Comments on: The Stretch Reflex: To Bounce or Not To Bounce http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/ Build Muscle & Lose Fat Through Strength Training Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:24:18 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Saul H http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-30146 Saul H Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:50:02 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-30146 Another way of vastly improving your overhead pressing strength is doing handstand push-ups. I'm a bit of an at home gymnast and I can do approximately one dozen of these at 175lbs body weight. The very first time I tried overhead press I did 145 for 2 reps. I used 115 as my working weight for sets 4 sets of 4-6. Another way of vastly improving your overhead pressing strength is doing handstand push-ups.

I’m a bit of an at home gymnast and I can do approximately one dozen of these at 175lbs body weight.

The very first time I tried overhead press I did 145 for 2 reps.

I used 115 as my working weight for sets 4 sets of 4-6.

]]> By: guy http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-24197 guy Sun, 11 May 2008 02:56:10 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-24197 i don't agree with this method and think it is stupid, a slight bounce might be ok, but hammering the weight on your chest is gonna cause problems...and your putting way too much force on your rib cage. i read you can put up to 3-5x more force on your rib cage while bouncing, meaning u bench 100 pounds, you put 300-500 pounds of force on your rib cage. i don’t agree with this method and think it is stupid, a slight bounce might be ok, but hammering the weight on your chest is gonna cause problems…and your putting way too much force on your rib cage. i read you can put up to 3-5x more force on your rib cage while bouncing, meaning u bench 100 pounds, you put 300-500 pounds of force on your rib cage.

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-11118 Mehdi Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:24:01 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-11118 @Matt Same thing applies to the Squat where you can bounce from the hamstrings. Never from the knees! From the knees = bad. But you can bounce from the tension build in the hamstrings on the way down. Not bouncing would be pausing at the bottom of the squat which is harder. @Matt
Same thing applies to the Squat where you can bounce from the hamstrings. Never from the knees! From the knees = bad. But you can bounce from the tension build in the hamstrings on the way down. Not bouncing would be pausing at the bottom of the squat which is harder.

]]> By: matt http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-11117 matt Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:03:31 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-11117 How about applying this logic to deep squats? Does the same apply at the bottom of the squat to power back up? Or is that just a good way to blow out a knee? How about applying this logic to deep squats? Does the same apply at the bottom of the squat to power back up? Or is that just a good way to blow out a knee?

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10870 Mehdi Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:12:05 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10870 Well again: it looks worse on the video than in real life. The weight doesn't "fall" on his chest, he quickly reverse the movment. If he keeps applying progressive loading, increasing the load every workout, he'll bounce less. He could only hurt himself if he'd jump from 60 to 100kg, but thanks to progressive loading we can avoid this kind of silliness. Strong bench btw Galapogos, congraz! Well again: it looks worse on the video than in real life. The weight doesn’t “fall” on his chest, he quickly reverse the movment.

If he keeps applying progressive loading, increasing the load every workout, he’ll bounce less. He could only hurt himself if he’d jump from 60 to 100kg, but thanks to progressive loading we can avoid this kind of silliness.

Strong bench btw Galapogos, congraz!

]]> By: galapogos http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10820 galapogos Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:39:38 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10820 I believe what Rippetoe mentions is using the stretch reflex, not really "bouncing". I mean, a little bit of bouncing is fine...touch and go. But I do agree with Lucas that the video looks like it's a lot more bouncing than that. The stretch reflex should come from your shoulder/elbow joints. It's the elastic property of the connective and muscle tissues there. It shouldn't come from the elastic properties of your sternum/chest. Besides the obvious risk of hurting yourself (especially with heavy low reps), I also don't think it has a favorable cost-benefit ratio. This is me benching about half a year ago - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DedYd_xPpbE This is what I believe utilizing the stretch reflex for the bench press should look like, and I've already received several comments from friends that I'm "bouncing". I do believe it's a lot less bouncing than what your brother was doing though. Just my 2c. I believe what Rippetoe mentions is using the stretch reflex, not really “bouncing”. I mean, a little bit of bouncing is fine…touch and go. But I do agree with Lucas that the video looks like it’s a lot more bouncing than that. The stretch reflex should come from your shoulder/elbow joints. It’s the elastic property of the connective and muscle tissues there. It shouldn’t come from the elastic properties of your sternum/chest. Besides the obvious risk of hurting yourself (especially with heavy low reps), I also don’t think it has a favorable cost-benefit ratio.

This is me benching about half a year ago – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DedYd_xPpbE This is what I believe utilizing the stretch reflex for the bench press should look like, and I’ve already received several comments from friends that I’m “bouncing”. I do believe it’s a lot less bouncing than what your brother was doing though.

Just my 2c.

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10814 Mehdi Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:56:41 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10814 Start light to get used to Caim. You're reversing the movement quickly when using the stretch reflex, that's also a skill to learn. Start light to get used to Caim. You’re reversing the movement quickly when using the stretch reflex, that’s also a skill to learn.

]]> By: Caim http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10810 Caim Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:58:00 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10810 Interesting article, I have never heard about stretch reflex, but i was conscious of it when doing doing Overhead Press and Bench Press, I also saw some guys at the gym doing it just like Magnus Samuelsson and Mehdi's brother doing it on the bench press. I don't have the power to explode the bar out of my chest like that, at least no now. Will I be able to do that if I bonuce? Interesting article, I have never heard about stretch reflex, but i was conscious of it when doing
doing Overhead Press and Bench Press, I also saw some guys at the gym doing it just like Magnus Samuelsson and Mehdi’s brother
doing it on the bench press. I don’t have the power to explode the bar out of my chest like that, at least no now. Will I be able
to do that if I bonuce?

]]> By: Jason http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10805 Jason Thu, 13 Dec 2007 06:04:41 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10805 Just what Lucas said, the bounce is in the muscles and not actual physical contact of the body with the bar. Kinda like when you stretch a rubber band and it tries to snap back to its original size- just as an analogy. I've seen guys hurt their sternum by actually bouncing the bar off of their sternum instead of using the bounce in the contracting muscles. This is a great article on utilizing that bounce. Just what Lucas said, the bounce is in the muscles and not actual physical contact of the body with the bar. Kinda like when you stretch a rubber band and it tries to snap back to its original size- just as an analogy. I’ve seen guys hurt their sternum by actually bouncing the bar off of their sternum instead of using the bounce in the contracting muscles.

This is a great article on utilizing that bounce.

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10793 Mehdi Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:45:40 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/the-stretch-reflex-to-bounce-or-not-to-bounce/#comment-10793 I think it's just the shitty quality of my camera :) I'll get a new camera next year ;) I think it’s just the shitty quality of my camera :) I’ll get a new camera next year ;)

]]>