Workout in the gym is essential for improving your performance and general state of health; Anyone who practices weight lifting, sooner or later, comes across force in muscle failure, which is the point at which you are no longer able to complete a repetition and, therefore, also in the "stick point”, the critical point of the lift, which increases the chances of injuries and poor execution of the exercise.
Stickin point occurs in all types of lifts, especially larger ones: bench press, squatting e deadlift. Let's see what it is and how to overcome it!
Index
Stickin point: what is it?
There are several definitions of the stickin point in the scientific literature, including:
- "The point in the range of motion during an exercise where the upward velocity of the load decreases or reaches zero"
- "The moment when whoever lifts the weight encounters a difficulty in exerting an effective force against the load"
- “The weakest point in the range of motion of an exercise, where external resistance has the greatest mechanical advantage”.
In simple terms, the stickin point refers to that joint angle where the exercise suddenly becomes difficult to complete and you get the feeling that the load is heavier.
Some definitions focus on the speed of movement, others on strength, there is not a single correct definition, but many different facets to take into account.
Stickin point and biomechanical disadvantage
There are two types of biomechanical drawbacks that come into play when lifting:
- Force-length relationship: muscles produce force both actively and passively; the production of active force occurs through muscle contraction, while the passive one is due to the non-contractile elements in the muscles when they are stretched. The force developed by the muscle depends on the length at which the contraction occurs; when the muscle is shorter, the available active force is low.
- Force-velocity relationship: It is important to understand the reaction of the muscle following the application of an increasing load. The relationship between force and speed is not linear; as the applied load decreases, the shortening speed increases up to the maximum speed obtained at zero load. When the load is maximum, however, the speed is minimum. The maximum strength of the muscles varies according to the initial length of the muscle, while the maximum speed depends on the types of fibers that make up the muscle.
Stickin point: strategies to overcome it
The stickin point is a multifactorial condition, so it represents a difficult obstacle to overcome for all athletes; let's see some training strategies to try to overcome it:
- Isolation exercises on certain muscles: Some isolation exercises on a specific muscle, considered weaker than the others, can be useful to overcome the stickin point. For example, in the bench press, it may be helpful to strengthen the elbow if the weak point is the brachial triceps
- Speed work training: this strategy consists in performing repeated series at low intensity and high speed; this training technique can help make muscles less fatigued and more flexible
- isometry: isometric reps, static and in which the length of the muscle and the joint angle do not change despite the force of contraction, can be a winning strategy to overcome the stickin point and improve your performance.
And you, did you know the stickin point? Let us know in the comments and also follow us on our telegram channel
SUBSCRIBE HERE TO THE TELEGRAM CHANNEL