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what determines strenght?

krismike Posts: 56 Joined: 2002/03/17	2002/07/11, 05:09 PM Alright I know muscle is a big factor but I've also seen little guys who can pump like 300 on bench. What are the factors that determine strenght so i can gain some to my bench.
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/07/11, 05:25 PM What I've learned: technique and development of support muscles. -------------- **_Robert_** Pain is temporary; glory is forever!
rev8ball Posts: 3,081 Joined: 2001/12/27	2002/07/11, 06:21 PM bingo, robert. there's alot of physics involved when it comes to strength. its not just about "big" muscles. for example, pro bodybuilders are massive, but not necess. as strong as they look. strong muslce tend to be larger, but larger muscles dont have to be strong. longer muscles tend to be able to move more than shorter ones. and also very important is the development of the connective tissues, i.e., ligements and tendons. thats why many strength athletes also train with odd lifts, such as pushing a car or lifting barrels. it makes the body work in a real life scenario. -------------- Michael "Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/07/11, 09:48 PM Thank you, Michael. Krismike, check out www.deepsquatter.com, then go to Archives. There are helpful hints in there to help you increase your bench. I'm currently following an 8-week routine that will hopefully increase my bench, squat and deadlift. There's also an article in the current Testosterone magazine issue (#7) about this exact thing. Good luck! -------------- **_Robert_** Pain is temporary; glory is forever!
anurag_chigs Posts: 8 Joined: 2002/07/28	2002/08/31, 02:19 PM movement is ver imp, like when u move the weights with gravity , then u must slow down as then u gain strength -------- anurag
7707mutt Posts: 7,686 Joined: 2002/06/18	2002/08/31, 08:38 PM I agree with all of the above but I also think that genes play a large part. I know some big guys that can not lift as much as my wife...and I know some small guys that can lift a huge amount. I also think it is the style of the workout. If all you are worrying about is bench press I fell that you are missing the best part of lifting...moving weight. Try to stay focused on the bench press and increasing that weight that is good, but still use the deadlift squats and other "powerlifting" exercises. You will find that you bench will increase as these do. Good luck!! -------------- Life comes by only once....Live it to the fullest!
CJFit Posts: 58 Joined: 2002/07/26	2002/09/04, 08:46 AM In addition biomechanics play a role. Certain people have muscle insertions that are more biomechanically efficient and thus you can lift more weight and not look that big. In other words their muscle insertions insert close to the origin and thus you have a shorter resistance arm. Just picture this: when you lift a long stick and you try and hold it up at the handle as opposed to holding it in the middle. Which is easier. This is why you see some guys who lift weights that are heavier than what a big muscular guy can. ============ Quoting from rev8ball: bingo, robert. there's alot of physics involved when it comes to strength. its not just about "big" muscles. for example, pro bodybuilders are massive, but not necess. as strong as they look. strong muslce tend to be larger, but larger muscles dont have to be strong. longer muscles tend to be able to move more than shorter ones. and also very important is the development of the connective tissues, i.e., ligements and tendons. thats why many strength athletes also train with odd lifts, such as pushing a car or lifting barrels. it makes the body work in a real life scenario. =============
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/09/04, 10:55 AM Isn't that just technique? -------------- **_Robert_** Pain is temporary; glory is forever!
CJFit Posts: 58 Joined: 2002/07/26	2002/09/05, 08:58 AM Each persons biomechanical differences vary, which can explain why a not so big person can put up big weights.
EGChic207 Posts: 288 Joined: 2002/03/25	2002/09/15, 09:34 PM even if you dont have that muscle....if you have barley ANY fat in your body then your really muscular...so that might play a role -------------- Tiffany Der #10 "You have to make it through the rain in order to see the Rainbow........."
rev8ball Posts: 3,081 Joined: 2001/12/27	2002/09/16, 12:53 AM if i understand your statement correctly, tiffany, just because a person is ripped to the bone does not necessarily mean they have larger muscle mass. most of the strength athletes from the various competitions have quite the amount of muscle on their frames, and even though they maintain a much lower BF % than their counterparts of, say, 20 years ago, they generally are not cut. and the opposite is just as true: many "male models" maintain a very low BF (through a combo of starvation and meth, but thats a different story) in order to show off what they call a 6 pack and a concave chest, but i seriously doubt many could move a substantial amount of weight. on the other hand, Bill Kazmier, for example, 3x World's Strongest Man, is 50 years old, weighs in at about 330 lbs., and maintains about an 8% BF, but he is not really ripped. -------------- Michael "Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"
7707mutt Posts: 7,686 Joined: 2002/06/18	2002/09/16, 11:18 AM YOU GO REV....That is why the doctors cause me such grief! LOL -------------- Life comes by only once....Live it to the fullest!
EGChic207 Posts: 288 Joined: 2002/03/25	2002/09/16, 11:20 AM yea I know, Its just when you have a lower body percent fat compared to muscle, alot of beneifical things would happen. Not nessarly make you "stronger" but have positive influence on what your doing. Like if you loose 10 pounds of fat, but still keep the muscle, im pretty sure it will make the load a bit easier then before... ahh i dunno haha i dont really know about power lifting...was just giving my opinion;) -------------- Tiffany Der #10 "You have to make it through the rain in order to see the Rainbow........."