Quote:
Originally Posted by thebige
Ok. Im really on the fence about this one guys. Bodybuilders train muscles from many different angles in hopes of shaping and bringing out certain peaks. My friend, however, contends that this is all bullcrap and that only genetics can shape a muscle. He says that a muscle can only contract, or not. Muscle fibers when activated flex to their fullest capacity, and therefore, training your calves, biceps, or chest at different angles does not affect their appearance as the muscle will be flexing at all angles anyway.
I know it is true about the motor units contracting to their fullest potential no matter what, but sooooo many pro bodybuilders train at different angles. They can't all be wrong. Besides, when i tore my calf and had to walk on the side of my foot for 2 months, the inner calf got huge! The only question i thought of while debating with him was whether or not a multi-pennate muscle (like a tripennate tricep muscle) contracts all of its heads simultaneously. If not his theory has holes.
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Inversion training (outside of your calf)
Eversion training (inside your calf)
What your friend is talking about is the "all or none" principle for a motor unit. When your fibers call for more contractile strength it goes through several steps before contacting, this just happens to be one of them.
There are several different planes your body is divided into, and throughout those planes body movement occurs. If your body can position itself in any of those planes then odds are muscle development can and will occur.