Taking the Fourth, Part 1 Print E-mail



As any great military strategist will tell you, to defeat your enemy, you must first become familiar with him. In this instance, that means gaining a thorough understanding of the factors that are affecting your performance. So without further ado, let's take a closer look at the four major obstacles your genetics pose to you in the weight room.

1. Fiber Type

There are several different types of human muscle fibers; some are better at producing strength and power, while others are better suited for endurance work. Care to take a stab as to which is likely predominant in ectomorphs? If you picked the kind that is great for endurance (fatigue resistant) yet poor at generating strength and power (force), give yourself a star. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are the endurance kind, and boy, do they live up to their name. Their healthy supply of blood and oxygen allows them to recover quickly, making them perfect for endurance activities such as walking, jogging, and maintaining posture (something some muscles have gotta do all day long). Unfortunately, they contract about as quickly as your grandfather getting out of an easy chair, placing you at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to strength and power activities such as jumping, sprinting, and weight training.

Realize that having a larger proportion of slow-twitch fibers isn't exactly ideal when it comes to increasing size and strength. Besides generating little force and being so slow to contract, they also have the least potential for hypertrophy (muscle growth) of the three major fiber types. Sure, they're great for endurance activities, but their superior ability to utilize oxygen is of little help when you're pinned at the bottom of the bench press!

However, it's not as hopeless as it may seem. Even if you do possess a higher-than-average proportion of slow-twitch fibers, you can still build significant amounts of muscle mass. After all, no one has only slow-twitch fibers. Even the best world-class endurance athletes still have 40 percent fast-twitch fibers, and these fibers are the ones that can be targeted for growth.

2. Limb Length

Want to hear something that will make ectomorphs everywhere shudder? Long limbs and heavy weights are a bad combination. Long limbs force you to move the load you're handling through a much larger range of motion than someone with shorter limbs. Remember that the next time your stubby-armed buddy starts chirping about how much he can bench. His short limbs have to travel through only a short range of motion, making bench presses much easier.

Besides making you work harder, your long limbs can also place some extra strain on your joints and connective tissue by altering the mechanics of your new staple lifts such as the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Yet we're about to suggest doing all three lifts anyway. Simple changes such as improving flexibility and altering the width of your grip or stance can make a dramatic difference in the amount of weight you can handle and the safety of that load.


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