squeezing the muscle - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Captain Hero · 10-07-2006, 09:32 AM

Does it really help your progress to squeeze the muscles during the movements, for example squeezing the biceps at the top portion of the curling movement, or locking out your triceps and squeezing during tricep pressdowns?

Ironman · 10-07-2006, 09:37 AM

Yes mate - imo you should always squeeze the muscle right the way through your range of motion.

Captain Hero · 10-07-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironman

Yes mate - imo you should always squeeze the muscle right the way through your range of motion.

ironman do you find this helps you focus more to as you actively have to squeeze it through the range of the movement?

RAIKEY · 10-07-2006, 09:46 AM

does a muscle have to be fully contracted to get this "squeeze",....

or can it be felt thru out the movement?.....

isnt a squeeze just a fully contracted muscle,....?

i'll be honest on this one , i dont know,

Ironman · 10-07-2006, 09:58 AM

When I say squeeze I mean tense which I think is the same thing - and yes it does help me focus on the muscle.
Its something you probably do already with really noticing.
For example for barbell curls - with the bar at the lower position I just tence my bicep then rep with my bicep tenced all the way to the top then lowered again.
Helps target the muscle as well imo.

RAIKEY · 10-07-2006, 10:07 AM

i know what you mean now....

its what i tell the guy i train with,.....

he thinks the whole idea is to get the weight from the start position to the finish position,,,,,(spose it is if your a power lifter not a BBer)

i tell him its the journey NOT the destination,.....

and try to make him concious of the whole lift

lol... a bit cheesy but you know what i mean...

**big** · 10-07-2006, 01:06 PM

IMO no. As long as your form is good and you're increasing the weight you're lifting regularly, that's plenty good enough.

In my book, you're no more likely to get bigger and stronger by ACTIVELY squeezing the muscle (it WILL squeeze plenty on it's own if you're lifting heavy enough weights lol) than you are by "thinking yourself big".

Just IMO.

invisiblekid · 10-07-2006, 02:07 PM

I usually squeeze or tense the muscle at the top of the movement. EG Bicep curls, I squeeze when my arms are curled to my chest. Apparently, this increases the blood flow to them, which expands the muscle, therefore creating my room for more blood - thus making the muscles maxium size increase, therefore increasing the size of the muscle. Dont know how true this is, but its what I've been told!

Toregar · 10-07-2006, 02:46 PM

For Bi's yes ... Squeezing the muscle flushes more blood into it, thereby promoting better recovery. For Tri's, I never lock out unless I'm doing a reverse-grip press down. Any other movement, and it's supposedly bad for your joint there. Such as SkullCrushers and Pressdowns, the angle at which your locking out is unhealthy for the joint ... They say this is a big reason as to why Bodybuilders will develop tennis elbow. DB Flyes are good as well, squeezing at peak contraction, really flushes the blood in there. There's some controversy over leg extension lock outs. Saying it might be bad for your knee ... However, I feel no pain when doing this, so I lock and squeeze it as hard as I can.

Squeezing the muscle also enhances neuromuscular efficiency. A lot of trainers lack this, and squeezing the muscle just gives you another excuse to develop it

.

Just use a good sense of judgement, if the squeeze is taking the stress away from the targeted muscle then don't do it, and more than likely, don't lock out period on that exercise.

Ever done a set of squats and stop just shy of lockout ? It burns so much better that way, than when you lock out. Locking out puts the stress on your knees.

I know you're an experienced lifter Cap, so If I say anything painfully obvious in here, I apologize ;)

Captain Hero · 10-07-2006, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toregar

For Bi's yes ... Squeezing the muscle flushes more blood into it, thereby promoting better recovery. For Tri's, I never lock out unless I'm doing a reverse-grip press down. Any other movement, and it's supposedly bad for your joint there. Such as SkullCrushers and Pressdowns, the angle at which your locking out is unhealthy for the joint ... They say this is a big reason as to why Bodybuilders will develop tennis elbow. DB Flyes are good as well, squeezing at peak contraction, really flushes the blood in there. There's some controversy over leg extension lock outs. Saying it might be bad for your knee ... However, I feel no pain when doing this, so I lock and squeeze it as hard as I can.

Squeezing the muscle also enhances neuromuscular efficiency. A lot of trainers lack this, and squeezing the muscle just gives you another excuse to develop it

.

Just use a good sense of judgement, if the squeeze is taking the stress away from the targeted muscle then don't do it, and more than likely, don't lock out period on that exercise.

Ever done a set of squats and stop just shy of lockout ? It burns so much better that way, than when you lock out. Locking out puts the stress on your knees.

