Isometric Exercises Samson

Isometric exercises Samson Thirty-five years ago, the use of isometric exercise caused a sensation in the world of sports. Many athletes, including training in these exercises, began to increase the athletic performance. But at the beginning of this century Russian professional athlete Alexander Zass (Samson) included isometric exercises into their training, and in the twenties widely promoted its own original system of static exercises with the chains, the epigraph to which were the words of the author: "The muscles themselves will not keep pulling in different directions horses, and will keep the tendon, but they need to be trained, they need to develop and strengthen the way they exist. " He believed that the development of athletic force necessary professional strongman, raising iron poods do enough. You need to add something else. If, for example, try to bend thick metal rod or break the circuit, these attempts at multiple repetitions will be very effective for the development of the fortress of the tendons and muscle strength. This is an example of isometric exercises in which muscles are tense though, but their length does not change, and there is no motion in the joints. The duration of isometric exercise depends on the degree of muscle tension and fitness. Maximum muscular effort should last 2-3 seconds. As fitness it can bring up to 6-8 seconds. Each exercise should be repeated 2-5 times. Training should not exceed 15 minutes. Including isometric exercise in training, you should be aware that the power acquired by this method, the maximum appears only in the position of the trunk, arms and legs, in which she "was worked out." Before starting the exercises you need to do a thorough workout. Main - for the muscles and joints, which will account for the largest load. Otherwise, injuries may occur. At first, the exercises to be performed with little stress, and only after a month of training, you can move on to maximum effort. The maximum force applied is not a jerk, and gradually increasing the voltage. Exercises are performed on inspiration. After each exercise minute walk around, do breathing exercises. Relax your muscles, for which the maximum load was directed. Isometric exercises will give a good effect if you combine them with dynamic exercises (with weights, dumbbells, expanders, blocks, etc.). And in conjunction with jogging, swimming, they are tempering procedures can help improve health and increase efficiency. People with weakened cardiovascular system, suffering from hypertension and having problems with excess weight, isometric exercises are contraindicated. Isometric Samson system consists of exercises with the use of chains. To attach the handle chains which, depending on the exercise, peretseplyayutsya, thereby shortening or lengthening the length of chain. For some exercises to the chain ends of the belt loop attached. But the exercises with the chains, which demonstrates the author of this system, Alexander Zass (Samson). Is engaged in athleticism may include certain exercises in their training, and sports equipment (chain with two handles) can produce each.

Exercises:

1. Initially, the hands can be kept wider than shoulder width and shoulder width apart. Pulling the chain, not only strain the muscles of the hands, and chest, and the latissimus dorsi.

2. Stretching circuit bent hands in front of chest, tense, mainly muscles of the arms and chest.

3. The chain behind. Pulling the chain strain mainly triceps.

4. The chain behind. Pulling the chain strain, mainly muscles of the arms (triceps), the pectoral muscles and the abdominal muscles.

5. Breathe out, wrap a chain around your chest and attach it. Taking a deep breath, stretch the chain, straining muscles chest and latissimus dorsi.

6. For this exercise, the two chains are necessary. To one end of each chain, attach the leather loop, in which thread the feet. Pulling the chain strain mainly trapezius muscles and arm muscles.

7. Pulling the chain, change the initial position of the hands. Strain mainly triceps and deltoids.

8. Stretching chain, change the initial position of the hands and feet.

9. Stretch the chain alternately on the right and left hip. 10. Stretch the chain, change the original position of the legs, arms and torso. (The slope of the left leg, then to the right.) 11. The emphasis lying on the floor, stretch the chain, straining muscles of the shoulder girdle and triceps. The body keeps in suspense. 12. handstand stretch the chain, straining muscles of the arms, back and neck. Balancing, carry the load on his fingers. 13. In this exercise, use the two loops. Pulling the chain, tense muscles of the neck and back. 14. Carrying out exercises for the development of the hand muscles and quadriceps muscles, change the position of the hands and feet. 15. For this exercise, use two loops. Pulling the chain, tense muscles hamstring. Using the same chain, stretch it, taking his leg to the side. Change the starting position of the feet.

16. Stretch the chain bent right arm, holding the other end of the chain straight left. Change the starting position.

17. Stretch the chain, change the original position of the legs, arms and torso. (The slope of the left leg, then to the right.)

18. The emphasis lying on the floor, stretch the chain, straining muscles of the shoulder girdle and triceps. The body keeps in suspense.

18. handstand stretch the chain, straining muscles of the arms, back and neck. Balancing, carry the load on his fingers.

19. In this exercise, use the two loops. Pulling the chain, tense muscles of the neck and back.

20. Carrying out exercises for the development of the hand muscles and quadriceps muscles, change the position of the hands and feet.

Isometric Training Exercises Exposed – Tendon Strength is Essential Isometrics, isometric training, static exercises, – these words are used more and more frequently nowadays, however, very few people truly know the real facts about such types of training. Due to the lack of real understanding of not only the theory of isometric training, but also the proper way implementing isometrics, the strategy drove many athletes away. Currently it is only used in yoga and pilates. If you start researching the topic on the Internet, you will, unfortunately, not find much useful information about the isometric exercises. All you will find is the definition of isometrics, and a general idea about the exercises, if that. In many articles writers seem to mislead readers due to their own misunderstanding of the concept. Always being a huge fan of combining static and dynamic strength training, I spent a lot of time researching the subject and translated some material from Russian in order to shed some light on isometric training. Therefore here is the isometric training exposed!

