Another opinion on strength training in women?

[Arioch]

Do you include bodybuilders in your definition of strength athletes?

Well, I look at things from a performance standpoint, and bodybuilders are in their worst physical condition, from a performance standpoint, on the day of competition. So, no.

Also, the primary focus of a bodybuilder is to gain mass, so training methods that are often counter productive to performance are used, especially when performance based on bodyweight is considered. Many top bodybuilders would have lifts that would do quite poorly by formula in competition, because of their extreme size. Although I do understand that this does not really matter, because on the day of competition, no one is watching a bodybuilder lift.

Strength atheltes train so their strength peaks for a competiton, the exact opposite of what a bodybuilder does.

 

[alexsmom]

Well, I look at things from a performance standpoint, and bodybuilders are in their worst physical condition, from a performance standpoint, on the day of competition. So, no.

Arioch...I don't understand this....why is this so? Sorry...I was just reading through this whole post and was curious.

Thanks!

 

[alexsmom]

I guess I'm asking why he thinks bodybuilders are at their worst condition on stage. I dont' know much about competing at all and so his comment surprised me.

 

[makedah]

What exactly is HIT? I've seen it used in a way that is basically the opposite of doing several moves per body part (and a lot of isolation moves). I've also seen it refer to doing one set or even 1-3 reps per move.

 

[Arioch]

Bodybuilders are starving on contest day, often dehydrated, and generally weak as a kitten. Some of the dieting regimines are so strict that they cannot be employed on death row inmates. While they present extremely high levels of definition and muscularity, their ability to perform a feat of strength in this condition is extremely limited.

One thing most people do not understand about strength sports is that the diet is manipulated to maximize strength gains while staying within a weight class, if necessary. At the point where dieting effects performance, it is time to climb a weight class. In strength sports, it is all about performance. In bodybuilding, it is all about appearance. This is one of the reasons that it is so difficult to compete as, say, a powerlifter, and do well as a bodybuilder at the same time.

For a view on HIT, see www.cyberpump.com

I have nothing nice to say about it and I will leave it at that.