15 Minute Hell - The Fitness Pro Dirty Secret Part 5

On a primal psychological level, you are provided with a boost from free-weights because there is always that slight element of danger that gets you more focused and involved in the lift.

When you have a load of iron on your back squatting, or hovering above your face while bench pressing, you are highly motivated not to fail on the lift!

Working with dumbbells can also provide optimum effectiveness. The mind and body's full rray of attributes have to come into play to handle free-weights and the unpredictable experience of moving them through space dynamically.

At the highest ELITE level of athlete, free-weights can often maximize NMA response due to the very real and immanent danger of injury that is present.

Without the skill, knowledge, or developed physical ability, compound movements with free-weights should not be used without proper supervision and instruction from a certified Strength and Conditioning coach. (Not by simply reading some stupid he-man workout in a muscle mag)

This generates the highest level of NMA. This is achieved when you are moving your torso instead of just moving your extremities.

While there is generally much less danger in doing a pushup or free squat than their weighted Level Six counterparts, the addition of whole body stimulated muscle groups increases nerve activity significantly. In essence, your nervous system is "tricked" into believing you are moving your entire body to remove yourself from life-threatening danger.

The increased stimulation exponentially accelerates muscle and strength development.

NMA levels can be even further manipulated within Level Seven through the grouping and sequence of body movements. (Yoga, martial arts, 15 Minute Hell, etc.)