History of Isometric Training – Alexander Zass

Alexander Zass. Samson's System and Methods

So many articles claim different ways of development of isometric training, such as being brought from India to Tibet, or ancient China, or Medieval Europe …etc. The truth is that elements of isometric training have always been used in combination with dynamic exercises even over a thousand years ago. Asking where isometric training came from is like asking who invented swords, or bows. Isometric training was not defined as such until the late nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries. The true father of isometric training was Alexander Ivanovich Zass, 1888-1962 (The Great Samson), a Russian strongman of Polish origin that was a member of a Russian Circus group. “I do not believe in large muscles, if there is no real strength of tendons!”, – proclaimed Alexander. He was and still is the strongest man the world has ever known! Zass was born in Vilna, Poland in 1888, but lived most of his early years in Russia and after 1924 in Britain. He lifted a 500 pound girder with his teeth, his was known for catching cannon balls (200lbs steel cannon balls were caught by Zass standing 8 meters away from the shooting cannon), catching a person shot out a specifically constructed “human cannon”, carrying a horse on his shoulders, carrying a piano

with a pianist and a dancer on it, doing back flips with 54.1lbs in his hands, doing 200 pushups in 4 minutes and finally tearing chains with his fingers.

During the World War I, Alexander was captured by Austrian troops three times, and three times escaped (at least once by pulling the prison cell door steel bars out). After the third break out, Alexander was able to escape Austria and moved to England, where he lived the rest of his life. The most amazing thing about Alexander was his body size: height – 5’ 6-7”, weight – no more than 176lbs, chest measured 47in and biceps 16.1 inches. Alexander said he had to increase the size of the biceps from 15 inches, as the public liked to see big muscles; however, he always used to say – “big biceps do not stand for strong arms, as big stomach does not stand for good digesting system”. This is not one of Ripley’s Believe it or Not history tricks, go ahead and research Alexander Zass, see what other of his tricks I missed. The amazing strength of the Great Samson reached the United States, where athletes started adopting Alexander’s training methods, including falsely claimed to be a father of such Charles Atlas. It is only due to such training Alexander was able to reach such levels of physical strength. Zass was not a born superman; he stated that the sources of his strength were “strong tendons, will power, and mastering muscle control”. So what is the secret behind the isometric training? What does it have to do with tendon strength? …and why does it allow developing such astonishing levels of physical strength?

Isometric Training Defined

Isometric training without equipment

Isometric exercise or isometrics are a type of strength training in which the joint angle and muscle length do not change during contraction (compared to concentric or eccentric contractions, called dynamic/isotonic movements). Isometrics are done in static positions, rather than being dynamic through a range of motion. The joint and muscle are either worked against an immovable force (overcoming isometric) or are held in a static position while opposed by resistance (yielding isometric). Iso – same, metric – distance.

Forms of Isometric Training The types of isometrics we utilize are isometric holds, isometric presses, isometric contrasts, oscillatory isometrics, and impact absorption isometrics. Below is a brief overview of each. Isometric Hold: An isometric hold is a static exercise in which an athlete is required to hold a particular position with or without resistance for a required period of time. The athlete is trying to disallow any movement, while trying to recruit the correct muscle fibers to perform this movement. This type of isometric is used to educate the body to properly recruit and stabilize the kinetic chain. Isometric Press: An isometric press is a static exercise in which the athlete pushes or pulls against an immovable object for a required time. The athlete is trying to generate as much force as possible, trying to actually move the immovable object. This method of isometric teaches the CNS (central nervous system) to recruit more muscle fibers to perform a movement, so when the similar movement is performed dynamically, these “extra” muscle fibers will be readily activated. Isometric Contrast: By putting the muscles in the least mechanically advantageous position (stretched position) and requiring those muscles to fire maximally from this position, an athlete is asking his CNS to work overtime. As the CNS allow the recruitment of more muscle fibers to perform this movement, the force being generated is increased. Once the athlete stops the isometric exercise they will then perform a power movement for low repetitions with minimal rest. The theory behind the contrast is based on the fact that the athlete will readily activate more muscle fibers to perform the ballistic movement, when preceded by an isometric exercise. Oscillatory Isometrics: Immediately following an isometric exercise (release all tension), the athlete will perform a single or series of powerful micro-contractions in the same mechanical position as the isometric contraction was performed. Basically all tension will be released from the isometric exercise and the dynamic form of the exercise will be performed with minimal range of motion occurring. Impact Absorption Isometrics: A Form of isometric in which an athlete will absorb a force or impact and immediately perform an isometric contraction for a required time. Upon properly absorbing the impact, the athlete will minimize any change in the joint angle and hold this position.

Advantages of Isometric Training 1.

A single workout does not usually exceed 15 minutes of your time

2. No special equipment needed 3. Can be performed virtually anywhere and anytime 4. Isometric exercises are the best way to train tendon strength, the true human strength 5. Variety of isometric exercises allows you to train for certain activities 6. Anyone can perform isometric exercises of some sort, therefore, such trainings are used starting with injury rehabilitation all the way to special forces and strongman competition preparations 7. There are isometric exercises for any part of a human body

8. The energy is only spent on tension increase without being wasted on the motion causing fatigue, therefore, making it possible to reach maximum levels of strength 9. Isometrics increase flexibility 10. Isometrics decrease injuries

Disadvantages of Isometric Training 1.

Danger of serious injury, and blood pressure problems, if implemented incorrectly

2. Takes time to learn how to properly implement the techniques 3. Isometrics are not a brainless and dumb push or pull of a static object, your mindset is very important. It takes time to learn to properly control your body, muscles, and breathing.

