Postactivation potentiation

[5kgLifter]

I know that some of you use this already but figured you'd still enjoy the read and it's also a good explanation for others to read should you be trying to explain the whole process to them:




Postactivation Potentiation

[BendtheBar]

Summary:

Summary Remarks
The main goal of incorporating PAP is to increase force development (rate and quantity) to maximize explosive power for athletic performance. Research has shown that PAP does in fact exist and can enhance performance. There are a variety of differing strategies and methods for eliciting PAP, with no known approach being identified as the most preferred. However, the conclusion of the studies reviewed for this article point out a few concrete concepts. First, PAP is best for activities that require explosive power movements, such as sprinting, high jumping, ski jumping, weight lifting, and boxing (French, Kraemer, Cooke, 2003; Hilfiker, Hubner, Lorenz & Marti, 2007). Second, the PAP ergogenic stimulus has been found to last between two-to-thirty minutes (Chiu, Fry, Weiss, et al. 2003; Rixon, Lamont, Bemden, 2007). Lastly, the preconditioning load amount used in the PAP intervention is dependent on the type on contractile activity used in the physical activity, which needs further research elucidation (Hilfiker et al.). However, from this review it may also be concluded that each individual athlete is uniquely different, and what might work for one athlete, might not work for another.

[Fazc]

I don't really get it

In practical gym terms what are they saying exactly?

[IronManlet]

Originally Posted by Fazc

I don't really get it

In practical gym terms what are they saying exactly?

I tried three times to read that monstrous iceberg of scientific theory and failed.

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by IronManlet

I tried three times to read that monstrous iceberg of scientific theory and failed.

Haha me too. I can normally get by with it, but that really went over my head.

[bruteforce]

In practical terms, doing a heavier single or double should make your reps feel lighter with your rep weight. Or at least thats what it looks like.

This was the most interesting part for me.

The first theory involves an increased phosphorylation (addition of a phosphate for the production of ATP) of myosin regulatory light chains (proteins of muscle contraction) during a maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). This allows the actin (the other protein of muscle contraction) and myosin binding (for muscle contraction) to be more responsive to the calcium ions released (from the sarcoplasmic reticulum), triggering a cascade of events leading to enhanced force muscle production at the structural level of muscle (Hamada, Sale, & MacDougall 2000). The greater the muscle activation, the greater the duration of calcium ions in the muscle cell environment (referred to as sarcoplasm) and the greater the phosphorylation of the myosin light chain protein (Rixon, Lamont, Bemden, 2007). As a result, faster contraction rates and faster rates of tension develop (Chiu, Fry, Weiss, et al. 2003).

Calcium and sodium ions trading places causes muscles to contract (at least on a level so simplistic to nearly be incorrect) Somewhere in the mix is potassium, but its 8 AM on a saturday and I'm not completely awake.


I spent a few minutes mangling how neurons fire and the gap between the neuron and muscle cells, but gave up as I really don't want to dig through physiology books right now. My interest is refraction periods for the muscle cell to fire again (which in my memory should be very low) vs neuron to fire (which seems like it was longer). It makes me wonder if there is any sort of refraction half life sort of response under maximum loads to explain why muscles are ready to go quickly after maximum contraction for the nervous system often rebels.

[BendtheBar]

PAP is basically heavy lifting to engage the CNS prior to explosive training.

It's starting to be used in sports training. In 100m track training for example, sprinters would do heavy squats before attempting a 100m PR.

[Off Road]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

PAP is basically heavy lifting to engage the CNS prior to explosive training.

It's starting to be used in sports training. In 100m track training for example, sprinters would do heavy squats before attempting a 100m PR.

Isn't that the opposite of what we've been taught for strength training; using a quick lift to activate the CNS before heavy lifts?

[bruteforce]

Originally Posted by Off Road

Isn't that the opposite of what we've been taught for strength training; using a quick lift to activate the CNS before heavy lifts?

There are lots of ways to induce maximal contraction. I'm slow as all hell, so when I do a power clean, it looks more like a walrus doing an upright row. But for those who are explosive, you can generate maximal force and contraction that way as well.

[Tannhauser]

I notice the article was written by Len Kravitz, formerly Lennie, until he swapped his music career for the glamorous world of muscle physiology.