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Stretch Shortening Cycle

 

The stretch shortening cycle (SSC) is the physiological mechanism involving an eccentric muscular and tissue stretch, followed by an amplified concentric contraction. There are several physiological properties that play a role in the SSC. There is the muscle spindle (wants to speed up contraction), the Golgi Tendon (wants to slow down contraction), the muscular pre-stretch (puts muscles in better length for contraction forces and increases tension), there is an increase in neural output, neural facilitation, and many more possible unexplored physiological mechanisms (fascia, tendons, proprioception, intra-fiber proteins, intramuscular timing etc…)

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Strength Qualities (VBT)

Strength is not as simple as some might make it out to be. Strength is highly contextual. Being strong at faster velocities compared to slower velocities may be a more desirable trait to have for your specific sport. Researchers and coaches over the years have sought out ways to quantify different training zones to pinpoint specific strength qualities. Traditionally, these training zones have been looked at from the standpoint of the force velocity curve. However, I think it might be a little more applicable and easier to understand these qualities when extrapolating the findings from a power-velocity curve.

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Absolute Force and Rate of Force Development


What Is Absolute Force?

 

Absolute force, also know as absolute strength, is the most amount of force one can produce with no limit to the amount of time required to produce the force. Highest levels of absolute force can only be reached during an isometric or eccentric contraction. However, because an isometric contraction requires no lengthening or shortening of the muscle fibers(actually extremely minuet changes in length) and no movement of the limb it is not very practical to use (hard to quantify) and neither is eccentric maximal force due to the supra-maximal requirements (again, hard to measure). Instead, in this article absolute force will be synonymous with maximal concentric force. Absolute force can be measured by using a one-rep max. In such a case, the limiting factor in completion of movement will be the concentric force of a movement, not a single muscle group.

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