Concept of Isometric Training

Alexande Zass - Human Bridge

As I have mentioned before, many people, athletes, and writers fail to completely understand the meaning of isometric training. Isometrics are targeted on developing tendon strength, which is very hard to understand at first, as we are all fed by the pictures of bodybuilders, giving us an illusion of strength. Just as Zass used to say “big muscles without strong tendons are just that and is an illusion of strength”. Let’s break down the concept of isometric s to better understand its function, you must forget the illusion of “big muscles = strength” and simply follow this logic of isometrics: 1.

Tendons are what attaches muscles to the bones and makes them move during muscle contractions or extensions

2. The way muscles grow is they create new muscle tissue, not by thickening the existing ones 3. In order to fully engage the new bigger muscle we created by working out, we need to grow tendons, since tendons must attach itself to the new muscle tissue and connect it to the bone 4. Muscles grow through their tear, by healing and increasing the size as the result, however, tendons grow through continuous tension 5. Muscle tissue is a lot weaker than tendons, thus takes less time and pressure to tear. 6. Tendons take more time to grow than muscles 7. Dynamic/isotonic training is targeted on implementing multiple sets of repetitions; this type of training mostly tears muscles, as the tension in such exercises is not enough to train tendons 8. Tendons need a continuous type of tension in training to grow

9. Isometric training provides continuous type of tension to the muscles and tendons without their contraction at an angle and level chosen by the athlete, therefore, training tendons more Here we go, this is the logic that many athletes seem to not know or ignore. Let’s take pro bodybuilders – mean looking machines with veins popping out. Yes they have a lot of muscle tissue; however, they do not have large and strong enough tendons to help engage all of that power and connect it to the bone, which only creates an illusion of strength. Bodybuilders focus on muscle isolation and sometimes linear strength; therefore, their exercises completely ignore true functional strength with tendon strengthening exercises. Just imagine how much strength bodybuilders would have, if they also implemented isometrics to support all that muscle! But it is called bodybuilding, not bodystrengthening…

Is isometric training the answer to all the strength training questions? Another biggest misconception floating around the Internet is that writers and athletes seem to think that isometrics on their own should be able to fulfill all their strength training needs. As I have mentioned before, isometrics mostly work tendon strength; therefore, increasing their size (it also tears muscle, yet not as much as the isotonic exercises). It is still muscles that make things move; it is still bones that are able to hold large amounts of weight and pressure; it is still our cardiovascular system that supplies oxygen to our muscles; and yes it is still our mind that makes it all happen. Here is a breakdown of isometric training, how Alexander Zass saw it: 1.

Strong will power

2. Ability to control your muscles 3. Tendon strength 4. Breathing right Strength training must be a part of any athlete’s workout =>there is no true strength without tendon strength =>isometrics must be a part of every athlete’s workout.

Isometrics Myth 1: Isometric training does not help in functional strength training. This is a misconception born by the strictly muscle focused perspective. Yes, from such angle it seems as we are training only a certain part of the muscle from a certain angle (the dynamic perspective). As functional strength training focuses on movement and completion of certain types of activities, training your muscle does seem insufficient from only one position. If you read the material above, you can now see where this takes a wrong turn – isometrics are mainly focused on tendon strengthening and growth, not so much of a muscle; therefore, isometrics are essential to functional strength training!

Isometrics Myth 2: You will lose weight by doing isometrics. With weight loss being the main New Year’s resolution for Americans in 2010, this rumor spread like a virus. You lose weight by burning more calories and eating right, plus flushing out dead cells through the cardiovascular exercises. While isometrics will make you stronger, they are not the

best exercises for calorie burning. Isometrics do help indirectly by increasing strength, therefore, allowing you to intensify your dynamic workouts; however, saying that isometric training directly impacts weight loss is unfair and deceptive.

How to Properly Train Isometrics

Alexander Zass carrying a young horse showing kids his strength at a lake.

There are infinite types of isometric exercises; therefore, you should choose whatever is important for you specifically. The best thing is that isometric training does not require purchasing expensive equipment; in fact you can implement isometric training without any equipment in the right setting. Alexander Zass only used a chain for almost all of his isometric exercises. Due to a large number of available isometric exercises, I will not waste your reading time by giving you samples, as Google is a click away, but rather would like to stress the importance of the following rules and directions of proper isometric training. I call them the 20 Golden Rules of Isometric Training: 1.

Your whole body is your main subject not particular muscles; respect it and listen to it.

2. Always start implementing isometric exercises on a breath in, not out! 3. Create a flexible wave of power, with a smooth natural entrance, leaving stress and goals out of you mind (do not focus on breaking the chain, once you learn the isometrics and train properly for long enough – it will break when it’s time to break), while focusing on the process and the volume of the body power. 4. Breathe steadily and calmly. If breathing becomes deeper or more frequent, your heart will start rushing, breaking the power wave – stop immediately. Rest, calm down, repeat. Try to feel trough the exercise. 5. The power wave must involve the whole body, only this way you will be able to strengthen the muscle-tendon-bone relationship. 6. Always stretch your muscles thoroughly before training, using static and dynamic stretching to avoid serious muscle and joint injuries 7. Start exercise with zero amount of strength and start slowly and steadily increasing it. 8. Do not hurry, let the overall exercise and reaching the level of maximum strength appear naturally, start with 2-5 second exercises and increase the time over time. 9. Listen to your body during the whole process, feel the flow of power and strength, feel the release, listen to the recovery with a feeling of uncertainty followed by the new inflow of strength. Only this way one learns to have full control of the muscles.

