In this video I explain why timed static contractions are superior to traditional isometrics for long term strength, overall fitness, and health.
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While I haven’t listened to this in it’s entirety yet, it is very cool to see the stimulus being brought to attention and showing just how safe it can be. It is very cool to me that John Little’s Max Pyramid and Done and One are very much in this realm as well. I’m wondering just how much more, if at all, the stimulus can be refined. Very motivating stuff.
This is getting down to the true objective indeed. With dynamics the resistance is there to help you do something to your muscles: achieve intense, meaningful contractions. With TSC’s it is contracting against an immovable object with the same objective as the dynamic contractions. Then of course you contract to momentary failure/inroad. This is the kind of stuff ( these videos) that help keep me motivated/focused.
Hey drew. I’ve read your 3 best ebooks (kratos, tsc and kratos update).
In tsc you recommend a time of 30s-30-30 (like ken hutchins)
have you experimented with more conservative approach like 45s-30-15?
do you continue to preferr the original approach of this last one?
thanks.. MATMAN
I have experimented with a variety of methods of doing this and didn’t notice any significant difference between them so I stick with 30/30/30 for simplicity and because 45/30/15 felt lazy by comparison.
Terrific video Drew, thank you. I’ve spent 20 years as a track coach (high school) searching through the weeds to try to make sense of all the contradictory strength training information that’s out there. The philosophy I’ve come to is: keep it as simple/efficient as possible and keep it as safe as possible. That’s how I come to static contraction training and Drew Baye. The question I continue to grapple with has to do with Rate of Force Development (RFD). The sport of track is largely about generating power (very quick muscle contractions — especially as relates to sprinting) and consequently I’d like your opinion on whether I should maintain a protocol of slow tension build up to max, or whether a phase of quick buildup to max would reap better results on the track? Yes, I did watch this video (and many others of yours as well as reading your TSC book) so I get that I’m veering from the safety aspect, but there are “dangers” inherent in sprinting, jumping and throwing and I wonder if those dangers couldn’t be better controlled via static contraction training versus plyometrics or high velocity weight (barbell/dumbbell) movements.
No, there is no good reason to have athletes perform plyometrics or any kind of fast movements during their workouts.
Exercise will improve rate of force development if the muscles are forced to contract as hard as possible, regardless of whether the resulting movement is fast or slow.
Even if it were necessary, consider the athletes are already practicing the skills of their sport or specific events at speed, and don’t need to also move quickly during exercise.
Fast movements during exercise provide no benefit over slow movements, they only increase risk of injury, and should be avoided.