Do You Know Your Key Indicator for Greater Muscular Strength Development?

When I was a child I watched a popular cartoon show called “Popeye the Sailor Man” whose famous saying was “I am what I am and that’s all that I am.” Popeye had huge forearms that would increase when he ate a can of spinach. He stands out in my mind because he had well developed arms (for a cartoon character).

No truer words were ever spoken when it comes to your ability to develop strength-you are what you are and that’s all that you are!  The key indicator that either allows you to build a high level of muscular strength or (2) limits your ability to build muscular strength is governed by your nervous system and is call your “neurological ability”.

No one knew that better than Arthur Jones (inventor and founder of Nautilus/Sports Industries and MedX) who coined the term “neurological efficiency” in the early 1970’s.

He was aware well of its importance in governing one’s ability to utilize a certain percentage of muscle in a given response.

Research shows that “neurological efficiency” varies from person to person.  Those who possess high “neurological efficiency” are able to contract a higher percentage of muscle mass which gives them an advantage in muscular strength and power.  These individuals with lower percentages of neurological efficiency are at a disadvantage when it comes to strength because you inherit your nervous system at birth and it is not trainable.

Today coaches and fitness & conditioning trainers are conducting various drills with their athletes and clients.  Many of these drills do not relate to skill development and are therefore non-productive and sometimes extremely dangerous. The coach may not take into account the trainees ‘neurological ability” which is extremely important when designing both skill training drills and strength training workouts (which should not be combined but rather remain as separate training).

Have you ever observed how an average size male can out lift a bigger more massive male?  The answer is his superior “neurological ability”.

This is because an individual’s fiber type is related to one’s neurological efficiency.

Fiber type is represented by these three categories:

Fast-twitch which has greater strength potential/less muscular endurance

Slow-twitch which has a lower strength level/greater muscular endurance

Mixed (Fast & Slow-twitch) has an average muscular strength/average muscular endurance

Most individuals with “mixed fiber typing” will make significant gains with a weight heavy enough to allow you to perform 8 to 12 repetitions. Their resistance or weight may be reduced by 20% for the first few workouts in order to achieve the 8 to 12 reps. If you will reduce the resistance at the beginning of your program or “starting strength” two results will:

#1-Produce the necessary growth stimulation

#2- Allow for each exercise to be performed safely

Those trainees who possess a greater amount of “slow-twitch fibers” should perform strength training exercises with a weight that allows 15 to 20 reps per exercise.

Those few and far between trainees who have a high level of “fast-twitch muscle fiber” should exercise with a heavier weight that allows 4 to 7 reps.

If you will use this information to decide which type of fiber type category you best represent then you can adjust your resistance and reps for your strength training workouts in order to build both muscular strength and muscular mass the most efficient and safe way.

Follow my simple strength training program, The Last Rep Advanced Video Series and you will be on your way to  greater strength and muscle mass for better quality of life!

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