# Getting Stronger without Bigger Muscles – The Nervous System



## Dtownry

We talk about using compound movements and heavy weights, low reps, high intensity in order to increase power output, absolute strength, and rate of force production.  But why?  Can’t we just get bigger muscles and be strong by bodybuilding?  Well yes and no.  It is important to understand how the nervous system plays a role in strength. This is particular important to the powerlifter, Oly lifter, or general strength athlete, and especially novices.  

Whether for novices or for elite athletes, a primary training objective should be a more complete, coordinated, and effective recruitment of motor units in the working muscle. *Neuromuscular efficiency is the easiest, fastest way for improvement to occur, and well-designed training programs optimize its development.*


*While the muscle fiber is the basic unit of contraction, without its intricate link to the nervous system, coordinated movement could not occur. *

•The central nervous system is linked to muscle fibers by way of motor neurons. 

•These neurons vary in size and innervate varying numbers of muscle fibers depending on fiber-type and muscle function. Slow-twitch fibers are innervated by smaller motor neurons.

•Fast-twitch fibers type II (strength fibers) are innervated by larger motor neurons. In terms of speed and magnitude of conduction, think of the motor neurons for type I fibers as drinking straws and those of type II fibers as fire hoses. 

*The motor unit is the basic functional unit of the neuromuscular system, since muscle fibers fire only within motor units and never individually. *

•Heavy, high-velocity training over time improves recruitment, defined as the quantity of motor units in the muscle actually generating force during contraction. 

•A higher percentage of recruited motor units means more force and more power. 

•_*Average novice trainees can recruit around 70% of their available motor units on the day they start training. Intermediates have increased their neuromuscular ability to recruit motor units and generate force, and by the time they become advanced trainees they may be able to recruit in excess of 95% of the available motor unit*_s. 

*•Neuromuscular improvement is one of the main reasons strength and power can be gained in the absence of muscle-mass increases, although hypertrophy normally accompanies a strength increase.* 

*The take-aways:*

•Heavy, high intensity training, with compound movements greatly increases the number or motor neurons recruited and therefore strength increase beyond that of sarcoplasmic (bodybuilding type) hypertrophy type training.

•Exercise specificity in any program is important.  If you want a bigger squat then squat, and groove those pathways and teach your body to recruit the necessary neurons to increase force output.  This is why novices see huge strength increases quickly.  They are getting efficient.

•You can increase your neuron recruiting ability through training, getting stronger without getting bigger.

•Muscle fibers of Type I have been shown to be able to convert to strength, or Type II fibers, or to be able to be further utilized in force production to a greater extent.  Again all brought about by the type of training discussed.


*Big isn’t always strong.  Strong is strong.*


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## DreamChaser

Good post/read


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## DocDePanda187123

DTown,

Excellent article brother. Well written, accurate info, and a topic we don't talk about much. Very nice job! STICKY


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## yeti

Thanks for the mini-article mate. 
Good stuff.


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## SuperBane

Good info. Big + Strong = juggernaut...
Hmmm SuperJuggernaut .....

Your feeble powers can't hurt me. I'm the juggernaut bitch!

On topic I thought band work improved fast twitch muscles?


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## Dtownry

SuperBane said:


> Good info. Big + Strong = juggernaut...
> Hmmm SuperJuggernaut .....
> 
> Your feeble powers can't hurt me. I'm the juggernaut bitch!
> 
> On topic I thought band work improved fast twitch muscles?



Band work on speed strength and acceleration, and yes they utilize type II fibers as does all strength training, but not really to a greater extent.  Unless you are doing prolonged aerobic exercise you are primarily using fast twitch regardless of your strength programming.  It all goes back to the point of HOW MUCH of these fibers are you actually recruiting based on your volume/intesity/exercise selection. If I am doing 10x2 at 60% for speed work am I recruiting more type II than on ME effort day?  They both have their place in your programming.  Quick point:  Aerobic exercise in strength training often gets confused with cardio respiratory fitness which is what you get from training with heavy weight. You can still do "cardio" and not interfere with strength...make sure it is the cardio respiratory kind.  It draws from different energy sources and uses different fibers. 