10. Implement exercises properly the first time, as statistically it takes roughly ten times longer to change a habit then to get it. Get used to doing exercises properly the first time; for instance, on squads, you must feel it in your quads more than anywhere, otherwise, you have a problem. 11. Use natural biomechanical exercises and positions, do not try to twist your joints the way they are not meant to be twisted. 12. Properly use muscle imbalances, teach the CNS to recruit proper muscles, increase strength and power 13. Isometric hold time range should be less than 2-3 minutes 14. Isometric press time range should be less than 9 seconds 15. Impact Absorption Isometrics can be held for up to 5 seconds 16. As an athlete, use isometrics as a supplement to training, as sport is dynamic and thus your training needs to be dynamic as well 17. If you feel sharp pain in your muscles or joints, stop immediately, rest more than usual, stretch, repeat the exercise with low pressure; feel what is causing the pain. If pain continues, stop and give it a day or a few to heal, only then try again (or pay for negligence later). If pains persist, consult your physician. 18. Prepare yourself mentally; imagine a continuous movement, whatever it may be. Chains and walls only exist physically, not mentally. 19. Only set time limits on your sets, not rests. Allow your muscles to recover from the previous exercise, but do not slack off between sets. Listen to your body, feel your muscles, use only enough time for them to recover according to your personal assessment, not more no less. Every person is different. 20. Once a week implement a checkpoint. Grab a chain or a stick and try to stretch it with hand down, with about 95% of intensity for around 8-9 seconds, then drop it and relax. Listen to your body, feel your arms rise a little in front of you or to the sides. They will then start slowly lowering down. The length of time of your arms staying up is defined as an amount of “tonic activity”. You should notice an increase of tonic activity every week, if you do not, you must be doing isometrics improperly. This information should give you a good start in the right direction with isometrics. Now you know what isometric training is really all about and what its true purpose is. Go ahead and look up Alexander Zass and his chain training techniques if you are an athlete, join a yoga class, or simply find some exercises you can do in your own personal setting. No matter if you are a fighter, wrestler, firefighter, police officer, strongman, or a housewife; we can all benefit from isometric training in one way or another!

In the sixties, isometric exercise caused a sensation in the sporting world. Many athletes, including in his training isometric (static) exercises were quickly improve athletic performance they were especially widely applied weightlifters and swimmers. This method of force is not only interested coaches and scientists. Were held numerous experiments and research. There are proponents and opponents of isometric training methods. Investigations are continuing and so far. But isometry - not a novelty in recent years. Even before the Revolution, Alexander Zass included isometric exercises in your workout and in the twenties widely promoted its original system of static exercises with the chains, which prefer to

come empirically. Isometric exercises he attached great importance, and believed that they were combined with dynamic exercises helped him to strengthen tendons, develop greater physical strength and support in shape for many years. feature of isometric mode is that the muscles in his presence though tense, but not reduced, does not change its length, and there is no movement in the joints thus isometric exercises do not come out of the basic assumptions. Recent research has shown that the duration of isometric exercise should depend on the degree of muscle tension. If applied 60-70% of the maximum force, the muscular effort should last 6-10 seconds, if 8090%, then 4-6 seconds, and at 100% - 2-3 seconds. The number of repetitions of each exercise 2-5. The total duration of the exercise should not exceed 15 minutes. Thus, isometric exercises not only saves time but also energy. Including isometric exercises in your workout, you should remember that the power acquired by this method, as is seen only in the position the torso, arms and legs, which "generate". Before starting the exercise, do the thorough workout, especially for the muscles and joints, which will account for the greatest burden. Otherwise, you may be injured. At first, exercises should be performed with unsaturated voltage and only after months of training you can move on to the maximum force. Maximum effort should be applied is not a jerk, and smoothly, with a gradually increasing voltage. Exercises are performed in inspiration. After each exercise must be like for a minute, doing breathing exercises and relaxing (by shaking), the muscles on which a maximum load. Before you start the course, you must pass a medical examination. Exercises are performed with the chains to which are attached a triangular metal handles with hooks. Handles can peretseplyat for a particular link in the chain, thereby shortening or extending the working segment of a chain in the rest position, the chain should be taut.

Exercise 1

chain in his hands folded in front of chest, elbows at shoulder level. A torq

Exercise 2

chain in his hands folded behind his head. Try to stretch the chain

Exercise 3. This exercise requires two chains which are attached to the ends of the handle in one thread hand shoulders Stretch the chain up then peretsepite handle to a level with his head, then over your head

Exercise 4 thread the right foot in one handle chain, we take another mite in the right arm and lift arm shou to stretch the chain up. Repeat with your left hand.

Exercise 5

inhale wrap the chain around the chest and secure it. Then, taking a deep the chain.

Exercise 6 Stand with feet wider than the handle chain plech.Odnu keep a straight left hand on the knee of the a position to stretch the chain. Then change the original position of the hands.

Exercise 7

Attach one end of the chain in a hook in the wall at waist level, and the othe width. Pull the chain, trying to pull the hook out of the wall.

Exercise 8. Attach one end of the chain in a fixed hook in the floor to the other end, attach the han height legs, back and arms, trying to tear the hook from the floor then do the exercise, holding the h (Isometric exercise Zass) Contents

Edited 3 times by Brown43 Jun 20 14 11:43 AM.

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Posts: 1084 Aug 6 13 12:06 AM

Zass Courses rediscovered

About three years ago I discovered a Russian site that featured Alexander Zass, who is at least one of the Fathers found it and posted it on another forum, along with two more urls. http://www.bodysekret.ru/...rt/samson/samson_18.html http://hardgainer.ru/hard2.view1.page34.html http://www.infosport.ru/Press/SZR/0798/topic5.htm The third url currently doesn't seem to go anywhere but the first two show exercises that Zass would have undou particular angle of effort or slight difference that would have been his own particular way of performing the exer The pages can be translated into fractured but mainly understandable English by using Babelfish or the new "tra

Not to forget that this is a Bullworker forum, some of the exercises would certainly be doable using the BW equip

On http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah/Grunt/Isometrics.html Shen's paragraphs on Zass also mention isometrics practitioners as the "Holy Grail".

