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Unstable weights | Bench press, only better

Arnold

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Unstable weights | Bench press, only better
bench-press-commercial.jpg
Sure, bench press is an excellent exercise for the chest muscles. But bench presses stimulate the pecs even better if you don't just slide some of the discs onto the bar, but tie them to the ends of the barbell with a rope. Sports scientists from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences report this in PLoS One.Study
The researchers got 17 experienced strength athletes, who have been training with weights for an average of 9 years, to bench press several times with 70 percent of the weight at which they could just manage 1 rep.

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The researchers had hung a weight plate of 5 kilos with non-elastic cords of 40 centimeters on both ends of the barbell. The one time the discs (for the athlete who was bench press) swung top to bottom [anteroposterior], the other time from the inside out [mediolateral].The researchers also got the subjects to do bench presses in the regular way.
The researchers attached electrodes to the subjects' skin, which they could use to measure the electrical activity in the muscles underneath. The greater the electrical activity in a muscle during exercise, the more intensively the muscle in question is addressed.
Results
Compared to the regular bench press, bench presses with unstable weights increased electrical activity in the chest muscles by 13 percent. This increase was statistically significant.

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If the weights moved in and out along the rod [mediolateral], the electrodes registered 69 percent more electrical activity in the obliques. This increase was also statistically significant.
The unstable weights had no effect on the electrical activity in the subjects' biceps, triceps and shoulder muscles.
Source:
PLoS One. 2020 Sep 17;15(9):e0239202.
 
Bands hit my muscles a lot different when I hook them or I wear a chain belt doing dips. The shakiness May employ a lot of different muscles. I do notice a difference for sure. Good article

Max
 
Im with max. Never hung weights but adding bands tears my chest to pieces

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Yes. I think this is the reason you see a lot of people in CrossFit and these Fitness Challenge TV shows/Competitions use odd techniques. I have seen more recent popularity hanging chains on their barbells (unevenly sometimes). I guess it is just experimentation and tricking our bodies. I stick to the same program and see it through until I hit a wall; then I change something but; keep the same exercises. Only after full plateauing do I change workouts. I still do not believe you have to change it up constantly. Kind of hypocritical of me as I am doing 4 week blasts right now but; that is my experiment on low dosing. Lol .

Max
 
Yes. I think this is the reason you see a lot of people in CrossFit and these Fitness Challenge TV shows/Competitions use odd techniques. I have seen more recent popularity hanging chains on their barbells (unevenly sometimes). I guess it is just experimentation and tricking our bodies. I stick to the same program and see it through until I hit a wall; then I change something but; keep the same exercises. Only after full plateauing do I change workouts. I still do not believe you have to change it up constantly. Kind of hypocritical of me as I am doing 4 week blasts right now but; that is my experiment on low dosing. Lol .

Max
Is "shock the muscle" even up for debate anymore? I thought that was disproved already. I.e. its not the new movement, plan etc causing the growth but rather its the recovery from the last thing you were doing

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Is "shock the muscle" even up for debate anymore? I thought that was disproved already. I.e. its not the new movement, plan etc causing the growth but rather its the recovery from the last thing you were doing

UNCLE Z REP
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ORDERS@UNCLEZ.RU FOR ORDER QUESTIONS

PM FOR ALL OTHER HELP

Indeed. There are mysteries, unlocking them is a lifelong journey for us.

Max
 
This also kind of proves why free weights are better. Benching free weight and having to balance it works the muscles better vs. having a Smith machine with the weight already balanced.
Stabilizer muscles ...

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