Joe Roarks` thoughts

[Rick Browne]

Joe,

In reading Riotgrips` post on forearm composition, stating that the make up of its` muscle  is 55% fast-twitch fibers, I think one should use fast-twitch training to properly hit their recruitment.

The book, "Quantum Strength Fitness II" by Patrick O`Shea,

states that to recruit fast-twitch, you have to fatigue the slow-twitch fibers first. You accomplish this by using 60-70% of your 1rm for 15-20 reps for 3-4 sets.

The first 8-10 reps involve mainly slow-twitch. As they fatigue, the fast-twitch begin to be activated and for the final 5-6 reps a greater % of fast-twitch are used. My interpretation is that slow-twitch activates first no matter what you do? By- passing slow-twitch? can this be done and get right to fast-twitch?????

I remember you were training a while back to wrist curl 225 for 6 reps ( I think that was your goal). Did you use any high rep work to reach that plateau? Fast-twitch being the power muscles, maybe one does not have to use high reps with heavy weight to train them based on what you did??

[Roark]

zcor,

After I managed 200 lbs for 6 reps in the wrist curl, I

backed off pursuing the 225 for 6- probably not wise to

admit this but 200 x 6 was very hard for me.

Frankly, I have never considered myself very savvy about

training methods, and the only article I ever wrote about the

subject was tongue [secretly] in cheek, though I did invent a

technique (so far as I know) called VSTR, which has merit, or

at least as much merit as many other methods.

Anyway, after learning from the grip board, it may be better

to use even lower reps in the wrist curl (as in the grippers)-

I simply do not know. Arthur Jones wrote years ago that neither he nor anyone else (at that time) had a clue about

fast/slow twitch training. Sincerely, I ask, has that changed?

Is O'Shea's research accepted? Or is it just another method

proposed without double-blind research? (I have not seen his

book).

Thanks.

[Nathan Say]

55% is incredibly low for fast twitch composition, isn't it?

[Rick Browne]

not really, medical research i have read states that the average human  is born with 45% slow-twitch 55% fast-twitch. However, the ratio varies greatly among athletes in different sports. Endurance athletes can have up to 80% slow-twitch and strength athletes can have up to 75% fast-twitch. Also the basic nature of the fibers do not change and once training stops the fibers gradually revert back to their original state

One can not turn fast-twitch into slow-twitch but you can make fast-twitch more endurance oriented; likewise with slow- twitch. You can make slow-twitch have more contractile properties. (Harvard Men`s Health Watch. 1999)

[Nathan Say]

I guess I got mixed up somehow.  :0

[Guest hands4god]

i have pretty good size forearms. and i have always trained with both high and low reps. my forearm workots are usualy a mixture anyway due to my wrists. i have to realy warm up my wrists before going heavy.  a (?) for you guys-- i know that standing, behind the back wrist curls realy bomb your forearms. and plate curls realy work your wrists. are seated wrist curls enough to give you good wrist strength without having to do plate curls?   thax

[AP]

there's really no comperision between wrist and plate curls. if you don't like the plate curls, you can strengthen your wrists with nail bending or lever work...

ou wecom     :p