Since all this is some years old I would ask if any progress has been made towards the locating of Alexander Zass mentioned urls, plus the information on method etc in the excellent coverage of Zass on the Sandowplus site, I c believe that we already know just about as much as there is to know about what is contained in Alexander Zass' m

Having said all that, I would be most interested in making an attempt to find Zass' course. It only takes one copy My view is that the most likely place to find it would be in the United Kingdom, and be stuck away in the attic am and exercise fanatics, otherwise the course would probably have already been found as they were alerted by the n

Therefore I suggest that a forum member like gilstrap ( e.g. ) who lives in the UK place an advertisement in a few own pocket, his wife wouldn't be all that thrilled, I'm sure. I suggest that if everybody thinks it's a reasonable ide advert should be, then contribute to a cash fund to pay for said adverts, once whoever has agreed to place them g response.

Am I over the top, or misguided with all this ? Or am I behind the times, and all this has already been attempted

My view is that it would be most gratifying for a worldwide group of Bully Pulpit members to be collectively resp of physical culture history, and this could be an ongoing project for a couple of ads repeated say every three mon

Edited 1 time by Brown43 Aug 7 13 2:07 AM.

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The Alexander Zass Isometric Exerciser

The Alexander Zass Isomet

Alexander Zass was a noted strongman from the early 20th century. His claim to fame was his ability to bend th unique was not only his ability to perform thes to be able to do these things.

Posts: 1084 Jun 14 14 2:57 AM

As a Russian prisoner of war held in Austrian p tremendous strength by pulling on his prison b religiously as a young man, but as a prisoner, h one point, Zass found himself shackled in solit would deteriorate and loose the strength and p pulling on his chains and prison bars as a mea actually increased his strength. Finally, when t his manacles, bent one of the bars clear around war, he went on the road as a strongman and g also sold a course of strength-building utilizing practiced throughout his illustrious career.

With the advent of the Internet and a growing virtual obscurity and is today being hailed by m Zass, as well as with many of the Iron Men of t These two men, along with contributions made chronicle the photos, lives, and workout progr is the definitive site on the subject, and both R important contribution to posterity. You can g he live an extraordinary and exciting life, but h culture at the turn of the twentieth century.

Through a lot of research and digging, photos course of exercise that he sold has yet to be fou Grail" of workout programs, and a worldwide h And now, tao has made his own Alexander Zass exerciser and has developed his own program of exercise.

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Alexander Zass: from Self Resistance Yuku forum

As I've stated on a few occasions, I read the autobiography of Alexander Zass found on the Sando enjoyable read. Not only did Zass lead an exciting life, but in telling his story, he also gives the re

I thought I'd relate certain aspects of his life that have stood out in thoroughly engrossing. It's been a few years since I read his autob entirely accurate, but the gist of the events are according to what

Posts: 1084 Jun 15 14 9:42 AM

Zass came from a somewhat well to do family in Russia. I gather t class. They certainly weren't peasants. Zass became utterly enthra to town one day to see the circus. So captivated was he that he sto performances again. After the show he found himself alone in the d avoid being found by police. In Russia, back in those days, the poli public as we have come to view them here in the USA. When he ar damn near killed him. Zass's father was a hard man who had zero punishment, Zass's father sent him off to his uncle's where Zass w I don't remember what animals they were - livestock of some kind

To fill the lonely days, Zass started training the dogs to do tricks. L well in the circus, for not only was Zass a strongman, but he also t occasions he had his own trained animal act. At one time he had a performed his strongman feats. This skill also served him well as a

After Zass's father had decided, a year or so later, that Zass had b home and decided that Zass would become a Locomotive Engineer study. Zass hated it. Being an engineer was not what Zass wanted this time that Zass became fascinated with strength. He had read a to build his own strength. Of course, in 19th Century Russia, there there were, Zass certainly couldn't afford them. So what did he do night and removed all of the steel locking hardware from a series o down for weights. He couldn't sleep that night, so sure was he that next day the police were puzzled to find all of these storage units b

Zass was never found out, and he melted down his stolen hardwar

By diligently working out with his homemade weights, Zass develo family, while still in school, where a contest of strength was set up county. It was amazing that someone so young as Zass could defe His father had bet a very large sum of money on his son, and was

I don't recall whether or not Zass actually graduated form his engi away, but at any rate, he joined a circus. Now, back then in Russia some of the bigger, more renown circuses, people had to actually p Zass was hired with the understanding that he would be able to pa wrote to his father telling him that a business opportunity had com to invest. Zass's father, who was still thrilled with the amount of m the amount he asked for. So, Zass's childhood dream had come tru

Zass started life out in the circus as sort of a guy-Friday/roustabou with his up-beat enthusiasm. Zass enjoyed hanging out with the st strength became known when he claimed that he could bend the b to be pretty incredulous, as Zass was actually small in stature. I be a big man. So, to everyone's astonishment, he bent the bars, a fea that point, Zass joined the ranks of the circus strongmen and wres well, and he became an accomplished wrestler as well as a strongm they were actually one and the same, as strongmen in Russian circ also wrestlers. Challenging the public to feats of strength and wres the strongmen of a rival circus challenged the strongmen of Zass's matched against was a lot bigger than Zass, and he took it a step difficult for Zass to get a hold of him. Zass won the match anyway.

