Cheating in the Gym: Counterproductive or Natural?

Introduction In this short article we will talk about the so-called cheats and, more precisely, in the context of training in the gym with weights (resistance training). Shutterstock The cheating (cheat or take cheattare) meaning " fool " or " cheating ." It is an extremely common and widespread practice in the context of HIT ( high intensity training ), which concerns many sports (e.g. powerlifting), fitness activities (e.g. crossfit ) and bodybuilding . Therefore, those disciplines that make extensive use of force seem more interested. For Joe Weider, the first to talk about cheating, cheating would be a sort of training technique to be associated with the goal of muscle failure (at least concentric, not technical). Fundamental if applied to muscle failure work , with cheating it would be possible to "close" the sets even in conditions of apparent incapacity. Ultimately, it is a method to instantly "unload" the effort of the exhausted muscles , to the advantage of the number of reps and therefore of the volume of high intensity training. Exercises with free weights are more prevalent , recommended HealthSupplement to work more on strength, rather than those with isokinetic machines, instead used above all to focus on the quality of the stimulus. Many readers will ask "why" to write about such a seemingly obvious topic; after all, there are precise guidelines to be respected on "how" to perform the exercises and, if you transgress them, it is common opinion that you "inevitably" make a mistake. The reason is that cheats are not always to be considered as a counterproductive act ; sometimes, changing the execution of an exercise "naturally" becomes a real necessity to end the series or round. What's thisWhat does cheating mean in the gym world? This term, which could be translated as "trick" refers to the numerous compensations (voluntary / conscious and even not) that can be adopted in the execution of a motor gesture or an exercise. The noun "cheat" has its origins in the world of "gaming". In fact, in the field of video games , the "cheatters" are those who use tricks not allowed by the regulation to increase the performance in the game - in the form of algorithmic commands and codes. For example, in the "shooter" categories, cheating that increases the damaging potential of weapons or that optimize the trajectory of bullets by guiding them to the areas of greatest vulnerability are very common. Similarly, in the realm of the gym there are various tricks that contribute to making the gesture more effective in moving the load, but at the same time less "sensible" for the ultimate goal of muscle development or specific strength. Warning! We are not talking about doping - as it would be more logical to deduce - even if the use of illegal substances is undoubtedly a convenient "shortcut". But why do bodybuilders and weightlifters generally cheat? Let's find out. Why Why cheat at the gym? Cheats are used to achieve a physical performance that the current athletic level would not allow to sustain . However, who has never happened to close a series in a "dirty" way? Well, those disordered and disrupted movements, that only partial extension, that incomplete closure and the excessive intervention of our spotter (training partner who assists the end of the forced repetitions ) are to be considered cheating. At least two fundamental considerations must therefore be made immediately: On the one hand, working sagging muscle "at least" Concentric , is unlikely to be able to maintain complete technical correctness until the last repetition (rep). Note : before the concentric failure we have, in fact, the so-called technical failure . This is defined as the inability to maintain an impeccable execution from every point of view; it presents the insurmountable limit for a workout defined as a buffer. On the other hand, the use of cheats can mask an incorrect calculation of the overloads ; the desire to improve, or the desire to appear stronger than what one is in the eyes of those present, often pollute the applicability of the "new" training schedule. Ergo: cheating is used to deal with unreasonable load progressions because they are inadequately high and therefore, in practice, unrealistic . However, if they interest "so often" and "so many people", there must be a reason. The attempt by bodybuilders to increase their performance is indeed completely understandable - but not always useful. Only by increasing the expression of strength does it become possible to increase hypertrophy (increase in the transverse section of the muscle) - or at least in natural subjects . So, where is the fine line between a natural reward and the counterproductive attitude of the cheatter? It depends… Most common What are the most common cheats? Dozens and dozens; that's why we will group them by categories below, without going into too much detail, but giving one or more indicative examples. Incomplete range of movement The incompleteness of the ROM (range