I know you're an experienced lifter Cap, so If I say anything painfully obvious in here, I apologize ;)

nice post bro

Toregar · 10-07-2006, 03:50 PM

Glad to be of service

10-07-2006, 09:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
Captain Hero is really, really, ridiculously good looking. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 6,442	squeezing the muscle Does it really help your progress to squeeze the muscles during the movements, for example squeezing the biceps at the top portion of the curling movement, or locking out your triceps and squeezing during tricep pressdowns? __________________ Captain Hero " Nothing great was ever achieved by being realistic!" 1. Captain Hero To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 25 up, 3 down To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. One of the most messed up characters in To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , Captain Hero is a parody on Superman. He is also a To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , enjoys To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , is a bisexual, has a childish personality and possibly a mental disorder, is at times a To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , practices To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , had a romance with To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , Bleh, and Unusually-Flexible-Girl. "By the time I get there, the girl is either already safe, or dead. Either way, there's going to be some serious fondling." ~Captain Hero.

10-07-2006, 09:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
RAIKEY Please do not feed the Raikey, it may bite.!! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Deepest, Darkest , Yorkcestershire,...Ayup See thee!! Posts: 3,378	does a muscle have to be fully contracted to get this "squeeze",.... or can it be felt thru out the movement?..... isnt a squeeze just a fully contracted muscle,....? i'll be honest on this one , i dont know, __________________ I used to have a large gay following.......but i hid behind some cars and lost him!!

10-07-2006, 10:07 AM	#6 (permalink)
RAIKEY Please do not feed the Raikey, it may bite.!! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Deepest, Darkest , Yorkcestershire,...Ayup See thee!! Posts: 3,378	i know what you mean now.... its what i tell the guy i train with,..... he thinks the whole idea is to get the weight from the start position to the finish position,,,,,(spose it is if your a power lifter not a BBer) i tell him its the journey NOT the destination,..... and try to make him concious of the whole lift lol... a bit cheesy but you know what i mean... __________________ I used to have a large gay following.......but i hid behind some cars and lost him!!

10-07-2006, 01:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
big UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Beer me Posts: 5,276	IMO no. As long as your form is good and you're increasing the weight you're lifting regularly, that's plenty good enough. In my book, you're no more likely to get bigger and stronger by ACTIVELY squeezing the muscle (it WILL squeeze plenty on it's own if you're lifting heavy enough weights lol) than you are by "thinking yourself big". Just IMO. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-07-2006, 02:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
invisiblekid Hitman Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,536	I usually squeeze or tense the muscle at the top of the movement. EG Bicep curls, I squeeze when my arms are curled to my chest. Apparently, this increases the blood flow to them, which expands the muscle, therefore creating my room for more blood - thus making the muscles maxium size increase, therefore increasing the size of the muscle. Dont know how true this is, but its what I've been told! __________________ Most bodybuilders are actually insane. Albert Einstein defined insanity as "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".

10-07-2006, 09:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ironman Sculpting the masterpiece Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,464	Yes mate - imo you should always squeeze the muscle right the way through your range of motion.

10-07-2006, 09:58 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ironman Sculpting the masterpiece Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,464	When I say squeeze I mean tense which I think is the same thing - and yes it does help me focus on the muscle. Its something you probably do already with really noticing. For example for barbell curls - with the bar at the lower position I just tence my bicep then rep with my bicep tenced all the way to the top then lowered again. Helps target the muscle as well imo.

10-07-2006, 02:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
Toregar Progressing Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 181	For Bi's yes ... Squeezing the muscle flushes more blood into it, thereby promoting better recovery. For Tri's, I never lock out unless I'm doing a reverse-grip press down. Any other movement, and it's supposedly bad for your joint there. Such as SkullCrushers and Pressdowns, the angle at which your locking out is unhealthy for the joint ... They say this is a big reason as to why Bodybuilders will develop tennis elbow. DB Flyes are good as well, squeezing at peak contraction, really flushes the blood in there. There's some controversy over leg extension lock outs. Saying it might be bad for your knee ... However, I feel no pain when doing this, so I lock and squeeze it as hard as I can. Squeezing the muscle also enhances neuromuscular efficiency. A lot of trainers lack this, and squeezing the muscle just gives you another excuse to develop it . Just use a good sense of judgement, if the squeeze is taking the stress away from the targeted muscle then don't do it, and more than likely, don't lock out period on that exercise. Ever done a set of squats and stop just shy of lockout ? It burns so much better that way, than when you lock out. Locking out puts the stress on your knees. I know you're an experienced lifter Cap, so If I say anything painfully obvious in here, I apologize ;)

10-07-2006, 03:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
Toregar Progressing Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 181	Glad to be of service