New Intensity Technique

From Thibaudeau’s 8 weeks to a record bench…


Before the first work set on the bench (after your 2-3 warm-up sets) place an icepack on your abdomen for 2-3 minutes. This will restrict blood flow to the heart (due to vasoconstriction) which will stimulate a panic response, releasing adrenalin and noradrenalin, potentiating your strength and power for the upcoming workout. (Yes, yes, it sounds weird, but it works!)


Anyone have any more information? Sounds kinda heavy in theory.

just like pressing the base of your skull against the wall prior to lifting so you get the extra 3% due to nervous system excitation.

I just warm up and lift…

[quote]wressler125 wrote:
From Thibaudeau’s 8 weeks to a record bench…


Before the first work set on the bench (after your 2-3 warm-up sets) place an icepack on your abdomen for 2-3 minutes. This will restrict blood flow to the heart (due to vasoconstriction) which will stimulate a panic response, releasing adrenalin and noradrenalin, potentiating your strength and power for the upcoming workout. (Yes, yes, it sounds weird, but it works!)


Anyone have any more information? Sounds kinda heavy in theory.[/quote]

Yea, that’s a good one, but I got some way better stuff, if you have time for a laugh…

  1. Place your fingers inside of a drawer then just before you lift a record attempt slam the drawer with your fingers still inside. This technique spikes a vascular adrenalin rush.

  2. Have your training partner hold a knife to your throat and promise to slit your throat if you don’t make the lift. Now you really have to have a good partner here no wimps or anything. He has to be good for his word. This technique appeals to the amigdala, a part of the brain where fear rules.

  3. This is my favorite. Drag your bench and weights down to a motorcycle bar and set it up in the parking lot. When the biggest baddest cycle gang gathers around to see what’s going on tell them that if you don’t make this one particular lift you will be their bitch for the night.

  4. Have your training partner stand behind you and drop hot candle wax in your face while you are in the middle of the rep. I don’t know why this works so well but it really really does…would I like to you?

I have plenty of other tricks that work as well as that ice idea, but I don’t have the time to post em right now. I have to get going, I’m working out under a jacked up car tonight and the mechanic has just put the car on some shaky blocks for me.

See you later…IF I am successful with the lift.

Ok, I get the sarcasm. I was thinking the same thing. But it was in one of Christian Thibaudeau’s article, and I have never seen it before, anywhere else. It seems heavily laden in theory, and doesn’t seem like it would have any practical applicability (it doesn’t seem like it would actually work, even if it works in theory, and if it does, the result would be minute.) Just wondering if anyone had ever heard this before, and could point me in the direction of more research. Because no offense to Coach Thibaudeau, but I would prefer to know what I am doing before I break my concentration with an ice belly.

[quote]wressler125 wrote:
Ok, I get the sarcasm. I was thinking the same thing. But it was in one of Christian Thibaudeau’s article, and I have never seen it before, anywhere else. It seems heavily laden in theory, and doesn’t seem like it would have any practical applicability (it doesn’t seem like it would actually work, even if it works in theory, and if it does, the result would be minute.) Just wondering if anyone had ever heard this before, and could point me in the direction of more research. Because no offense to Coach Thibaudeau, but I would prefer to know what I am doing before I break my concentration with an ice belly.[/quote]

Even if it did work in some small way, how many times do you think you are going to put ice on your stomach in that way?

I usually try to avoid gimmicks. Lift, eat, rest and repeat.

ive spoken to a strongman competitor who has done similar things and found it to be effective…

its also mentioned in supertraining if i remember correctly…

Personally ive never tried it but Christian goes into some detail in a thread on the forums here somewhere so that is probably worth looking for…

A couple of other people ive spoken to have found it to be good too…

couldnt find that thread… you wouldnt remember a title i could search for, would you???

ive found that the icepack works pretty well. you might as wlel give it a try

[quote]wressler125 wrote:
From Thibaudeau’s 8 weeks to a record bench…


Before the first work set on the bench (after your 2-3 warm-up sets) place an icepack on your abdomen for 2-3 minutes. This will restrict blood flow to the heart (due to vasoconstriction) which will stimulate a panic response, releasing adrenalin and noradrenalin, potentiating your strength and power for the upcoming workout. (Yes, yes, it sounds weird, but it works!)


Anyone have any more information? Sounds kinda heavy in theory.[/quote]

Just take a puff of Primatene.