In the previous article, I defined the various modalities of Strength. I described how they all lie on a spectrum divided into two continuums: one that is more functional/movement based in its developments and is related to Velocity and Power, and another that is more structural and vegetative and is related to muscular hypertrophy and endurance. In that schema, I labeled the modalities as Strength Abilities.
Speed-Strength and Strength-Speed are the abilities of Power between Reactive Ability (pure speed) and Absolute Strength; this forms the Velocity-Power-Force Continuum.
Reactive Ability (speed) and Absolute Strength are Elemental Abilities, the physiological manifestations of absolute Velocity and Force, respectively. They are pure abilities that cannot be broken down into different parts; for this reason, they are elemental abilities.
An elemental ability is one that every person possesses inherently, albeit possibly in an undeveloped state.
Speed-Strength and Strength-Speed are composite abilities of Speed and Absolute Strength that manifest as various articulations of Power. Other abilities (like Versatile Power) arise from the synthesis of Speed-Strength and Strength-Speed in training; for this reason, we call these abilities Foundational abilities.
So the V-P-F continuum is book-ended by two elemental abilities (Reactive Ability and Absolute Strength) with two fundamental abilities that arise from them in between.
This basic scheme gives a practical conceptual framework for understanding how physiological Power arises from pure raw speed and strength, but it is not complete.
Foundation cannot arise from mere elements. There is a layer in between, the Fundamental. This layer is composed of the Fundamental Abilities of Strength.
The Fundamental Abilities
The Fundamental Abilities begin manifestation during the isometric phase of an action between the moment you decide to act and your body begins producing force and the moment you have developed enough force to cause movement. The function of the fundamental abilities before movement greatly influences the power of the movement and largely determines the effectiveness of it.
The Fundamental Abilities are-
Starting Strength: The ability develop maximal force at the beginning of a muscular contraction, it is represented by the Q gradient in the following graph and manifests in the first 30 milliseconds after the beginning of a muscular contraction.
Accelerating Strength: The Ability to quickly reach maximal force in the course of developing working tension (isometric regime) in the muscles, it is represented by the G gradient in the following graph. It manifests after Starting Strength, between the end of the first 30 milliseconds and the moment Force Maximum is achieved in the movement.
Explosive Strength: The ability to exert maximal forces in minimal time. The I gradient in the following graph represents it. It is the explosion of force when the dynamic phase of the movement begins.
The Rate of Force Development (ROFD) is represented by the Rf gradient and the gray tangential line; it is the product of the effectiveness of the lifter’s Starting and Accelerating Strengths.
Fm represents the maximum force achieved in the action. Notice how the force production in the dynamic phase forms a curve; this is because the muscles cannot achieve maximum force in the lengthened (bottom position of a squat, press, or deadlift) position, then accumulate force once the dynamic phase begins up to a maximum somewhere in the middle of the movement, then deceleration mechanisms kick in in the body as the bones and joints near lock-out position.
The following graph shows the precise indices for each elemental strength.
Starting Strength (Q indice): The starting gradient is half of the maximum force developed in the movement divided by the time it took to achieve it. Fp / Tp
Accelerating Strength (G Indice): is the maximum force (Fm ) developed in the movement minus the weight overcome divided by the time it took to reach Fm (Tm) minus the time it took to reach the force of the weight. (Fm - P) / (Tm - Tp)
Explosive Strength (I indice): Explosive strength is represented by the maximum force achieved in a movement and the time it took to achieve it. Fm / Tm
Since Explosive Strength manifests as an explosion of force when the muscles produce enough force to overcome the weight, it is clear that it is the culmination of the effects of the lifter's Starting and Accelerating Strengths.
Fundaments emerge from Elements, Foundations form on Fundaments.
Fundaments from Elements
Now that we have defined the fundamental abilities and shown that Explosive Strength is the culmination of the other two, let's look at how Starting and Accelerating Strengths arise from the Elemental abilities.
The following graphic of the Structure of Explosive Force for the lower body is instructive. The concept was pioneered by Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky in his works “Supertraining” and “Fundamentals of Special Strength Training in Sport.”
The scheme of the graphic is the same as that of Dr. Verkhoshansky but with updated graphics to enhance reader interest and comprehension.
