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I am looking into different training methods and thought I'd share a bit here. Static contraction methods (and quotes) from Pete Sisco and Eccentric training from David Barr. Both similar and non-conventional.

I am an old school weight lifter that loves multiple sets, and full range of motion. Range of motion was always deemed important and part of having good form. What if it's not that important. First how muscle fibers work...
Every muscle basically consists of millions of individual muscle fibers. When it receives an electrical signal from the brain a fiber contracts and becomes smaller. To visualize, picture a one inch long fiber suddenly contacting to ¼ inch.

OK, here is the important characteristic we need to know about. When a muscle fiber is activated it contracts completely, not by degrees. So it either contracts fully or it does not contract at all.

This fact determines how you should stimulate your muscles to get bigger and stronger. For example, when your biceps muscle tries to curl a dumbbell that is 30% of the maximum you could lift it does not activate 100% of the muscle fibers to contract with 30% of their power. They can’t do that. They can only contract fully and completely. What happens is 30% of the fibers contract fully, lifting the dumbbell, and 70% of the muscle fibers do nothing and therefore – this is important – 70% of the fibers receive no stimulation to grow bigger or strengthen.

That’s the way muscles work. It’s been known for nearly a century and it’s simple to understand. Your body only uses the muscle fibers it needs to use and no more. This is the law of muscle fiber activation and it’s why we need to lift heavy weights if we want to stimulate as much of a target muscle as possible.

So, range of motion, where is the weak link? Bench for example if you can get that weight above 50% you got it. Thats why you see the hot shots bouncing weight off their chests. To help get the weight past that weak point. I know I used to do it.

So static contraction, we want 100% of our muscle fibers working 100% to grow. So we take the stongest point of our range of motion and 150%-200% of our normal weight and try to hold it in that peak point (not lock out) for five seconds. (If you can hold it longer it's too light.) Then....... well your done, that's it that's your exercise for that muscle group. There are five exercises per workout 10 total then take 3-5 days off. Each return add 10% more weight. AND as you get stronger you take more days off.

Part of that makes a whole lotta sense.

Eccentric training emphasizes the negative or lowering phase of a rep. With this the same overloading principle takes place. Here we start at 130% and add 10% more weight each of the three weeks. Keep in mind these are done one arm or leg at a time so divide by 2.

Example bench on Smith machine: Max bench 300 X 130% = 390 / 2 = 195 (Remember Smith Machine bars weigh less) Start by unracking the bar with both hands and push up. Transfer weight to one arm and try to resist the bar as it decends to your chest. Press the bar back up to full extension with both arms and repeat the negative with the other arm. You do only 2-3 reps per side per exercise. This particular program adds in "Feeder Sets." These light weight high rep sets stimulate blood flow for maximum nutrient delivery and recovery. ie after eccentric bench press you will do 3 sets of 15 bilateral pec-deck flyes.
They recommend working in the 80% range (concentric) for a few weeks before starting this program. Three days a week, three weeks, then one week off.

How does this work in the Bluprint? I don't know....... Rob?

With permission I can post link and/or provide more info. This was getting kinda long and I don't know if it's relavant to the Bluprint.

Excellent post Draco and a good question.

I highlight static work in the Blueprint during both the Feast and Cruise/Maintenance phase. A little bit on each.

You don't see it in the Famine due to the fact it's VERY taxing on the CNS. Anecdotal evidence and BP trials using statics in the famine retarded traction in the feast.

However, once in Feast or Cruise we selectively use statics AS PART OF the overall plan to build maximum LBM. This is where things diverge a bit from Sisco's thinking...

SCT advocates claim that there is a carryover from static work to full range. In 10% or less of the training population, this is true. I don't want to gamble with 90% of my customers results though....

What you will find on a SCT only protocol: MASSIVE increases from workout to workout in your ability to hold heavier weights. I'm talking HUNDREDS of pounds more than baseline within weeks. That's the upside.

The downside is that strength in that position is only built within about 5 degrees up/down. When you return to your full range movements, there is no carryover. In fact, you'll be disappointed to learn you may be weaker.

There was also something else very curious I discovered; my muscles lost their fullness/shape. I suspect this goes back to the need to stretch the muscle during the eccentric/lowering porition of the movement and resulting prostaglandin/growth factor release that stretch position movements allow for.

FINAL RECOMMENDATION: Static holds ARE of value when positioned as part of a full range routine where you may have a sticking point in a big barbell lift OR for smaller muscle groups. In fact, if you are so interested in incorporating, I'd suggest using them for biceps and calves as a "time saver" at the end of your workout to experiment with juicing results in that area.

I haven't as of yet had a BP customer run SCT during Feast stand-alone. It may in fact be the ideal template for the extremely busy professional who only has 30 minutes once a week let's say, to train.

In that event, I'd recommend 1 or 2 static holds for the specified 5 seconds or so, followed by a heavy negative to take advantage of the loaded stretch.

Draco, great thought here and I appreciate your contribution. Sisco makes a lot of sense in his writings and I applaud his rational theory targeted to efficiency, objective measurement and overall common sense vs. bodybuilding lore.

His writings are definately a good investment.

With that being said maybe essentric would be a good route because you do cover that whole range of motion. And a good overload as well, followed by some lighter weight-full range exercise.

Thought: How does fatigue, cortisol, lactic acid etc. effect the 100% muscle fiber scenario. If you work to failure and can't get that last rep without help, would it be safe to say that 100% of that muscle is being stimulated.

Not really.

To knock off the whole motor pool in one set given a certain rep range is unlikely. Proof of this is that you can lower the weight and continue to rep out.

Overload is the qualifier. The trick is, there are many ways to go about it.

You can lift more weight than you did last session, do the same amount of work in less time, do more total work in a given time period etc..

For my money, you should take advantage of all of these. Ideally, defining your particular overload per training cycle. I tend to favor 1RM's because well, more weight on the bar at the end is an easy thing to quantify. It just kind of sits there, staring you in the face.

If it's total growth you're after, more work done (total tonnage) per unit of time is the gold standard. In order to do that, you need a bigger engine. As such, the muscles get larger.

The take home is this (if hypertrophy is the goal): Once the tape measure stops making larger circles..... time to apply another form of overload.

GO HEAVY OR GO HOME!