of movement, precisely) is a must of what some define (with a sarcastic tone) "gym animal" (typical, but almost always mediocre, frequenter of the environment). We know that the rom is nothing more than the articular excursion in its specific functionality . We emphasize "specific" because joint mobility , given above all by the stiffness of the capsule and other attached tissues or structures, can vary greatly from individual to individual. Therefore, if it is true that muscle contraction , through tendon insertion, can move one or more bones overcoming resistance thanks to a lever, it is also true that each angular degree of the (moment) requires different commitment. The more unfavorable the lever, the more force it requires; we are talking about the maximum muscle extension and relative joint width - elevated rom. This is why a very common cheating is to work for a very short time and therefore move loads exceeding one's potential. Among the exercises most affected by this cheat we remember: Squat , in which the cheatter does not reach the parallel, transforming it not even in a half, but in 1/3 of a squat; Distensions in bench press , in which the cheatter does not touch with the barbell chest; Pull-up , in which the cheatter never stops fully extending his arms in an eccentric phase and does not even reach the height of the bar with his forehead ; We could list many others. Ballistic rebound This cheating, in addition to partially nullifying the training effect, is also potentially dangerous . It consists in reducing the control of resistance in the eccentric phase, allowing the joint to brake , possibly other anatomical structures (muscles and tendons ), and exploiting the myotatic reflex ( stretching ) and the expression of elastic force. Obviously, by doing so the cost in terms of strength is drastically reduced (saving creatine phosphate and producing less lactic acid ) and one can "conserve" oneself for concentric expression. There is no need to specify how risky it can be to unload weight on cartilages , muscles and tendons; especially in the two most critical exercises such as the squat (in which many bounce on the knees in maximum squat ) and the flat bench press (in which the barbell tends to bounce on the sternum ). Time Under Tension abbreviated The abbreviated TUT (time under tension) is also a fairly common cheating. It consists in shortening the time of muscle tension, whether it is concentric, isometric or eccentric phase. The time of tension, as we all know, is an essential training parameter. The high voltage times, in the concentric phase and / or isometric and / or concentric have a certain importance in the training of specific strength for hypertrophy. On the other hand, medium or in any case lower tuts are required in the expression of maximal  concentric force . What is obvious is that the fatigue of execution increases as the tension time increases . The longer we take, the higher the energy cost of the series. However, it is precisely this stimulus, especially in the eccentric phase , that contributes most to the growth of the muscle bundles in the transverse section. Many bodybuilders periodize the year by entering specific high tut meso-cycles with an emphasis on eccentric and isometric rests. But then why cheat? Simply because working at high levels leads to very high local fatigue . Whoever lifts weights would like to see the loads increase, while increasing the all they decrease inexorably compared to the periods of pure strength . Then, obviously, at each periodization we should try to increase in any case compared to the past. However, progress is often more modest than hoped for. Postural compensation Each exercise has its own. Postural compensation consists in using the body by making it tilt , through adjustments that start from the core , in order to reduce fatigue in the most demanding joint moments. In this case, the cheat consists in involving the core of the body ( abdominal girdle and support of the rachis ) to lighten the work of the peripheries. As difficult as it is to explain, it is actually extremely intuitive. The most indicative examples are above all the executions of the curls with alternating dumbbells , of the lateral raises and of the rowers. Have you ever seen a "really" heavy rower run ? Or lat machine prone pull-ups in which the subject is forced to lean back at 45 °? Or an alternating curl with a hammer handle and dumbbells so heavy they seem impossible to move? Well. If you look at the torso and shoulders of the bodybuilder in question, you will notice that they will be far from immobile. To Usually, this consists in cheating ' go meet overload, thus facilitating the closing action of each rep. This is the main reason why many exercises require very different overloads depending on whether they are performed while sitting (poorly compensated) or standing (very compensated). Have the spotter train instead of themselves Heavy multi-joint exercises take place in works to failure , such as forced labor . The best