70 Sep/Oct 2017 oxygenmag.com.au
create changes within our nervous system that allow us to more
fully activate and coordinate all relevant muscles.^2 This has
the effect of greater load on the muscle which results in better
strength, size and shape of our muscles.
Scientists have proven the benefit of MMC by measuring
electrical activity of the muscles when someone is performing
an exercise. Greater MMC = Greater Muscle Contraction =
More strength = more muscle growth. More specifically, some
of the studies show up to 26% greater contractions.^3
With this in mind, off I went to the gym over the next few
months, where I closely monitored my technique, kept my mind
on the muscle and also traded my longer rest breaks for shorter
periods of rest between sets. I realised that by trying to multitask
and always training with my friends, my results weren’t as good.
It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t train with friends, because there
are benefits such as having a personal motivator, a spotter or
checking your technique. However, it is important that they are
not a distraction.
After the initial phase of training it’s also important to change
up your training program. This is because muscle growth and
strength gains can come to a halt as the central nervous system
and muscle adaptions occur to the weight lifted and exercises. By
adapting your program over a period of time, so that the muscles
receive a different stimulus and progress will continue. Whilst it’s
great to have a training partner, I realised I needed to also keep
this thought process at the forefront of my own training.GET MORE GAINS WITH TIPS TO
BUST A STRENGTH TRAINING PLATEAU
We all want to get those gains with our strength training,
whether it be a rounder booty, boulder shoulders or tighter
hamstring definition. Mind-to-muscle connection is a great
place to start, but also adopting one of these changes at a time
to see what has the most impact on your training will keep your
goals on track:1
Improper form can kill your progress, so I will have someone
video me on my major exercises such as deadlifts and squats
to check my technique.2
I will check my mobility, for example, if I have slacked
off my stretching, this will affect my range of motion for
shoulders, hips and knees which can make these movements
less effective.3
Adequate sleep is not something I get a great deal of as a
mother. This is something that can make or break results
and is a huge game changer for my clients doing competition
prep.4
Are you overtraining? As mentioned, it’s vital to follow a
periodised program where for some phases you may train
two days on and one day off, or three days a week with rest days
in between. Adequate recovery and intelligent programming
can dramatically improve recovery and results.5
Are you training with focus and determination and giving
your workouts everything you’ve got? As I explained above,Health