Hit Digest #51

This digest contains the following messages:

1. Plate pinching R.A. Onufer <onuferra@muss.CIS.McMaster.CA>
2. Chins John W. Jomp <jjomp@ibm.net>
3. Re: Strap Use James Krieger <jkrieger@eecs.wsu.edu>
4. Individual messages Alan Baker <A.Baker@argon.cqu.edu.au>
5. Reaching failure at the same weight and number of reps David R. Heffelfinger <heffel@pipeline.com>
6. Re: Smith machine safety matt overly <matthewko@goshen.edu>
7. Unknown Aakash Ramchandani <sangs@giaspn01.vsnl.net.in>
8. Creatine Stefano D'Angelo <dangelo@etrurianet.it>

-------------------- 1 --------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 09:00:11 -0500 (EST)
From: "R.A. Onufer" <onuferra@muss.CIS.McMaster.CA>
Subject: Plate pinching

I have tried plate pinching to improve my grip and can lift 2 10
pound plates pinched together to the point that I should try something heavier. The next size up is 2 25 pound plates, which I can't budge. I need a way to progress more gradually than that. Any suggestions?

-------------------- 2 --------------------
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 09:59:28 -0600
From: "John W. Jomp" <jjomp@ibm.net>
Subject: Chins

Hi:

I have been training HIT style for about 2 months now with good progress. One thing very important to me is to be able to do proper chinups. Right now I can only do 6 4-6 sec neg chins but I still can't do even 1 positive chinup. at 6' and 227 lbs at about 33% BF I know it will take awile. Should I try to increase the number of negatives I do or should I try much slower negs in order to build strength? In other words what's the best way to improve my chinning ability? Any feedback would be much appreciated!!

John

-------------------- 3 --------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 08:21:53 -0800
From: "James Krieger" <jkrieger@eecs.wsu.edu>
Subject: Re: Strap Use

Somehow this post got chopped in half in the last digest (#50), so I'm resubmitting it here.

> From: dpendergraft@beckett.com
> What are the arguments for/against using straps...

While straps will allow you to use more weight, which may result in better overload of the primary target muscles for an exercise, they do not allow for a corresponding increase in grip strength. Some people also acquire wrist pain while using straps.

If grip strength is a limiting factor in an exercise, then this is an indication that grip strength needs to be trained and is all the more reason why one should not use straps during lifting. I'm becoming a big believer in what is known as functional strength; i.e. the strength you gain in the gym should carry over to real life activities. Constant use of straps will not result in increases in functional strength, since straps are a mechanical aid, just as knee wraps or lifting belts are. Getting yourself off of straps will not only result in better grip strength, but larger and more muscular forearms as well. On an anecdotal note, Dan Wagman, CSCS, a health and science editor for M&F, has some extremely large forearms, and uses no straps at all.

I'm becoming more and more of a believer in lifting the way Mother Nature intended you to lift: without the help of any sort of mechanical aids. Doing so will result in a stronger, more athletic, less injury prone body.

The next time you're hanging for dear life off the edge of a cliff because of a bad slip, you'll be happy that you gave up those straps :)

James Krieger

-------------------- 4 --------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 09:34:09 +1000
From: Alan Baker <A.Baker@argon.cqu.edu.au>
Subject: Individual messages

Hi Mike,

Is it possible to receive individual messages in place of the digest?

Regards
Alan Baker e-mail a.baker@cqu.edu.au
Faculty of Business PHONE-Work 079 309650
Central Queensland University PHONE-Int'nal +61 79 309650 Rockhampton Qld 4702 PHONE-Home 079 281752
Australia FAX-Work 079 309700
http://www.bus.cqu.edu.au/staff/bakera/welcome.htm

[IM: Right now...I don't want to risk it with the new software. Also, I am not sure it would be an advantage because this list server is not "online" all the time. So what would happen is that you would get 14 email messages (assuming 14 posts) ALL at once when we connect to get the posts, etc. We will revisit this again if you really want that once the new version of SW is stable enough. I won't forget...trust me. :) Thanks for your being patient.]]

-------------------- 5 --------------------
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 19:03:14 -0500
From: "David R. Heffelfinger" <heffel@pipeline.com>
Subject: Reaching failure at the same weight and number of reps

Hello,
I've been doing weight training for about 3 months. I do one set of
each exercise to failure. Because I train by myself, I train with machines, that way I can go all the way to failure without fear of being hopelessly trapped under a barbell. Because I train with machines, I can only increment the weight in 10 pound increments. I've been noticing that for quite a long time, I reach failure using the same amount of weight at the same number of repetitions, no matter how hard I try I can't perform another repetition in good form. What this has caused is that I am able to maintain my current physical condition, but I am not able to improve it.

Any suggestions out there on how to improve my physical condition?

Thanks,
David

####################################################################### # i Raro Prodigio ! i Oculta Maravilla ! # "Who is General Failure, # # El pan de Dios lo tiene todo el mundo, # and why is he reading # # i Pero el agua de Dios so'lo Aguadilla ! # my disk?" #

# - Jose' de Diego # #

-------------------- 6 --------------------
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 20:11:28 -0500
From: matt overly <matthewko@goshen.edu>
Subject: Re: Smith machine safety

> "People using the Smith machine get a
>pattern overload. The more fixed the object, the more likely you are to
>develop a pattern overload. This is because training in a fixed pathway
>repetitively loads the same muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints in the
>same pattern, encouraging microtrauma which eventually leads to injury."
>(1). james Krieger

I'm confused. If this is true, then wouldn't lifting in general eventually cause injury?

-------------------- 7 --------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 08:39:52 +0530
From: Aakash Ramchandani <sangs@giaspn01.vsnl.net.in>
Subject: HIT routine

I want to get on a HIT program. I can train 5 days a week. Any tip for a training routine?

Aakash

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eocities.com

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eocities.com

-------------------- 8 --------------------
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 11:39:02 +0100
From: "Stefano D'Angelo" <dangelo@etrurianet.it>
Subject: Creatine

Do I have to take creatine also the non-training day ?
Please someone reply !
Distinti Saluti
Stefano D'Angelo

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