example is always that of the flat bench press. Often, trying to work with higher loads than normal, our spotter is "forced" to help us progressively in the last rep, when instead his presence should be a simple safety, or at least a help to the last repetition. Dilation of recovery times "What do you want 10-15 '' seconds more to be?". In reality, a few seconds can make a real difference. Especially in the phases of metabolic- oriented training , therefore of short resistance to strength - when the production of lactic acid is "stellar" - the passive recoveries between the sets are really low (even 60 '' or less). The difficulty is precisely that of resuming the set without having completely regenerated. Obviously, this requires having to "suffer" and not a little. Extending the recovery per set by 15 '' which would normally be 60 '', and assuming a high volume of training - for example over 20 total sets per muscle group - will extend the regeneration potential by about 300 '' (5 minutes) , or 25% more! When They Are Useful Can cheating be useful? Incredibly… some yes ! Obviously it depends on the type of cheating and on the table, therefore on the objective of the cycle, but also on the subjective functionality. Some, on the other hand, are totally counterproductive or potentially dangerous. We are talking about the tut, the delegation to the spotter and the dilation of recoveries, in the first case, and the ballistic rebound, in the second. For the incomplete Roma and for the postural compensation, however, the discourse may be different. This depends a lot on the annual phase, or rather on the goal of the training; if it is a time when you are looking for muscle quality or specific strength for hypertrophy, there are not many excuses. These cheats are of no use. On the other hand, in the expression of pure force the matter changes. Postural compensation, for example, can help to bypass the inconvenience of failure , or insufficient strength, of the secondary muscles . To put it this way, it sounds really bad; in practice, however, it is undeniable that this can favor the increase of loads, therefore the training stimulus on large muscle groups, bypassing the limitations imposed by the small support muscles. Of course, logic would like to adjust the table by filling these gaps, but it is not always possible. Many also use the pre-fatigue system, putting all the muscles involved at the same pace; this works for the bodybuilder, but not for the weightlifter. Let's take the example of the heavy rower with a prone or neutral grip bar again. The goal is to stimulate the large muscles of the back ( dorsal , teres major , trapezius ), but to do this requires a massive intervention also of the forearm flexors . It being understood that the bulk of the work will be done by the brachialis , then by the biceps , the closure of the elbow will also take place thanks to the brachioradialis . On the high reps, "all the saints help". On low reps at very high intensity percentages, you immediately realize that, while the back may "move mountains", the flexors soon begin to "creak". This is where postural compensation comes into play, facilitating the last degrees of flexion of the humerus and forearm through trunk oscillations . For incomplete Roma, the same can be said, but the execution is always really bad and not very effective . Moreover, it has been shown that those who constantly train with incomplete ROM have a lower growth potential than those who more often stretch the muscle spindles to the maximum . But then, when can it be useful? On some "special" occasions. Let's think, for example, of those who complain of a significant functional limit. Performing one exercise in the same way as the others would therefore be impossible. This is why, if the joint mobility and muscle flexibility protocols (mandatory, in this case) have not yet had the desired effect , it may be a good idea to limit the ROM during some exercises - but not indefinitely and in any case not as a replacement. corrective work. Typical examples are: a stiffness of the ankles with regard to the full squat; a retraction of the pectoralis minor to perform a pull-up; stiffness of the thigh extensors on the practice of deadlift with straight legs or the good-morning etc. Conclusions Ultimately, to understand whether cheating is legitimate or not, we must understand what kind of "trick" we are talking about, but above all if this depends on a real need, on the attempt to push oneself beyond one's limits, or on dissatisfaction. for progress or insecurity of one's performance. The cheat can be covered, but only in search of abating and, even then, do not absolutely have to become a "shortcut" or a chronic mode of training. Let's not forget that, with the due differences linked to subjectivity, always working at failure may not be the right choice to gain progress both on strength and on hypertrophy. They can possibly be useful in the case of pure strength training and to temporarily compensate for any functional limitations .