Bands are great to develop eccentric strength (bands pulling you down), explosiveness, rate of force development, and top end strength on the strength curve as the bands apply more tension at the top than the bottom.  You can teach your body to constantly accelerate the weight through your ROM.  This is particularly important to strength athletes and PLers.  You always want to work on bar speed.  The goal is to move a weight at the same speed regardless of the weight on the bar. Watch Derrick  Kendall squat and you will see what I mean.  Dynamic effort with accommodating resistance is a great way to do this but not the only way.

One can argue that for the raw lifter bands and chains are not as useful as they again develop top end force.  RAW lifters usually miss out of the hole or a couple inches off the chest.  Not to say that bands aren't good for raw lifters because they certainly are.  But working things like pause squats, squat from pins,  pause bench, ballistic bench and bench 1" off the chest might be a better focus.  Works bands and chains in where you see fit and as needed based on your training needs.

Bottom line you are not necessarily recruiting more fast twitch through speed work.  Always accelerate the bar in all sets, use heavy weight and low rep schemes with appropriate volume in your training as appropriate and you will be recruiting and or converting type II fibers.


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## snake

Dtownry,
Nice read! For the record, I hate band and speed work.


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## DocDePanda187123

Dtownry said:


> Band work on speed strength and acceleration, and yes they utilize type II fibers as does all strength training, but not really to a greater extent.  Unless you are doing prolonged aerobic exercise you are primarily using fast twitch regardless of your strength programming.  It all goes back to the point of HOW MUCH of these fibers are you actually recruiting based on your volume/intesity/exercise selection. If I am doing 10x2 at 60% for speed work am I recruiting more type II than on ME effort day?  They both have their place in your programming.  Quick point:  Aerobic exercise in strength training often gets confused with cardio respiratory fitness which is what you get from training with heavy weight. You can still do "cardio" and not interfere with strength...make sure it is the cardio respiratory kind.  It draws from different energy sources and uses different fibers.
> 
> Bands are great to develop eccentric strength (bands pulling you down), explosiveness, rate of force development, and top end strength on the strength curve as the bands apply more tension at the top than the bottom.  You can teach your body to constantly accelerate the weight through your ROM.  This is particularly important to strength athletes and PLers.  You always want to work on bar speed.  The goal is to move a weight at the same speed regardless of the weight on the bar. Watch Derrick  Kendall squat and you will see what I mean.  Dynamic effort with accommodating resistance is a great way to do this but not the only way.
> 
> One can argue that for the raw lifter bands and chains are not as useful as they again develop top end force.  RAW lifters usually miss out of the hole or a couple inches off the chest.  Not to say that bands aren't good for raw lifters because they certainly are.  But working things like pause squats, squat from pins,  pause bench, ballistic bench and bench off the chest might be a better focus.  Works bands and chains in where you see fit and as needed based on your training needs.
> 
> Bottom line you are not necessarily recruiting more fast twitch through speed work.  Always accelerate the bar in all sets, use heavy weight and low rep schemes with appropriate volume in your training as appropriate and you will be recruiting and or converting type II fibers.



Somebody has read Practical Programming multiple times and understood it lmao. Very impressive DTown. You're like a one man Q&A in here


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## Tren4Life

Docd187123 said:


> Somebody has read Practical Programming multiple times and understood it lmao. Very impressive DTown. You're like a one man Q&A in here



I was gonna say it very Jol like. 

Good job Dtown!!


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## Dtownry

Thanks guys, yes Joli has had a HUGE influence on me. The guy is incredible. He has taught me to be methodical and educated about my training.  If I do not understand what I am doing then why do it? 

The better I understand all of this the better I can manipulate my programming to work for me.  

I love to share, so anything I learn or anything I try I will always pass it along to my brothers.


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## Dtownry

Docd187123 said:


> Somebody has read Practical Programming multiple times and understood it lmao. Very impressive DTown. You're like a one man Q&A in here



Ha yes trying to be super knowledgeable like you Doc!   I have a whole binder of articles, many from Louie.  I constantly add to it.  It is full of notes and highlights, questions.

I am such a nerd.  I may not be the strongest but I sure would do well on strength training Jeopardy!


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## DocDePanda187123

Dtownry said:


> Ha yes trying to be super knowledgeable like you Doc!   I have a whole binder of articles, many from Louie.  I constantly add to it.  It is full of notes and highlights, questions.
> 
> I am such a nerd.  I may not be the strongest but I sure would do well on strength training Jeopardy!



DTown,

You may not be the strongest but your tenacity in lifting and willingness to help others is incredible bro. IMO, what good is knowledge if you board it to yourself? It's worthless without an audience to teach it to. 

