kgs plus I’m all limbs. I’m wondering if a persons build can get in the way of being stronger specifically in the Olympic lifts.
Dutch
June 2nd, 2010 at 5:41 am
Lani,
Unfortunately height does not play to your advantage in the olympic lifts (snatch, Clean and Jerk). I was surprised at the American open that i was a head taller than everyone in my weight class and i’m not a tall dude.
This in no way means you should give up. It simply means you may need to work harder than someone at your same weight that is shorter. Thats waht Crossfit is all about right? Working harder.
Jenn
June 2nd, 2010 at 5:51 am
Dutch, can you please do a physiological study how the open mouth technique helps these lifters? Most I’ve seen at meets also use this… maybe that is how you get stronger in these lifts?! Joking.
I’ve been practicing these lifts 3-4x/week along with my strength lifts and have significantly improved form thus increasing my weights.
Good post, this video doesn’t get old.
Lani
June 2nd, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Thanks Dutch. Thats what I meant (that height is more of a disadvantage then anything). I’m not too worried about how much I can lift right now, but more on technique. I’m a perfectionist when it comes to correct form. Its a good thing I always work hard and never really let anything get in my road when it comes to a goal – the product of years of being the only girl in a male dominated martial arts dojo.
Thanks for the comment
emmitt
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:11 pm
cool post…I am about 5′4 145-148 and i must say that dutch and guys like chris spealler are an inspiration and look forward to seeing what you guys do. This is definitely a goal of mine is to get stronger but not get bigger and this will keep things in perspective for me.
John
June 2nd, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Dutch,
I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog as it almost always causes me to sit back and reflect on my own training and that of my athletes. I think your point about getting stronger is indicative of the fact that “constantly varied” need not be “completely random.” Programs that add periodization, linear progression, or employ the conjugate method, etc. can all have a place (and an appropriate place at that) in a CrossFit athlete’s programming.
tommy
June 4th, 2010 at 7:36 am
Dutch,
How often would you incorporate strict OLY lifting session’s into a CrossFit/Mixed Modality routine for strength/muscle activation gain?
Is it best to go one route for a few months and then come back or is it possible to improve at both at the same time? I know you’ve touched on this before so if you want to send me the link I’d appreciate it.
Saludos,
Dutch
June 4th, 2010 at 7:39 am
Tommy,
Instead of filling your session completely with the lifts and only being able to fit it in once a week or every other week, i would snatch or clean and jerk every session but only for about 20-30 min. This way you get more frequent exposure and can actually get better.
WOD for TJ’s Gym CrossFit San Rafael/Corte Madera/Novato Tue. June 8th, 2010 « TJ's Blog
June 7th, 2010 at 9:41 pm
[...] Here is an article on found on CrossFit Black Box’s website. Written by trainer Dutch Lowy, it talk about How do I get stronger? Cool video as well. [...]
Michael Miller
June 10th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
You know another good example of this Dutch is Josh Everett. He is not Rob Orlando sized or anything but he moves a lot of weight for a guy who is about 10-15lbs lighter.
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June 24th, 2010 at 11:28 am
[...] Video via Dutch Lowey’s blog [...]
chad mckay
August 12th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Very interesting. In the crossfit training manual on page 4 or 5 it actually does say that one of the goals of crossfit is to avoid the “2nd or 3rd wave adaptions” that are characterized by an increase in neurological efficiency instead of physiological efficiency.
That being said it stands to reason that people do not develop 150kg snatches with crossfit, like Dutch says you would need specific motor pattern training to get that kind of efficiency into your lifts.