When WWI broke out, Zass was either drafted or joined the Army. education and background, he was soon commissioned an officer captured by the enemy and spent the rest of the war in and escapi he was afforded preferential treatment in these camps. The first ca attitude toward the whole POW thing, and prisoners were more or awaiting the end of the war. Zass simply walked away. He then join spotted by some members of the army who wondered why someon the army. It was soon discovered that he was an escapee and was escaped from that one but wasn't gone long before he was capture in irons and solitary confinement and fed poor rations.

Now here's where it all becomes interesting. This was the tu afraid that the poor diet that had been forced upon him and his ina strength, and if he ever got out, his career would be ruined. Zass m prison to train the commandant's dog(s?) in exchange for decent f other part of his problem was that he remained shackled. It is at th Zass is famous came into play. Zass began experimenting by pullin over time, he could feel the strength building within him. The day f

snap his chains, bend the bars to his cell, and escape. Fortunately

After the war, Zass performed for various circuses throughout Euro ability to bend bars and snap chains no one else could. He was ask Upon arrival in London, he was left stranded at the train station be had been looking for a much bigger man. This person finally decide being able to speak English at that time, Zass was in a real quandr scheduled to perform at and managed to convey this to a cab drive that he's sure the cabbie took advantage of a foreigner and vastly night was beginning to fall. At this time a police officer showed up When the officer began questioning him, Zass became extremely d Russia and could just picture himself being hauled off to a gulag so he managed to convey to the officer the fact that he was scheduled stranded. The policeman hailed a taxi and gave the cabbie instruct warned the cabbie not to overcharge him. That was Zass's introduc

From there Zass remained in England and enjoyed a successful and Samson". Early on, the renown English weightlifter, W.A. Pullum, w determine whether or not there might be any fraud involved in his the chains and steel bars used by Zass and had Zass actually snap presence. Pullman concluded that Zass was authentic and was duly

So, Zass's real claim to fame these days is that he maintained his performing isometrics. Today he is hailed as the father of isometric handles attached to chains of varying lengths. He sold a course of himself, practiced. To date no copy of that original course has ever enthusiasts out there who continue to search. To many, such a find isometrics.

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Course #2: sandbags for muscle bulk

There is also a chapter in Yuri Shaposhnikov's Sekrety Atletizma that covers Zass' courses and it is the same as t sandbags. Zass may well have done this. I don't recall anything about sand bag tossing in his book, but maybe I missed it. W himself working out, i.e., hours of heavy lifting. He felt that he needed to conserve his energy for his shows, and he felt that isometrics directly developed tendon strength. This is from his book.

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Advanced Course #2

We still don't know what Zass's "Advanced Course #2" is as it was the "Bulk Building" course involving moveme

Posts: 1084 Jun 15 14 9:48 AM

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Advanced Course #2: dyanmic exercis using SANDBAGS

Dynamic exercises and Zass.

Posts: 1084 Jun 15 14 9:51 AM

Exercise is weight-bag special form (in the form of pillows), which can be done from dermatina, cloth, leather an replaced by sand. After two weeks of initial weight in 4-7 kg bag of take out a handful of sawdust and replace handfuls of sand. Thi No need to hurry with weight gain focus on exercises is half the success. These exercises can perform not only young people, aspiring to sports excellence, but also by people of different at all will increase weight. Before you start the course, you should seek the advice of a physi office. The survey results should be recorded in your diary for sel After each exercise with a bag made to encourage deep breathing heels together, toes apart, hands along the body: a) making a deep breath, raise your hand through the hand to th original position-an exhalation, b) position the same Making a deep breath, raise your hands (pa When doing exercises with the bag you need to pay special attent Breath should coincide with the most favorable conditions for th exercise. Such conditions are created when erect and breeding or For the most favourable provision is exhalation bending, flatteni Rate movements when performing exercises for the first time to Exercise 1

Starting position-feet shoulder width apart, bag (weight) on the f one t EYP raise on his chest. Taking a break to squeeze the straight arm

Exercise 2 Starting position-standing heels together, toes apart the bag in his hands across his chest Slowly Crouch on tip-t the bag on the chest while straightening the legs follow the synchronous movement of the hands and feet. Repea

Exercise 3

Starting position-standing legs shoulder width apart, in the Palm of one hand bag with shoulder strap. Squeeze the axis of rotation. Will return to its original position. Repeat the exercise until fatigue working muscle groups. are modified (mainly for development) After lifting weights on a straight arm, begin moving separately each fing muscle groups.

Exercise 4

Starting position-standing up, legs slightly wider shoulder Bag on the Palm bent arm shoulder elbow extended s that the bag during the flight described a semicircle. Then exercise is performed in the reverse order to gradually

Exercise 5

Starting position-standing, feet wider than shoulders, slightly ben torso, toss the bag up over on 1.0 -1.5 m. catch him on the shoulde letting fall down on the floor to catch with your hands. Again toss hands. Repeat -15 times 10.

Exercise 6

Starting position-lying on your back (on the floor), take the bag on vertical position. Lower chest, squeeze and slowly return to the sta

Exercise 7

The starting position is the same. Raise your legs, bend their knees, put a bag on your fe position. Occurs before the fatigue of working muscle groups. As far as acclimatization e

Exercise 8

Starting position-standing up, heels together, toes apart, hands at the bottom of the bag. ARC left up straight wi starting position. The next iteration of the movement in the other direction. Perform

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Harness the Power of Your Muscle Matrix New research suggests that your connective tissue—your tendons, ligaments, and a vast network of fibers called ever imagined. The good news? You can exercise it, too. by Michael Behar Build muscle, gain speed, and improve agility.

