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PHOTOSnFIBERS
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Hello forum! I wanted to start a thread on the CNS and how we can best manipulate it. I have spent a lot of years spongeing up info on general lifting and nutrition but never acknowledged how much a factor the CNS is. Till the last year anyhow.
Feel free to post or link any info but for starters heres a few points im hoping to clarify. I have heard many sources insist our nervous system is global, for example too much heavy/intense squating today will make tomorrows bench press weaker.
But this would also imply that strengthening the CNS with heavy squats will, over time and once the CNS is recovered, increase my bench strength. But something there doesnt seem exactly right.
A more probable truth IMO is that our CNS works as a gas tank for total stress workload, but any strength increases come from site specific nerve adaptations (motor unit efficiency improvements). Any insight on specifics here?
This kind of info is far more rare than hypertrophy data, and few people delve into specifics like the above. Another question is how does intensity relate to cns fatigue? I speculate fatigue increases in a non linear fashion, ie the closer you get to 100% effort (either maxing or a failure rep on a lighter set), the cns drain is exponentially increased. Any thoughts?
If true, one might be able to increase overall volume (to boost hypertrophy) by staying maybe around 70% 1rm and never coming within 4 reps of failure (ie using weight you can do 12 with but stoping at 7 or 8). One thing i noticed in my recent gym goings is when i cut out 90% of my failure reps, i gained 25lbs on my bench in a month. Cant be coincidence.
I believe i was overtraining with too many sets to failure. Any thoughts on this? It seems to be very much a balancing act, stimulating site spefic nerves but also keeping the global system well rested. Again the above are just theories i have organized based on personal experience and varying sources.
Feel free to offer any sources or personal insights, looking forward to any input here. Thx!
Feel free to post or link any info but for starters heres a few points im hoping to clarify. I have heard many sources insist our nervous system is global, for example too much heavy/intense squating today will make tomorrows bench press weaker.
But this would also imply that strengthening the CNS with heavy squats will, over time and once the CNS is recovered, increase my bench strength. But something there doesnt seem exactly right.
A more probable truth IMO is that our CNS works as a gas tank for total stress workload, but any strength increases come from site specific nerve adaptations (motor unit efficiency improvements). Any insight on specifics here?
This kind of info is far more rare than hypertrophy data, and few people delve into specifics like the above. Another question is how does intensity relate to cns fatigue? I speculate fatigue increases in a non linear fashion, ie the closer you get to 100% effort (either maxing or a failure rep on a lighter set), the cns drain is exponentially increased. Any thoughts?
If true, one might be able to increase overall volume (to boost hypertrophy) by staying maybe around 70% 1rm and never coming within 4 reps of failure (ie using weight you can do 12 with but stoping at 7 or 8). One thing i noticed in my recent gym goings is when i cut out 90% of my failure reps, i gained 25lbs on my bench in a month. Cant be coincidence.
I believe i was overtraining with too many sets to failure. Any thoughts on this? It seems to be very much a balancing act, stimulating site spefic nerves but also keeping the global system well rested. Again the above are just theories i have organized based on personal experience and varying sources.
Feel free to offer any sources or personal insights, looking forward to any input here. Thx!
