Increasing intensity

[Fluidity]

I just want to ask everyone on the forum what their take is on using dynamic tension (tensing the antagonist muscles while using the agonist muscles to push or pull you up such as in a horizontal row, push up, or squat)? I think that by using this form of internal resistance given by our antagonists we can keep on increasing intensity as we become stronger and stronger during FBE, as long as we keep a balanced workout. I just want the forum's view of incorporating dynamic tension in FBEs. Discuss

[Joshua Naterman]

All that does is teach your body to move inefficiently and prevents you from fully loading your bone structure and muscles.

Charles "Atlas's" name will live forever because of "dynamic tension" but the truth is that he built his body with weights. Just like nearly everyone today, he used his body to sell a product that had nothing to do with how he developed his body.

Aside from that, consider the fact that what you are talking about doing is actually an emergency defense mechanism your CNS employs to protect you from working to hard. Activating antagonists more is how our bodies limit the amount of weight we are allowed to lift when some of our internal sensors say "whoa, approaching critical tension!"

Why would you want to do that on purpose? I know it sounds good on paper until you start breaking it down like this, but in reality it doesn't have any positive performance benefits.

Having said that, if you have fun with it then go right ahead!

[Nic Branson]

You want to increase movement efficiency not decrease it. Why would I drive my car and start clicking up on the emergency break.....

[Fluidity]

Wow thanks for the insight guys, I didn't think about the whole movement inefficency idea, when thinking about this. Well how about just using isometric tension of my agonists? For example instead of tensing my antagonists, I just try tensing my agonists more. For example when doing a basic push up, I squeeze my triceps, pecs, and shoulders harder when doing the eccentric and concentric part of the push up. As for a squat how about doing the same thing with my glutes and quads. How does this sound, does it seem plausible?