Can You Have Too Much Strength? - By: Jacob Hiller

Is there such a thing as too much strength? This might seem like a confusing thing to ask, and it also can have some confusing answers. We'll concentrate on the idea of 'contraction time'.

Possessing a certain level of strength aids your own contraction time. If your body's weight exceeds a certain amount, you might not be able to achieve the right combination of strength and speed to break through.

Your body will have a natural resistance to achieving high contraction times, but if you're strong enough, the effects will be negligible. There comes a point when your vertical leap will not be aided by becoming stronger. When your contraction rate is the same when you have no resistance as when you add the resistance of your body's weight, you've reached optimal conditions.

Can this be accomplished? Yes, in theory. When a leap without resistance is the same as a leap with the added resistance of your weight, it's impossible to utilize any extra strength during the .2 seconds of a vertical jump. Think of a golf ball being propelled by a catapult. If this catapult can only throw an object at 30 miles per hour, adding additional power to the catapult would only be helpful if you were launching an object which was heavier. You will not reach this kind of strength until you've found the ability to lift two times your body weight when performing a parallel squat.

Once you have accomplished a proper amount of strength to move back the resistance of your own body weight, one should concentrate on contraction times. Why is this? After you've achieved enough power to negate your body weight, it's vital to gain control of this strength to perform a solid vertical jump. This is accomplished by training your muscle fibers to form a more powerful neural amplitude. This permits them to contract more quickly, in conjunction with teaching your body the right techniques for jumping. Your muscular contraction speeds will also be aided by improving the efficiency of your jumps, loosening up your tendons, and increasing your stretching reflexes.

After you've reached a better contraction speed, you might see that your existing strength has been rendered insufficient. How does this happen? As the resistance against your body increases, and the force on your muscles increases, you'll need additional strength to develop the ability to get past the resistance of your body weight without slowing down your contraction speed.

About the Author

Jacob Hiller is the creator of a how to jump higher guide and is considered one of the world's foremost authorities on vertical leap training. He has been featured on ESPN and in Fadeaway Magazine, a premier sports magazine in the UK. His vertical jump training program is currently ranked #1 on Clickbank, a top-rated online marketplace. Visit here for free tips on how to jump higher or learn more about the vertical jump program here.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Jacob-Hiller/103759

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