Posts: 1084 Dec 16 14 5:35 PM

Picture a medieval torture rack for Smurfs. The device, called a uniaxial tensile tester, is about the size of a shoeb Molecular Biology Lab plucks a freshly grown, two-weekold anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, from an incubat it to a laptop, allowing the researcher to tweak how hard and fast the tendon gets yanked, and for how long—hou

While the thought may be horrifying to anyone who’s experienced the searing pain of snapping an ACL—it conn football, soccer, or ski—thousands of ACLs, cultivated from samples donated by knee-surgery patients, have bee mayhem is the lab’s director, Keith Baar, Ph.D., a renowned scientist in the emerging field of molecular exercise complex relationship between your muscles and the connective tissue that holds them together.

Your connective tissue consists of tendons, ligaments, and what’s known as the “extracellular matrix,” a scaffold lifting heavy weights produces bigger, stronger muscles—it activates genes and proteins that instruct cells to bui connective tissue was limited to a simple mechanical function: transfer force from muscles to bones, or for ligam

But recent discoveries are revealing that connective tissue does a whole lot more. As it turns out, it plays a crucia appears that your connective tissue can be improved with specific exercises and nutrient supplements to profoun

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Harness the power of your muscle matrix

MYTH-BUSTER OF MUSCLE BUILDING

On a sunny August afternoon in California, I walk with Baar (above) across the UC Davis campus to his lab, whe from an experiment designed to pinpoint which genes instruct muscles to bulk up from weightlifting; another is Baar, 44, svelte in his crisp blue oxford and pressed gray slacks, sports a golden summer tan. “I’ve been training hardly ever sits. In his office is a chest-high desk designed for working upright. “Every hour I stand it burns 100

In his early career, Baar was the strength and conditioning coach for the University of Michigan football team. T Track & Field, British Cycling, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association. His research, alo technologies to learn about the genes and proteins that come into play during exercise, chiefly within muscles. Posts: 1084 Dec 16 14 5:37 PM

“Twenty years ago, it was extremely expensive to look at all this stuff,” explains Andrew Philp, Ph.D., a professor with Baar on numerous projects. “Only a couple of labs in the world were doing it.” Today, however, once prohib isolate single strands of DNA—are accessible to almost anyone doing basic research.

Because of that, “we now know there are thousands of genes relevant to exercise,” says Richard Lieber, Ph.D., se techniques for recording gene activity in muscles. Imaging systems have vastly improved, too: With MRIs and P in humans. “We can really visualize what’s going on,” says Michael Kjær, Ph.D., a professor of sports medicine a muscles. So, what’s all this science telling us?

In part, it’s corroborating conventional wisdom with hard data. For example, bodybuilders have religiously inge knowing why. Now research has confirmed that this practice can boost new muscle growth by up to 60%.

Breakthroughs are also shattering some stubborn misconceptions. For instance, lactic acid buildup isn’t the only after exercising—and soreness, it turns out, stimulates hypertrophy. The upshot: No pain really does mean no ga

“Pain is healthy,” says Kjær—so much so, in fact, that he warns against taking ibuprofen to alleviate post-workou

But of all the recent breakthroughs, none is more surprising than what molecular exercise physiologists are learn like this: Human cells “communicate” with each other by releasing biochemical compounds. When you enduran muscle cells to ratchet up your mitochondria, which then increases your capacity for oxygen and allow you to ru weights.

But throughout these processes, “we always thought connective tissue was inert,” says Baar. In the mid-2000s, w healthy muscles—and others began recording cell signaling in tendons, they expected silence. Instead they heard

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Harness the power of your muscle matrix (3)

FEEDING THE MUSCLE-BUILDING MONSTER

Connective tissue consists almost entirely of collagen, a type of protein. But collagen doesn’t act alone. Ropelike cables on the Golden Gate Bridge—bind the collagen molecules together. This has profound ramifications in the apart.

When your muscles contract, the crosslinks in the matrix tissue bear up to 80% of the force. In other words, the load and, therefore, helps you engage more of your muscles during exercise. It’s only logical, then, that any train performance. But what would this kind of training look like? Posts: 1084 Dec 16 14 5:40 PM

In 2008, Baar and Jennifer Paxton, Ph.D., a professor of tissue engineering at the University of Edinburgh’s Cen on a tensile tester—the Smurf torture device—capable of tugging 11 ligaments simultaneously. Over three years, durations—a minute, five minutes, 10 minutes, a week. They stretched them unloaded (bearing no weight), then from 30 minutes to 24 hours. After each round, they crushed the ACLs into a powder, then tested to see whether

After years of peering through microscopes and crunching numbers, Baar and Paxton made an astounding disco only two variables—duration and recovery—make any difference at all. Baar explains it like this: “Whether you’r thing that seems to have an effect is time. Your cells stop responding after about five minutes. It’s like speaking t processing what you’re saying. We found it took six hours for the cells to reset back to normal.”

He continues, “This tells us that if we want to maximally improve our connective tissue, we have to do five minu you could jump rope for five minutes and then take the afternoon off. The same is true for lifting: light five-minu thrashing. You can also do Pilates, HIIT, CrossFit, or even basic calisthenics. But whatever method you choose, a much.

These repetitive motions will ramp up the collagen in both your extracellular matrix and your tendons, the latter cord attached to a kettlebell—a firmer bungee can exert more force on the kettlebell than a stretchy one. “It’s like

Baar and Paxton’s research yielded the world’s first basic training protocol for connective tissue: five minutes on

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THE MUSCLE MATRIX HITS THE BIG LEAGUES

On July 21, 2004, Grady Sizemore played his first Major League Baseball game, as center fielder for the Clevelan Star games and won the Gold Glove twice. In 2006, at just 23, he’d scored more runs than any other player that in a single season.

