I'm confused...

[thecarney91]

So I have heard a lot of stuff about the weightroom and how gaining mass is bad, but how do you get stronger without gaining weight?
I am probably on the heavy side of vaulters, I am 6'3" and weigh 193, but alot of the strength is in my legs. I do a lot of static lifting like just benching and squats and not many cleans or olympic lifts or anything.
So what kind of work outs would you do if you want to get stronger but not gain any wieght? Sorry if this has already been answered

[EIUvltr]

you really need to look back in the forums, this has been answered so many times

[powerplant42]

Try searching combinations of "strength", "CNS", "adaptation", "capacity".

[golfdane]

So I have heard a lot of stuff about the weight room and how gaining mass is bad, but how do you get stronger without gaining weight?
I am probably on the heavy side of vaulters, I am 6'3" and weigh 193, but alot of the strength is in my legs. I do a lot of static lifting like just benching and squats and not many cleans or olympic lifts or anything.
So what kind of work outs would you do if you want to get stronger but not gain any weight? Sorry if this has already been answered

Not an easy answer, if you already feel you are on the heavy side.
The importance of great power to weight ratio in pole vaulting cannot be understated. Power is in part achieved by having more muscular mass, but more importantly the number of nerve paths to your muscles. The ability to fire as many fibres syncronously as possible is crucial. This is usually achieved by 3X6RM drills (so much weight, that at the third set, you max out at 6 repetitions), but there are many ways.
One of these involves muscular/nerve adaptation. For instance, doing squats, immediately followed by a couple of regular squat jumps (should in theory fire the same muscles you just trained, as syncronously as possible).

CNS stands for Central Nerve-system Stimulation. Stimulating your body to create as many nerve paths as possible to your muscles.

[EIUvltr]

This is usually achieved by 3X6RM drills (so much weight, that at the third set, you max out at 6 repetitions), but there are many ways.

I recommend not giving this type of advice on the forums. Without a good coach, suggestions like this can lead to problems/injuries/misapplication.

[joebro391]

I recommend not giving this type of advice on the forums. Without a good coach, suggestions like this can lead to problems/injuries/misapplication.

Yea, i agree, I've heard that it's never good to lift and THEN do exercises that work the fast-twitch muscle (EX: never lift THEN sprint). The muscle may RIP OFF OF THE BONE. I'm not the best person for this subject, but that's the long-short of it. Lifting heavy weights will tighten one set of muscles and then the jumps (quick/explosive exercise) engages the muscle in a different manner and ATTEMPTS to expand it in it's tightened state and THAT IS WHEN INJURIES HAPPEN. -6P

[EIUvltr]

I recommend not giving this type of advice on the forums. Without a good coach, suggestions like this can lead to problems/injuries/misapplication.

Yea, i agree, I've heard that it's never good to lift and THEN do exercises that work the fast-twitch muscle (EX: never lift THEN sprint). The muscle may RIP OFF OF THE BONE. I'm not the best person for this subject, but that's the long-short of it. Lifting heavy weights will tighten one set of muscles and then the jumps (quick/explosive exercise) engages the muscle in a different manner and ATTEMPTS to expand it in it's tightened state and THAT IS WHEN INJURIES HAPPEN. -6P

Yes and No. Your muscle wont rip off the bone, but injuries can occur. However I think our Danish friend was referring to a type of training made popular by Charlie Francis where you perform a max effort contraction followed immediately by a powerful movement such as depth jumps or a sprint. As I understand it, the theory is that the max effort movement temporarily removes the CNS's inhibitive mechanisms so that you are able to recruit a larger amount of motor units in the subsequent power movement than you would have been able to if you performed the power movement by itself. I.E. a Deadlift followed by one legged bounding. This type of training is VERY stressful though and I wouldn't recommend it to a high school athlete.

[golfdane]

This type of training is VERY stressful though and I wouldn't recommend it to a high school athlete.

I agree. Unless you have a couple of years of lifting weights experience. However, I didn't think I was giving advice, but rather trying to answer the question on how to build strength without bulking up.

I have no idea how this young man have trained in the past, so I really shouldn't be giving advice (again, I didn't think I was).
Some are predisposed to bulk up very easy (naturally high levels of testosterone), but it could also be a weight regime designed for hypertrophy, that caused the athlete to become bigger than what might be desirable in vaulting.

[thecarney91]

this is my first year weight lifting seriously. Last season I was weighing at the most 175 but not I am about 20 pounds heavier and my diet hasn't really changed. I feel a lot more powerful but compared to other pole vaulters I feel like my ratio of weight to power isn't the best out there

[KirkB]

... Last season I was weighing at the most 175 but now I am about 20 pounds heavier ...

Yeh, you're getting on the heavy side for efficient vaulting ... but it depends on your height and your speed too. At 6-3, you can pack a bit more weight than the rest of us. Search for keywords "strength weight ratio" where this phenomenon is discussed.

If I were you I would lay off the weights and lay off the calories.

If your speed is good, maybe you have more of a "decathlete" physique?

Kirk

[BadMotherVaulter]

If he were my athelete, I'd have him doing plyos, explosive stuff with not much more than body weight... sprints... but no real lifting. I have a kid about like this, just a bit smaller.

Also, thecarney91, any idea what percentage body fat you are? Or what your BMI is?

[thecarney91]

well I am 6'3", I run an under 12 100 and a 52.5 400 and a 5 min 1500.. I have been trying to get in shape for the decathlon this year.
Um..my body fat percentage is 10%