HIT Digest #187

Short Digest today. "Hercules" has been
unsubscribed -- we'll miss his wisdom.

Rob O.

This digest contains the following messages:

1. Re: HIT Digest #184
by: Jarlo L Ilano <jarlo@juno.com>
2. optimal time to reach failure.
by: Jarlo L Ilano <jarlo@juno.com>
3. VM/VL/yadda/yadda/yadda
by: Lyle McDonald <lylemcd@onr.com>
4. Game !
by: Proudhon <Jean-Pierre.Proudhon@wanadoo.fr>
5. Quote of the day
by: Kirk, Malcolm <mskirk@uswest.com>
6. Re: HIT Digest #186
by: R.A. Onufer <onuferra@muss.cis.McMaster.CA>
7. pictures
by: Daniel Yourg <yourgd@is.acusd.edu>

-------------------- 1 --------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 18:36:20 -0700
From: jarlo@juno.com (Jarlo L Ilano)
Subject: Re: HIT Digest #184

A small contribution regarding muscular imbalances....

The common conception of muscular imbalance and the controversies behind it seem to stem from a lack of a shared operational definition...

For instance I would term a muscular imbalance as a weakness in a particular muscle group as compared to another, both of which are necessary to perform a particular function... another part of this definition may include an abnormal recruitment pattern in which the particular function/movement compromises joint/muscle integrity...

An example of my first definition of imbalance might be a lopsided strength deficit between the spinal erectors of one side of your body and
the other side. Due to posture or some other factor, some people's lower
back muscle seem to be stronger on one side than the other. This is quite common and is the cause for many people's back pain as it affects proper spinal alignment. This is not the same as saying that a particular part of a spinal erector muscle, say the longissimus, is weaker that another part of the same muscle. Unless the muscle has a different innervation, as has been postulated that the VMO of the quadriceps muscle group is of a different innervation in some people, then one "part" of a muscle cannot be weaker than another "part.

An example of abnormal muscle recruitment can also be seen in the low back. Through some odd reason or another, most likely a learned pattern after an injury, the act of hip extension (leg moving posteriorly) is performed with the low back extensors firing first followed by the hip extensors (gluteus mm). This is backward to normal recruitment and stresses both the lumbar joints and the muscle (through overuse).

This long post was an attempt to demonstrate that there are such things as muscle imbalances, but perhaps not in the same vein as some people see
them.

So, I guess, in arguments concerning various principles/concepts.. it helps to have a consensus of an operational definition for the topic at hand, or else the debate will go in circles, with no end.

Jarlo

Jarlo Ilano, MPT
Physical Therapist
Ideal Exercise
Seattle, Washington
206-364-9944

_____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

-------------------- 2 --------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 18:42:04 -0700
From: jarlo@juno.com (Jarlo L Ilano)
Subject: optimal time to reach failure.

allen poses a very interesting question and i am looking forward to reading all the responses to this..

my response would be that it may be more of an individual distinction rather than an altogether specific response for all peoples.

time under load signatures seem to ferret themselves out once loads are appreciable and there has been enough training days (data points to compare) to see a pattern (without consciously seeking/creating one).

my opinion

Jarlo

Jarlo Ilano, MPT
Physical Therapist
Ideal Exercise
Seattle, Washington
206-364-9944

_____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

-------------------- 3 --------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 01:48:06 -0500 (CDT)
From: lylemcd@onr.com (Lyle McDonald)
Subject: VM/VL/yadda/yadda/yadda

>Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 15:32:30 -0400
>From: por1axt@por10.med.navy.mil (axtomas)
>Subject: Clarifying the Quads

>There "can" be selective training of the quads. Let me explain the "can",
>because this is where the difference between reasearch and reality is a
>factor, i.e. would you want to bother and can it be done effectively.
>The VM has a unique nerve supply and you might be able to learn to
contract
>it independantly. Can you then do it through full range? and at a high
>intensity? Probably not. A good party trick to show to those who say the
>VM can not contract independantly of the rest of the quads, but is it
really
>useful for training purposes?

this is sort of getting away from the original point of contention. Considering the different neural supply for the VM, I had commented that I
have seen individuals with patellar mistracking problems, due to an inability to contract the VM, causing a muscular imbalance across the knee.
for example, cyclists, who almost never extend the leg fully under load, are very prone to knee problems because of it (this can also be due to a tight Ilio Tibial Band/Tensae Fascia Latae as well as strength imbalances
between the hamstrings and the quads). I have found that a little remedial
work on terminal leg extension as well as hamstring work and stretching the
ITB/TFL can correct a lot of these knee problems. I know it did for me when I had those problems.

