Hello there...Harry C here, your online Personal Trainer and Sports Nutritionist.A little bit about ...

1. Do You Know Cat Training?
Hello there...
Harry C here, your online Personal Trainer and Sports Nutritionist.
A little bit about my backgroung:
I was born in Athens, Greece on 1978 and as I grew up it was obvious to me and others that I was
crazy about anything that had to do with sports or athletics. I'm 2 times World Champion at Tang
Soo Do martial art, and played Basketball, Gymnastics, Dancing, you name it. When my college age
came I studied and graduated on sports sciences and sports nutrition. So, I became a certified sports
nutritionist and fitness trainer. The thing I want to talk about in this article is a concept, a factor that
enhances your bodybuilding and weight training and thus, your strength, power and fat burning.
This "Repetition Method" as i call it is my favourite and my clientel's favourite for the past 4 years
with tremendous results.
The method is called Compensatory Acceleration Training (aka CAT) method.
It is the perfect method to make the most out of your valuable time in the Gym.
A little bit of a background on this:
In 1982 Dr. Frederic C. Hatfield talked about the concept of compensatory acceleration training or
CAT. Dr. Hatfield claimed the following benefits for CAT: greater efficiency, fewer injuries and
greater explosive power. Hatfield defined compensatory acceleration as "pushing as hard as possible
throughout the movement" , i.e. a high action velocity. Interestingly, years later a study by Jones et
al. supported Hatfield's contentions by finding that CAT was superior to traditional standard weight
training for developing upper body strength and power.
However, it is generally agreed that a major shortcoming of both CAT and traditional standard
weight training is the large negative acceleration phase that typically occurs, especially when lighter
weights are used. For example, Elliot et al. revealed that during 1-RM bench press, the bar
decelerates for the final 24% of the range of motion. At 81% of 1-RM, the bar deceleration occurs
during the final 52% of the range of motion. Some years before the compensatory acceleration
article was written by Hatfield, Dr. Gideon B. Ariel had recognized the problem with the deceleration
phase and had designed and developed his Dynamic Variable Resistance exercise machine to
compensate for it.
"Repetitions should be performed as fast as possible with maximal mental concentration for
recruitment of the maximum firing levels of muscle fibers as required in maximal human
performance." -- Gideon B. Ariel, PhD
The above quote from Dr. Ariel was in a twenty page booklet that was written almost thirty years
ago introducing Universal's new Dynamic Variable Resistance (D.V.R.) weight machine. The name of
the booklet was "Understanding the Scientific Basis behind our Universal Centurion". The booklet
and subsequent research study done by Ariel are of particular interest to me because of my patented
free-weight variable resistance system that I have been working on since 1996.

2. The section I pulled the quote from was entitled "Resistance Exercises and Ballistic Contraction". In
this section Ariel laid out his two central variable resistance training principles.....
1. The resistance exercise should be performed using
multiple joint motion.
2. The resistance exercise should be performed with
explosive repetitions.
It was very clear in this publication that Universal and Ariel,
knew, understood and appreciated the importance of
explosive strength for athletes and centered their scientific
presentation and marketing efforts around that need. Many
variable resistance machines have come and gone since, but
to the best of my knowledge, this was the only one that
advocated "explosive repetitions" and "variable resistance"
as a superior way to train.
However, does this work with Free Weights?
Explosive repetitions or maximal voluntary contractions
performed with a free-weight variable resistance system like the BNS Bands System clearly meets
the criteria for an "explosive strength training exercise" as defined by Stone (9) in his Position
Statement and Scmidtbleicher in Strength and Power in Sport......
Stone - "Exercises used to develop explosive strength are defined as those in which the initial rate of
concentric force production is maximal or near maximal and is maintained throughout the range of
motion of the exercise."
Scmidtbleicher - "Explosive strength can be defined as the neuromuscular system's ability to
generate high action velocities."
Just as Ariel and Hatfield have stated, the individual should make a willful effort to push the weights
as hard and as fast as possible throughout the range of motion on every repetition. Because of the
additional resistance provided by the bands as they stretch in a linear fashion, the action velocity,
muscular contraction speed and the resulting force production can be kept at a high level
throughout the range of motion. Without the variable resistance provided by the bands, the
deceleration phase of squats and benches etc. would adversely impact the effectiveness of those
exercises as explosive strength exercises - as defined by Stone et al.
Ok Here's how Cat Works in action: lets's take the Bench Press For Example.
You want to lower the bar in controlled movement and just before the bar touches your chest you
explode it back up as fast as you possibly can BUT make no mistake here this will be compensatory
acceleration ONLY is 2 factors are present.
1. You should work at 65 - 85% of RM in order fo this to work because with less weight than that,
you won't have CAT you will have just momentum speed! and that could be hazardous to your joints.
The muscle explosion doesn't show in the naked eye, it is just happening in the muscle as you try

3. push a relatively big weight in high speed.
2. The weight must never stop in either phase of a repetition! Nore the eccentric or the concentric
phase the bar or leg press ot cable must always be on constant motion and never pause at a
repetition.
That's it! Just lower the weight slowly and WITHOUT PAUSING at the bottom of the movement,
explode back up as fast as you can again without pausing at the top of the movement. All that must
take place in full range of motion.
This method of training can take your workouts to an all new level and be stronger, build more
muscle, be leaner and burn more fat, and burn much more caloried because of the increased muscle
fiber recruitment.
For more info and products that can help you improve your health and fitness visit my website at
www.health-balance-reviews.com
Till Next Time...
HarryC
Health-Balance-Reviews.com
By: Harry C.
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Strength Training For Cyclists
I'm certified Sports Nutritionist, Fitness Trainer and now a pirvate franchise and internet
entrepreur.
I was born on 1978 in Athens, Greece.
http://www.24hourfitness.com/classes/strength/
http://exercise.lifetips.com/cat/1405/strength-training/index.html