Establishing Point B: Absolute Strength

A prerequisite nervous-system-based capacity of the optimal Point B.

Dr. Michael Chivers

and

John Quint

Jun 24, 2022

Available for iOS and Android

Optimal motor unit recruitment (i.e., absolute strength) being displayed in the sporting environment by offensive lineman Damien Lewis.

In the initial essay on Programming: Establishing Point B, absolute strength was simply defined as:

“the readily available ability of the nervous system to generate an optimal magnitude of force that is efficiently propagated through the internal environment and discharged sometimes into the external environment.”

Absolute Strength = Nervous System-Based Capacity

Notice how we at Absolute define absolute strength as a nervous system ability (i.e., capacity). Exercise physiology, specifically the Henemanns’s Size Principle, enables us to know that the nervous system recruits motor neurons and the muscle fibers those recruited neurons innervate, in an orderly manner - from small and slow to large and fast.

At Absolute: Absolute Strength = Nervous System Based Capacity

It is the muscle fibers that generate force, but only when those fibers have been called upon (i.e., recruited) by the nervous system. Simply, if the nervous system recruits small motor units, slow-twitch muscle fibers will generate small magnitudes of force slowly over time. Inversely, if the nervous system recruits large motor units, fast-twitch muscle fibers will generate large magnitudes of force fast.

Absolute strength is the nervous system’s ability to stimulate and recruit the largest motor units and fastest muscle fibers to generate force.

Optimal Absolute Strength Displayed in Sport

Here is an example of an offensive lineman generating optimal levels of absolute strength to block (i.e., in the sporting environment):

PFF College @PFF_College

LSU G Damien Lewis: King of 🥞

The lineman in the above video (Damien Lewis) is displaying an optimal level of absolute strength which is OVER the level of his competition — and it is his nervous system’s ability to generate asymmetrical magnitudes of force (i.e., absolute strength) and discharge said generated force at optimal velocity (i.e., speed + direction) which allows for him to dominate his competition (i.e., ensure success in sport).

Strength Training Method to Acquire Absolute Strength

Exercise science collectively agrees on a superior strength training method to train the nervous system to stimulate and recruit the largest and fastest muscle fibers. That method is the Maximal Effort Method.

The Maximal Effort Method is defined by Dr. Zatsiorsky in The Science and Practice of Strength Training1 as: lifting a maximal load – or exercising against maximal resistance.

Understand: exercising/training against non-maximal (i.e., submaximal) loads will NOT elicit training effects where the nervous system learns how to stimulate and recruit the largest and fastest muscle fibers (refer to the image below: non-maximal effort training effects).

Training for Absolute Strength

Here is a video of NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman Larry Allen training to acquire more absolute strength. He is optimally utilizing the Maximal Effort Method by means of the bench press:

An athlete, like Larry Allen, who is optimally training absolute strength, is primarily training the nervous system's ability to stimulate and recruit the largest and fastest muscle fibers to generate force to do work. Of course, there will be secondary training effects at the muscle fiber level, but the primary training effects for absolute strength are elicited at the nervous system level. Specific training effects whereby the nervous system is learning how to efficiently stimulate and recruit the largest and fastest muscle fibers to generate force to perform work.

Non-Maximal Effort Training Effects

In the image below, Dr. Zatsiorsky2 shows how the nervous system adheres to the Henneman’s Size Principle and recruits small motor neurons and slow motor units (i.e., slow-twitch muscle fibers) when exercising against non-maximal (i.e., submaximal) loads/resistance.

Henneman’s Size Principle - From *Science and Practice of Strength Training*

This image makes it easy to see how the large MNs and fast-twitch muscle fibers are not recruited or non-stimulated when exercising against non-maximal resistance. This is what the motor unit recruitment would look when Larry Allen was performing warm-up sets, let’s say, at non-maximal loads of 225lbs, 315lbs, 405lbs, 495lbs, etc., prior to his max-effort training of 700lbs.

Simply, training with non-maximal resistance does not stimulate the nervous system to acquire more absolute strength.

Optimal MU recruitment

Optimal motor unit recruitment being generated in sport is something that can only occur in the trained athlete. More specifically, the athlete who is optimally utilizing the Maximal Effort Method to train for absolute strength, as we witnessed with Larry Allen’s training. Optimal motor unit and muscle fiber recruitment are displayed in the image below.

Understand: The athletes who possess the readily ability to stimulate and recruit the largest motor units and fastest muscle fibers at the highest attain speeds in time (as displayed for you in the image), possess the optimal levels of the nervous system-based capacity to ensure their success in sport.

The Unfortunate Reality for Today’s Athlete

We stated that we at Absolute utilize the strength training of an athlete as a feedback mechanism to understand the athlete’s current physical state (i.e., Point A). This is how we can know with absolute certainty that the vast majority of today’s athletes, regardless of level, are never optimally training the paramount nervous system-based capacity that is absolute strength.

To say this is a very disheartening reality for today’s athletes is an understatement — but understand: this sad reality for the athlete is commonplace. The vast majority of athletes, because they lack a basic understanding of strength training, possess the false belief that the strength training they are performing is enabling them to acquire a physical state where they possess an optimal absolute strength capacity. In reality, when we utilize their current training as a feedback mechanism to better understand their current physical state, the overwhelming majority of the time, we find their strength training is failing to optimally train absolute strength and is actually behaving as a limiting constraint that will never enable them to acquire that optimal physical state requires to ensure them the greatest chance of success in sport. This is not by fault of the athlete but due to the illogical training programmed by the majority of today’s strength coaches.

Training athletes at non-maximal, and thus non-stimulating levels for their nervous system, will no doubt detrain the athlete and their nervous systems, driving them further away from the optimal Point B we have identified here at Absolute.

“The muscles and central nervous system (CNS) adapt only to the load placed on them.” — Dr. Zatsiorsky3

Simply: Submaximal loads lead to submaximal training effects. Submaximal training effects over time lead to the submaximal physical development of athletes.

Funneling Absolute Strength to Cultivate All the Biological Determinants of Strength

Force is a vector quantity that is scalable to the internal and external environment. In the above video of the lineman blocking, we see optimal levels of absolute strength being generated internally and then effectively propagated (i.e., funneled) externally in a coherently skillful way enabling the lineman to block his target.

We need to understand, as strength coaches and practitioners, that force can be generated, but instead of being discharged externally for sport, like into a blocking target, it can be discharged and constrained internally within the athlete. Force that is generated and constrained internally and then funneled into the biological determinants of strength is internal strength training.

More simply, generating force (i.e., strength) and funneling that force into the biological element to perform training working that is stimulating to that determinant of strength is the definition of Internal Strength Training4. The athlete who possesses a larger absolute strength capacity, will no doubt be able to elicit more stimulating internal strength training effects, than an athlete who does not possess optimal levels of absolute strength.

Absolute Strength = Totally Dependent on Training

Lastly, it should be coherently understood that the nervous system's ability to generate an optimal magnitude of force is a dynamic capacity that is totally dependent on training, whereby, if optimal training is not occurring, an optimal level of absolute strength will not be possessed or ever acquired.

Absolute Strength & Career Longevity?

In the future, we will discuss just how critical this nervous system-based capacity is not just for sport and skill acquisition but also in regard to the longevity of the athlete’s career. At Absolute, we have discovered in practice, that is in the management of training of athletes, a direct link to the athletes who effectively train to possess and maintain optimal levels of absolute strength having longer playing careers, regardless of sport!