Dr. Verkhoshansky states that “the development of ability Fx (Explosive Strength), occurs under the conditions of a specific motor regime (the back squat in our example), has an influence on the components of Explosive Muscular Strength (Fs, Fc, V, Fm) and forms the specific neuromotor structure (depicted here as the lower body musculature and neural networks) of the action. The Specific neuromotor structure is the fundamental condition for the development of explosive strength. Its specific neuromotor structure acquires this or that functionally qualitative trait.” -Fundamentals of Special Strength Training In Sport
Basically, Accelerating Strength (Fc) arises from Absolute Strength (Fm), and Starting Strength (Fs) arises from the peak Reactive Ability (V) of the legs in a squat movement.
The specific motor regime (squat) and the lifter’s Starting and Accelerating Strength potential give form to the specific neuromotor structure of an explosive squat. All of this culminates in Explosive Strength in the Lower Body. The same process occurs with the bench press for the upper body.
Foundations from Fundaments, Constructions on Foundations
Now that we have defined how the fundamental strengths arise from the elemental abilities, let's look at how the foundational abilities of power (speed strength and strength speed) form from the fundaments.
After Starting Strength and Accelerating Strength form a neuromuscular explosion in the form of Explosive Strength, a certain weight will move explosively. The intensity/force of that weight for the lifter will determine whether the power manifestation in the action will have a speed strength or strength speed character. We will focus on Strength Speed here because it is more overall foundational.
The following graph expands on Dr. Verkhoshansky’s scheme and shows the concept.
These graphics clearly show how the fundamental strengths potentiate movement power. When the dynamic phase of action begins more explosively because the lifter's Starting and Accelerating Strengths have been trained effectively, the Power of the concentric movement will be greater, whether the movement has a Speed Strength (more on this in a future article) or Strength Speed character.
Starting and Accelerating Strengths can be trained using the StratFit Explosive Strength Device. We can use the device (automatically unloading weight system) to overload the eccentric (negative) phase of the squat or bench press to cause a neuromuscular “explosion” out of the hole to peak Starting Strength and Accelerating Strength—>Explosive Strength.
Peaking these fundamental abilities peak raw Rate Of Force Development (ROFD).
The StratFit Acceleration strength device (chains) can also be added to the bar to layer a Force Acceleration (FCn) neuromuscular pattern onto the Explosion.
When each chain link gradually reloads onto the barbell (increasing weight with each link) in the concentric phase (upstroke), and you maintain a stable external velocity, your muscles must accelerate force production, training you to follow through with full power on all your movements.
We develop Explosive Strength using the Dynamic Effort Method, keeping the reps per set minimal and suboptimal per set (according to the intensity) to limit the adverse effects of fatigue on explosiveness and power. In future work I will detail precisely how use the devices.
When lower and upper body regional Strength Speed is peaked by directly training the fundamental abilities, it potentiates the body to peak Absolute Global Power, displayed and developed with global max power exercises like Snatches and Clean & Jerks (Olympic Weightlifting). Global Absolute Power (more on this in a future article) potentiates the athlete for greater power in sport-specific movements.
Coaches and athletes preparing for events that require Versatile Power (all bat-and-ball and combat sports) must understand and develop the elemental strengths.
Like the main strength abilities of the spectrum, the Starting, Accelerating, and Explosive Strengths are all fundamentally developed with the major barbell lifts, particularly the squat and bench press, as displayed above.
Conclusion
Now that we have defined the Elemental, Fundamental, and Foundational abilities of Strength, Power, and Muscular Stamina, the reader certainly has a solid grasp of what Strength is. In future work, I will dive deeper into particular methods for developing the abilities in General (Maximal), Directed (transmutating Maximal into Specific), and sport-specific applications.
Stay Tuned For The Whole Picture
This article starts a blog series detailing the ins and outs of fitness training science. If you're a training client or athlete or a potential one, this series will provide you with some info so you will go into your fitness journey armed with the power of knowledge- you'll know what needs to happen. If you are a trainer or coach, this will give you more insight into your process for improving your client's lives and your athlete's performance. The schematic below shows the whole picture of training science; the highlighted part is the idea in this article. Stay tuned to learn all the ins and outs to take your practice to the next level and beyond!
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