every time you do a bicep curl 30% of your strength is leaking sideways and ends up in your leg.
biomechanics researchers finally measured it only a couple of years back
your muscles don't behave like you think.
1/
biomechanics researchers finally measured it only a couple of years back
your muscles don't behave like you think.
1/
https://twitter.com/1655936149733654530/status/1935751695340073013
university of queensland. 2021. 47 sensors on one lifter.
bicep curl. simple movement.
force appeared in the opposite calf.
2/
bicep curl. simple movement.
force appeared in the opposite calf.
2/
wait, what?
not a glitch. not bad form.
mechanical reality nobody expected.
every rep, force traveling places it "shouldn't."
3/
not a glitch. not bad form.
mechanical reality nobody expected.
every rep, force traveling places it "shouldn't."
3/
for 147 years, anatomy textbooks drew muscles like cables.
origin. insertion. straight lines.
turns out that's like mapping rivers without the ocean.
4/
origin. insertion. straight lines.
turns out that's like mapping rivers without the ocean.
4/
here's what's actually happening:
your bicep contracts.
force splits three ways.
only 70% reaches the weight.
5/
your bicep contracts.
force splits three ways.
only 70% reaches the weight.
5/
the other 30%?
spreads through fascial sheets.
crosses 7 muscle compartments.
ends up in your legs. core. jaw.
6/
spreads through fascial sheets.
crosses 7 muscle compartments.
ends up in your legs. core. jaw.
6/
researchers call it "epimuscular myofascial force transmission."
translation: your muscles gossip through their wrapping.
constantly.
7/
translation: your muscles gossip through their wrapping.
constantly.
7/
the measurement that changes everything:
stimulate a rat's shin muscle.
27% of the force shows up in the calf.
zero nerve connection.
pure mechanical transfer through fascia.
8/
stimulate a rat's shin muscle.
27% of the force shows up in the calf.
zero nerve connection.
pure mechanical transfer through fascia.
8/
this is why you leak strength.
bicep curls in perfect "isolation"?
you're teaching 642 muscles to ignore each other.
creating a body that fights itself.
9/
bicep curls in perfect "isolation"?
you're teaching 642 muscles to ignore each other.
creating a body that fights itself.
9/
watch someone with chronic pain lift.
face tightens. shoulder creeps up.
that's not compensation.
that's force with nowhere to go.
10/
face tightens. shoulder creeps up.
that's not compensation.
that's force with nowhere to go.
10/
the energy has to travel somewhere.
blocked fascia = force traffic jam.
creates adhesions at 0.3mm per month.
you feel it as "tightness."
11/
blocked fascia = force traffic jam.
creates adhesions at 0.3mm per month.
you feel it as "tightness."
11/
our ancestors never leaked force.
throwing a spear uses all 642 muscles.
one seamless spiral from foot to fingertip.
zero isolation. maximum power.
12/
throwing a spear uses all 642 muscles.
one seamless spiral from foot to fingertip.
zero isolation. maximum power.
12/
we invented machines that break this.
leg press. chest fly. bicep curl.
teaching parts to work alone.
congrats. you're 30% weaker.
13/
leg press. chest fly. bicep curl.
teaching parts to work alone.
congrats. you're 30% weaker.
13/
the fix is almost stupid simple:
loaded carries force total-body coordination.
farmer's walks recruit 86% of muscle mass.
suitcase carries add anti-rotation.
14/
loaded carries force total-body coordination.
farmer's walks recruit 86% of muscle mass.
suitcase carries add anti-rotation.
14/
add heavy swings.
posterior chain fires as one unit.
heel to head. 1.2 seconds.
how force should travel.
15/
posterior chain fires as one unit.
heel to head. 1.2 seconds.
how force should travel.
15/
multi-planar lunges are non-negotiable.
rotation under load.
wakes up spiral lines that haven't fired since childhood.
takes 4 weeks to unstick. 12 to rebuild.
16/
rotation under load.
wakes up spiral lines that haven't fired since childhood.
takes 4 weeks to unstick. 12 to rebuild.
16/
subjects tracked for 16 weeks:
integrated training = 23% strength gain
isolation training = 11% gain
same volume. different wiring.
17/
integrated training = 23% strength gain
isolation training = 11% gain
same volume. different wiring.
17/
and yeah, those mystery pains disappear.
"20-year knee thing just... gone."
not magic. you stopped forcing 30% of your power through dysfunction.
18/
"20-year knee thing just... gone."
not magic. you stopped forcing 30% of your power through dysfunction.
18/
ignore this? keep isolating?
fascial restrictions compound at 2.1% monthly.
until something tears.
biology doesn't do partial credit.
19/
fascial restrictions compound at 2.1% monthly.
until something tears.
biology doesn't do partial credit.
19/
you're not 642 parts.
you're one fabric under tension.
train like it. or accept the leak.
20/
you're one fabric under tension.
train like it. or accept the leak.
20/
for more: open.substack.com/pub/iterintell…
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