Yes Joli is quite amazing and others here as well: POB, SFG, DYS, S4L, etc. I think Joli was getting bored in his old forum as there was 1 maybe 2 serious PL'ers there. I'm sure he loves it here with a sub-forum dedicated to PL'ing lol. The guy is a machine that never quits. 

I don't put things in a binder but probably should. What I do is just bookmark everything I come across on the computer or iPad for future reference. There's so many different methodologies out there and so much info that it's impossible to take it all in at once or on your first read. You and I share some similar titles lol. I've got all of Rippetoe's books, I've got things bookmarked by Simmons, Tate, Zatiorsky, Tommy Kono, Suggs, Starr, etc. Even if I don't adopt the principles to myself I still find it useful to expand my knowledge base. 

Excellent read and thread. Carry on lmao


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## Dtownry

Thanks DOC.  I have learned for all the guys you mentioned including yourself.  

Some of the things I see you write blow my mind (half the time I have no idea what you are talking about lol)  I want to be an asset to this board now, as so many have helped me along the way.  For that I am grateful.

Great community.


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## DieYoungStrong

Dtownry said:


> Thanks DOC.  I have learned for all the guys you mentioned including yourself.
> 
> Some of the things I see you write blow my mind (half the time I have no idea what you are talking about lol)  I want to be an asset to this board now, as so many have helped me along the way.  For that I am grateful.
> 
> Great community.




If you want to be an asset, all you have to do is survive a night of drinking with YaYa. 

Question is:  Can you do it???


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## Dtownry

DieYoungStrong said:


> If you want to be an asset, all you have to do is survive a night of drinking with YaYa.
> 
> Question is:  Can you do it???



Hell yea I can. I'm in.


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## yeti

DT, question - how about "bodybuilding" for powerlifting?
We know that in order to optimize hypertrophy, volume is key, and there's whole sorts of things about the types of muscle fibers and stuff. But in your opinion, does bodybuidling have a place in powerlifting? Nowadays, people seem to be focusing on the mindset of "hit the weights for 3-5 reps and your done".


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## Dtownry

yeti said:


> DT, question - how about "bodybuilding" for powerlifting?
> We know that in order to optimize hypertrophy, volume is key, and there's whole sorts of things about the types of muscle fibers and stuff. But in your opinion, does bodybuidling have a place in powerlifting? Nowadays, people seem to be focusing on the mindset of "hit the weights for 3-5 reps and your done".



Yes absolutely.  Your accessory can be higher rep, lower intensity, short rest.  You can have a "bodybuilder" day as an extra day as well.  Nothing wrong with getting big.

I had one of those sessions myself today.  Killed shoulders, bis, tris.  High rep scheme.

You can also do a cycle in your programming where you focus more on hypertrophy.  Still get your main lifts in  at lower reps, but for say 8-12 weeks you are hammering BB style exercises as well to get the muscles big, then the next meso cycle you can make them strong as you focus more on strength rep/set/intensity schemes.


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## yeti

Dtownry said:


> You can also do a cycle in your programming where you focus more on hypertrophy.  Still get your main lifts in  at lower reps, but for say 8-12 weeks you are hammering BB style exercises as well to get the muscles big, then the next meso cycle you can make them strong as you focus more on strength rep/set/intensity schemes.



I see I see... so just putting your big lifts in "maintenance mode" and focusing on hypertrophy... awesome. Being strong and looking strong too haha 
love it. Thanks man. Always learning a lot from here


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## Godfather2112

Great post! Thanks


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## Godfather2112

Excellent article, bro! Very useful and nice read.
Thanks !


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## vegasdeadlifts

amazing post, seems to be largely forgotten even by a lot of powerlifters who seem to have turned focus to "powerbuilding"


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## ATLRigger

I hear a lot of ppl lately saying “don’t fry your CNS.”
Can you harm your CNS by doing too much low volume, high intensity lifting ?


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## Jin

ATLRigger said:


> I hear a lot of ppl lately saying “don’t fry your CNS.”
> Can you harm your CNS by doing too much low volume, high intensity lifting ?



Pretty sure “you can’t”, maybe other people with bigger balls can though!!!! Bahahah. I kid, I kid. 

Honest answer: harm? Unlikely. Fatigue/compromise, absolutely.


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