Muscle Tension is Underrated

I've always known that muscle tension is more than just a little important, but now I'm seeing it in a whole new light.
This new perspective has been helping me make faster progress with all of my exercises plus I've never felt stronger.

[NeoArmstrongJetArmstrongCannon]

It always feel weird commenting on videos 8 years old, but here I am.

I'm astounded that I never ever see this mentioned in modern day fitness. I've read a few books by old time strongmen and bodybuilders. Strength and How to Obtain It by Eugen Sandow was published in 1895 and this was literally the first paragraph of the first chapter. George Hackenschmidt says the same in his The Way to Live and that was in 1911. Maxick ditto in Muscle Control. "Manual labour will make you strong, but it will never make you as strong as weightlifting. You can't obtain strength when your mind is focused elsewhere. Focusing on the muscles while working them is the key to true strength." Again, these books were published over 100 years ago and these were always the first lines. Yet I never ever hear modern fitness even as little as mention it.

[michaeldooley]

This is helping me deal with old injuries.

[HeartTheBodyMovement]

i love your videos Matt. You have helped me take my training to the next level! thank you.

[MrPrimitiveman]

Have you looked into muscle control by Maxick? A form of isometrics. Which of course is muscle tension. He won several lifting contests with minimal lifting, he would lift enough told learn the motor skills and then build the strength with his isometric/dynamic tension program.
Keep the great content coming! Rafe

[HARwinsOUTagain]

This is great! Your topics always bring something to the mind.

[richardlionheart]

I have to say, your vids and the way you come across, are a breath of fresh air from the ego fest that is the fitness community. Thank you

[aleksandar]

Yea, that's all about it, no matter you train bodybuilding or gymnastics, tension is key, and only the mind have the ability to improve it. 
When you have a great control and tension in muscles and lift more weight or go in a more mechanical disadvantage positon you are getting STRONGER.

[VernCrisler]

This video is 8 years old, but I think what is said in it is absolutely correct. It's what Arnold meant when he said you have to put your mind IN the muscle.

[nikosc]

So you are suggesting to use the lightest weight that helps me tensing my muscles the most using my brain, to get me the most muscle built.

[lakelandbeardcare]

How do put tension in the muscles without tensing the antagonist muscles at the same time? If i flex my biceps the triceps turn on as well. Or is that the point?

[marcelloantoniodreier]

How do I track muscle tension in an physical log?

[sophiawoods]

Hi Matt, is it possible to stick to only isometrics as a complete strength workout for longevity?

[paulk]

Hm. Makes sense. I respect this logic.

[edwardjones]

LOL. I must have had a long day or something. I kept reading underrated as overrated and was going to comment that the title was misleading. I agree and disagree with the title. In terms of fitness personalities on the web, I think the message about time under tension is quite popular. On the flipside, I see most guys focusing on how much weight they can get up and form be damned. I'd rather progress by form then progress by weight, rinse and repeat. I think it's safer that way too, but I could be wrong.

[altide]

That's why lifting weights in the gym doesn't always translate to the real world

[tallwaters]

Sorry to go off topic, but you forgot the obliques for a shotgun muscle no?

[nikosc]

Also in theory if you just strongly contract your muscles isometrically for long periods of time, you build muscle.

[regprofant]

I find tension is much better since doing isometrics

[bobbob]

Dude your talking about training to failure to create the ultimate tension.

[Martok]

5:23 Where can I find this chaintraining pdf? Thanks for help :)