Then he got injured. Repeatedly. Over a four-year-span, Sizemore underwent seven surgeries—two hernia, one b his knee surgeries, Sizemore headed to The Steadman Clinic in Vail, CO, known for its progressive techniques an O’Brien, P.T., of the clinic’s rehabilitation program. By chance, O’Brien was introduced to Baar. Posts: 1084 Dec 16 14 5:42 PM

Baar told O’Brien that connective tissue and muscle worked systemically—that an injury to one was like an injur now understood that ignoring the supporting tendons would create an inherent weakness—a defective cog in the didn’t treat Grady specifically for a tendon problem,” O’Brien points out. “But the whole process of [rehabbing h him, and doing it a few times during the day, we were doing exactly what Keith had demonstrated.”

The 32-year-old Sizemore recovered. He did a stint with the Boston Red Sox, did a stretch in the minors, then go seemingly miraculous comeback was largely due to the attention given to his connective tissue. In the six years s five minutes on, six hours off—Baar has added another component: Speed.

After snapping many more ACLs in his lab, he says, he noticed that “when you move slowly, you train more of yo connective tissue.” He’s already putting this new insight to use. During a scrimmage in August, NBA forward Pa fibula in his right leg—the splintered bones tore straight through his skin. George’s trainers at the Gatorade Spor playing as quickly as possible,” Baar says.

His advice: rapid, low-intensity movements—think: CrossFit for wimps—to bolster George’s connective tissue du

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OYSTERS, JELL-O, AND A HUNGRY MUSCLE MATRIX

Meanwhile, back in his lab, Baar shows me ACLs marinating in various nutritional liquids. He’s curious which fo are stretched on the tensile tester until they break. Subsequent analyses inform Baar whether certain compound

“Gelatin is a big one,” he says. “It’s pure collagen, made from animal bones.” More accurately, it’s manufactured cows and pigs, in vats of boiling water. Another beneficial molecule is lysyl oxidase, which is activated by copper “This is something you’d take 30–60 minutes before activity,” says Baar. Knowing it’s going to be tough to convi supplements instead. “These nutritional interventions we’ve identified should improve your performance.” Baar ways to increase muscle mass and muscle strength.” Posts: 1084

Or, put another way, an athlete with robust connective tissue will be at an advantage because his muscles will be body—he’s targeting the whole machinery.

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Alexander Zass teaches us about isometrics

Strongman Profile: Alexander Zass Teaches Us About

Posts: 1084 Logan Christopher Sep 6 15 4:38 PM

Contributor - Physical Culture and Acrobatics

Alexander Zass was a strong around the beginning of the twentieth century. He was born in Vilnius, Lithuania and lived from 1888 to

While serving in the Russian army during the First World War, he was captured by opposing for four times. Some of these were easy escapes, but not the last one (his captors finally caught on that he wanted bars of his window to climb out of jail. As you can see, his amazing strength proved to be quite useful.

Zass was not a weight lifter but performed feats such as bending bars, breaking chains, massive support and car footage of the man, you can see him execute several of these feats:

During his youth, as weightlifting equipment was not easy to come by, Zass made do with rocks, by chipping holes into stones and inserting an iron bar between them. Here’s some more detail that Zass relayed

I commenced now to think a lot about developing great strength in my fingers. Many things I tried, all helping, s being better than dry wood, which would not bend much before it would snap. I practised this a good deal until m they broke. Also I tried lifting stones off the ground with my thumb and fingers, carrying them in my grip for som

According to Zass, if you want to become super-humanly strong you must concentrate on the han what often makes the difference between a strongman and a normal person. And as described by another famou development of the strength of the tendons.”

There is not a lot of muscle mas areas of the body.Much more of the strength to be gained in the grip is by developing the strength o into play.

But progressive work is where it’s at, and apparently always has been. In his writing, Zass shared what he unbelievable strength. “The secret of all improvement in feats like this is gradual progress from one stage to noticeable.” I’ve seen it all too often (and also done it myself). Too many people seek improvement too quickly a longer but gives better results in the long run.

Zass was also a big proponent of isometric exercises, where you resist against an immovable obj he explains the benefits of doing isometrics:

The great secret of developing strength is to do so in a way which will store up energy instead of dissipating it, an this is exercise against very strong resistance.

In the book The Mystery of the Iron Samson, some of Zass’s isometric training methods are disc

Modern research has show muscular tension. If 60-70% of maximum strength is applied, then the muscular effort should last 6-10 seconds last 4-6 seconds, and at 100%, only 2-3 seconds effort should be exerted.

A great thing about isometrics is that they allow you to train at certain angles and positions that can’t be replicat aphenomenal wrestler. This makes sense, as wrestling, if you stop to look at it, is a match of many isometric and fact, one of a great many strongmen with a wrestling background.

To sum up, Zass built his strength using what he had available. Without using modern dumbbells and bar others but also ended up developing his own system using a mixture of dynamic and isometric exercises, conten strength.

References:

1. The Mystery of the Iron Samson, Yuri Shapshnikoff and A. Drapkin (Strongman Books, 2012, South Carolina) pg. 91 2. The Amazing Samson, Alexander Zass (Strongman Books, 2011, South Carolina) pg. 96, 180, 209, 233

Topic: Strength & Conditioning See more about: grip training, grip strength, isometrics, strongmen, history

Logan Christopher

Logan Christopher is a physical culture Renaissance man. If it has to do with working out and using the body he kettlebell jugglers in the U.S., working on a wide range of bodyweight skills, and being a performing strongman. hair. He created the Peak Performance Trinity to help people get the most out of their physical training... Read