The "squeeze"

[buksoon]

I got a question:

Whenever I lift, I always do that squeeze at the moment of constiction... and I hold it for a good long time because it just hurts so good .

But I'm wondering: Does that squeeze actually do anything after a while? Or is it just lactic acid?

Is that what they mean by "isometrics"?

 

[MonStar1023]

Alright bro here we go...

That squeeze your talking about at the contraction, not constriction, is just lactic acid building up yes. Thats why it hurts so good. Anyway that will help I think I always try and get a real good contraction I mean I think it helps. Also I mean I think isometric contractions help out alot when your not working out. Like if your watching TV or something really contraction your lats or traps hard. Definitely helps with growth in my opinion.

 

[MuSuLPhReAk]

The squeeze is good. Helps u get that full pump in the muscle. Just be careful with some squeezes. Don't squeeze your quads while squating. To do this u of course have to straighten your knee out and almost hyper extend it. Can u imagine the damage u can do with 400 to 500 pounds. Careful!!!! Be wise when doing this.

 

[Cackerot69]

Depends when you do it.

 

[Belial]

One could argue that the squeeze is totally unnecessary. Just do the rep slower. IMO, if there's enough juice left in the muscle to let you squeeze, you need more weight.

lol.

Just kidding (or not). Anyway, you probably won't injure yourself, but it's physiologically not doing much.

 

[bigmag]

The squeaze is good for a couple of reasons.....
1. it helps get more blood into the muscle
2. it helps bring more lactic acid into the muscle (which is good because that is what tears the muscle down, and the further the muscle is torn down the stronger and bigger it will grow back.)
3. it helps include every single muscle fiber in the group which is mandatory for optimal growth.

 

[Cackerot69]

Out of those 3, only number one is actually right.

 

[JG1]

definitly give it a good squeeze at when the muscle is fully contracted. It will bring a good amount of blood into the muscle

 

[tonystrong]

I remember watching the Lee Hainey workouts on ESPN years ago, hearing him say on every rep "SQUEEEEZE. SQUEEEZE"

 

[Exodus]

squeezing is optional........... some do........... some dont

however the ones who dont usually dont lock out on anything either......... they stop just shy of that point

it does help with blood flow........ yes its a lactic acid build up.

but i got some news for you.......... the squeezing your refering to is on the postive phase of the movement

thats not where the cellular damage results from

the more fibers and cells you bring into play to damage..... the stronger and bigger they have to get

go slow on the negative........... about twice as slow as the poitive

but dont do just negaitves........ you need postives to devlope complete musculature..

i hope i helped

 

[GenetiKing]

Squeezing at the apex (midpoint between concentric and eccentric portions of an exercise) is not necessarily an isometric contraction. An isometric contraction can take place at any point in any given movement so long as muscle fibers are neither shortening (concentric/ postive...muscle is moving force) or lengthening (eccentric/negative...gravity is moving force) but resistance must be present regardless.

For instance, when doing lateral raises with dumbells you may stop at the apex of the lift and hold for a few seconds. You can also stop at any point in the lift and hold (going either way). This is also isomteric.

However, a static contraction is not necessarily an isometric contraction. I can sit here and sqeeze my traps at my desk (as MonStar mentioned) but that's not an isometric because those muscle fibers are not contracting against a resistance.

Hope that wasn't too confusing. LOL!

 

[Jeremy21]

Well actually squeezing your traps as hard as you can at your desk is an isometric contraction Genetiking ^_^

Kind Regards,
jeremy

 

[GenetiKing]

Well actually squeezing your traps as hard as you can at your desk is an isometric contraction Genetiking ^_^

Kind Regards,
jeremy

There isn't any resistance present.

If I held that contraction at the top of a shoulder shrug holding 100lb dumbells, then it would be isometric. Concentric, eccentric, isometric---->all involve resistance, the only difference is the role the muscle fibers are playing....shortening, lengthening, or neither.

A static contraction requires no resistance.

 

[Belial]

I remember watching the Lee Hainey workouts on ESPN years ago, hearing him say on every rep "SQUEEEEZE. SQUEEEZE"

Yeah, except he was talking to the guy trying to cram 1500 mg of test into his ass with a syringe that was too small.

 

[Jeremy21]

No.. an isometric contraction requires no weight (as in barbells or dumbbells )resistance. That is why in the 50's & 60's isometrics were popular because they could be done without the aid of weight lifting. Static HOLDS require added resistance, not isometrics. An isometric exercise to work the chest is as follows: take your palms out in front of your body, arms chest level, press your palms together and contract your chest muscles as hard as possible. People would perform isometrics in that fashion and also against immovable resistance such as a door handle or door frame.

Taken from Meriam Webster collegiate dictionary:

Main Entry: iso·met·rics
Pronunciation: "I-s&-'me-triks
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
Date: 1962
: exercise or a system of exercises in which opposing muscles are so contracted that there is little shortening but great increase in tone of muscle fibers involved

 

[Cackerot69]

Well, if you were going to use them then you would want to perform the static contraction on an exercise that places the majority of stress in the "relaxed" position, or midrange. for instance, the pectorals major can contract with the most force just about where your elbows are parellel to the floor during benching. So, holding a weight in this position would allow for the strongest possible isometric contraction of the pectorals major. Same goes for all other parts....standing curls for biceps, skull crushers for triceps, chins for lats, squats for quads, and so on....

 

[GenetiKing]

No.. an isometric contraction requires no weight (as in barbells or dumbbells )resistance.

I never said dumbbells or barbells were required. I said an isometric contraction simply requires resistance, period. All resistance isn't generated by a weight or gravity...resistance can stem from other sources. Take these example you provided:

An isometric exercise to work the chest is as follows: take your palms out in front of your body, arms chest level, press your palms together and contract your chest muscles as hard as possible. People would perform isometrics in that fashion and also against immovable resistance such as a door handle or door frame..

Here, the resistance is the force of your two hands against each other---->muscle contracting against muscle. In the door frame example, the immovability of the door frame, handle, or whatever is offering the resistance.

Taken from Meriam Webster collegiate dictionary:

Main Entry: iso·met·rics
Pronunciation: "I-s&-'me-triks
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
Date: 1962
: exercise or a system of exercises in which opposing muscles are so contracted that there is little shortening but great increase in tone of muscle fibers involved

Yup.

Consider a bodybuilder on stage at a show going through the mandatories. These are static contractions. When posing a muscle, there is no resistance. The muscle is being stimulated to contract but against no resistance.

 

[bignate73]

one note:
when posing a muscle or "squeezing" it at a certain point in a range of motion...there is always a form of resistance. its called the antagonist muscle or the process that locks out the joint. generally there is an opposing muscle involved or something for the muscle to contract against.

double biceps pose: triceps keep you from smacking yourself in the ears with your fists.

hehe.