Absolute Concept: Special Strengths-Linking Biology Behaviours of the Nervous System

Understanding the Emergences of Strength as a Behaviour of the Nervous System.

Alexander Karelin, a Greco-Roman wrestler who represented the Soviet Union and Russia between 1987-2000, went 887-2 and was famous for his reverse body lift, called the “Karelin Lift.” Source

The Birth of Special Strengths

Exercise science defines a muscle's absolute strength as the maximum strength it can exert, including the reserve capacity protected by the autonomic nervous system, which cannot be voluntarily activated and therefore generated. This definition reveals a gap that exists between how much force can be generated voluntarily and involuntarily. Soviet sports scientists were pioneers in recognizing and labeling this gap as the "hidden potential" of human muscles, signifying untapped reserves for maximal force production that remain unused during voluntary efforts. In Soviet literature, this era introduced two distinct definitions of strength: Absolute Strength and Maximal Strength, and gave birth to the concept of Special Strengths.

Are Special Strengths Different Behaviors of the Nervous System?

What if, instead of using the term 'special strengths,' we examine the distinction between absolute strength and maximal strength in terms of the behaviors exhibited by the nervous system? This perspective aligns with our approach at Absolute. In the example mentioned earlier, the Soviet researchers are essentially describing variations in the behavior of the nervous system. They demonstrated that when electrostimulation is applied, more force is generated – this represents one behavioral pattern of the nervous system. Conversely, when electrostimulation is not used, there is a decrease in force output, representing a different behavior. This shift in perspective allows us to recognize that, when viewed from an internal standpoint through the lens of the nervous system, strength is fundamentally a matter of behavioral variations.

Key Take-home for the Strength Practitioner: Karelin Lift Training Example