A New Look at Length Force Relationships

Need an exercise that can help you with a wide variety of activities, from getting hard work done around your home to rock climbing, playing sports like hockey or football or even competing in various combat sports?

Previously, I’ve shown you the benefits of working with length force relationships and how this strategy can help you achieve a much deeper level of training.

This time, I want to show you how to use this same concept with the biceps curl (something I learned from the late, great exercise scientist Jerry Telle many years ago), using a dumbbell and even a Swiss ball.

The key to this exercise is all about positioning. Generally, a standard biceps curl can make you strong, but it won’t help you build more strength at the beginning or end positions, power that you may need in the activities I mentioned earlier.

Watch how maintaining the dumbbell in a stationary position, then leaning into and out of that spot creates a different outcome — a more physiological effect — than working on standard curls.

Be VERY SURE your form is solid and don’t overdo it (no more than two sets at the start). It’s way too easy to overload your body to the point you’re setting yourself up for an injury because your body won’t have the resources to recover.

Love and chi,

Paul