I had also described using leg extensions through the top 10-20 degrees of
ROM which is thought to bring the VM into play. I described this as 'rebalancing' the quads across the knee, referring to the idea of balancing
out relative strength levels between the VL and the VM. I wasn't trying to
suggest that you can necessarily contract the VM independently of the VL,
just that you can put preferential stress on it (in the same way you can put relatively more stress on the biceps short vs. long head by changing the position of hte humerus relative to the torso) to correct strength imbalances.

Do you think that what I am describing is possible?

Lyle McDonald, CSCS
This space for lease

-------------------- 4 --------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 10:07:48 +0200
From: "Proudhon" <Jean-Pierre.Proudhon@wanadoo.fr>
Subject: Game !

Dear fellow strength, I have a game for you...

The purpose of this game is to find wich sentence is true. The winners will have the chance to become still bigger than they are now...

A) Intensity :
- Intensity = inroad / time (Andrew Baye)
- Intensity = percentage of possible momentary muscular effort being
exerted. (Mike Mentzer/Arthur Jones)
- Intensity = percentage of your maxi (some writers from
Muscle&Fitness)
- ?
B) Growth
- To stimulate an OPTIMAL increase in strength and muscular size,
a set of an exercice must be carried to the point of momentary muscular failure
where 100% intensity of effort is being exerted (Mentzer) - The degree of growth stimulation is related to the degree of
inroad
into
functionnal ability. (Mentzer, yes Mentzer again...)
- nobody know how stimulate an optimal increase in strength and
muscular size, but progression of the weigth in good form assure you to become bigger. (Hardgainer philosophy ?)
- ?

Good luck for beginner in body-building.

Fabrice, in full confusion like always since he read his first book/magasine
about body-building.

-------------------- 5 --------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 10:00:18 -0600
From: "Kirk, Malcolm" <mskirk@uswest.com>
Subject: Quote of the day

Todays quote is from 1991. The National Coalition on Television Violence asked George Bush to remove Arnold Schwartzenegger as chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness. The group charged that Schwartzenegger was an inappropriate role model because his films promote violence. Arnold responded, ``They're just a bunch of girly men who are jealous of my pumpitude.''

-------------------- 6 --------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 19:58:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: "R.A. Onufer" <onuferra@muss.cis.McMaster.CA>
Subject: Re: HIT Digest #186

> To answer your question -- NO, I will not
> reveal the person who sent this in. I am tempted,
> but this person will just have to wallow in his
> (or is that her?) superiority, banished to a life
> of misdirected efforts. By the way, "Hercules"
> did not include a picture of himself (or herself)
> with the message. And I will be manually unsubscribing
> "Hercules" from the digest just as soon as I can.
> Apparently, this scholar can't follow directions too well.
> Such a shame.

Hey Rob, hope you didn't unsub him yet. I think you should send him a copy
of this digest(#186) and make him read the above comment. Maybe he'll realise something about himself.

[Our favorite Rhodes Scholar did indeed receive a copy of Digest #186, but I just unsubscribed "Hercules" from the list.

Rob O.]

-------------------- 7 --------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 16:39:40 -0700
From: Daniel Yourg <yourgd@is.acusd.edu>
Subject: pictures

>Rob O:

>Now, let's peer into the world of your
>humble moderator for just a moment.
>
>Hercules:

>I think a picture should be included along with the
>comments, just to see how uneffective and flaky their advice really is.

Rob O:
> I am tempted,
>but this person will just have to wallow in his
>(or is that her?) superiority, banished to a life
>of misdirected efforts. By the way, "Hercules"
>did not include a picture of himself (or herself)
>with the message. And I will be manually unsubscribing
>"Hercules" from the digest just as soon as I can.
>Apparently, this scholar can't follow directions too well.
>Such a shame.
>

I do not know who you are Rob O, but you sure sound a lot tougher than Rob
S. or "Moderator Mike." Please do not include YOUR picture, I do not think
I "can handle the truth."

{If I post my picture, I am sure we would lose at least 25% of the list. And trust me,
Rob S and Moderator Mike make me look like a complete pushover. I mean, you should see *those* guys -- I'm afraid that they will drag me back to Cyberpump! World HQ if I make a mistake and use me as a weight tree.

Rob O}

( voice sounding like little kid asking dad when mom is coming home after
dad just had another tantrum....So, when is Rob S. returning to moderate?
He is, isn't he?)

{Rob S is enjoying a well deserved vacation so that he and his family can begin the healing process ... No, wait, that's bill Clinton.

Actually, Rob S is taking a break, and will be back whenever he wants (see comments above)

Rob O}

By the way, I think I read one article on Cyberpump written by one of our
subscribers regarding body fat analysis, whereas the author was asking for
readers to send him pictures of themselves naked.

{I am not allowed to comment on that because Mrs O is in the room.

Rob O}

Dan Yourg

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