Lifting with "virtual weights" - does it work?

[himynameisbede]

I heard a little while ago that this technique works, but its hard find information about it (I'm not even sure what to search).

Imagine doing the same exercises you do with free weights, except you don't hold any weights, but you engage your muscles in the exact same way. Do you think its possible to make similar gains?

Say like, you do a bicep curl, but you don't hold any thing in your hand, and you tense your arm as hard as you can.

[god-of-bodybuilding]

yea i've been training like this for years and it works even better than actual weights

[himynameisbede]

god-of-bodybuilding wrote:

yea i've been training like this for years and it works even better than actual weights

[Ben0]

lol

[himynameisbede]

what? lol

[holdenman]

Yeah it works bro. But it only gives you virtual muscles so you have to imagine them as well.

[Gym rat]

WTF 

[himynameisbede]

wow obviously I've offended some people here judging by all the haters

[maccaz]

lol

[Leeroid]

Why would you imagine doing a workout when you can just imagine having muscles?

[Pseudonym]

I don't think people are necessarily haters, Bede. You've got to admit, it sounds pretty far-fetched.

However, you're not alone. The other day I was asked this exact same question. And this guy was an electro-mechanical engineer - so a reasonably sharp cookie! He was sceptical, but quite serious in asking the question.

I think the old saying is true here... if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Sorry!

 

Where did you hear about this?

[Shutupandsquat]

Ugh, another person who refers to people as a "hater". That actually makes me hate those people so I guess I'd be a hater in that sense lolol.

Anyway, weight resistance training is more beneficial hands down. You're not gonna engage muscles and then add 30kg to your bench in 3 months. Nor is your muscle going to get thicker, you may get more definition, but not really much more.

I do this at home though, when I'm not at the gym, to engage the muscles. It does actually help when it comes to performing an exercise - and by that I mean doing the exercise WITH weight.

For example, I never really used to feel lying leg curls, when I did it without weigh, squeezing the f*ck out of it; it hurt like hell, but I went in and did legs two days later and really felt the exercise.

So in my experience, if you can't feel certain exercises, then this technique definitely serves a purpose, as for muscle and strength gains on its own though, it's gonna do bugger all.

[AZIDE]

lol all youre doing is contracting both muscles at once...like for OP bicep example the resistance is coming from contracting the tricep agains the bicep (feel the muscles when you do it and should notice this)

 

not sayng it wont do anything but doubt it would be effective compared to weights. if you wana do it just do it..see if it works

[himynameisbede]

Thanks Pseudo. A relative of mine said they read a study about it a little while ago, but maybe they're remembering it wrong.

Sounds like using weights is better but it's not exactly sedentary work, I think this exercise must do something for you - you get a sweat, and a pump.

[himynameisbede]

Shutupandsquat I just found it annoying that I wasn't getting any real answers but instead just getting piss takers. I'll post before and after shots on here if it works lol. I've definately noticed tightening of the muscles and more ab definition.

[Ben0]

Did you actually expect no one to laugh tho? If you theory was true dont you think someone would have worked that out a long time ago? Surly you cant expect a strength increase. You are putting in the effort in to do these exercises, so why not just lift weights ?

[himynameisbede]

I would have googled it but I had no idea what to search, and I agree, surely people would know by now if that was effective - two reasons why I approached a forum.

It's an interesting idea if it works, but I think now that it would only have a small effect on your muscles. But seriously, if wanking (no homo) can give someone an asymmetrical upper body I'm sure that concentrated bursts of muscle engagement would have some kind of similar growth effect lol.

Yeah guna do lifting again, but iv got tendon damage in my wrist from work, but hopefully it'l be ok

 

 

[Ben0]

I would have googled it but I had no idea what to search, and I agree, surely people would know by now if that was effective - two reasons why I approached a forum.

It's an interesting idea if it works, but I think now that it would only have a small effect on your muscles. But seriously, if wanking (no homo) can give someone an asymmetrical upper body I'm sure that concentrated bursts of muscle engagement would have some kind of similar growth effect lol.

Yeah guna do lifting again, but iv got tendon damage in my wrist from work, but hopefully it'l be ok

 

 

 

This isnt painting a good picture mate

[himynameisbede]

Hahah good call. Only a cliche joke. And the wrist came from working part time as a dishy

[Slow n Steady]

Virtual weights; would be like Ghost chips on the TV ad, eh ?

[Pseudonym]

Spoon! Spacehead!

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

Shutupandsquat I just found it annoying that I wasn't getting any real answers but instead just getting piss takers. I'll post before and after shots on here if it works lol. I've definately noticed tightening of the muscles and more ab definition.

with abs you can definately acheive very good tightness by just tensing them sitting around, the exercise is legit and termed 'stomach vacuums'. will make the internal wall (ATB? forgot the muscle reference) tighter helping the entire waistline come in.

 

we use weights to increase work load in our muscles thus causing the fibres to break down and as the muscles get bigger and stronger we increase the resistance (weights) to keep stimulating them for further growth/strength gains. through recovery the fibres re-build and we get a stronger and bigger muscle.

when you are doing the same movements (eg. bicep curl) without any weight, you can still acheive the contraction and extension of the muscle as with the weighted version of the exercise however you can never increase the stimulus/workload on it with 'imagination'.. might imagine the dumbell in your hand as much as you want but your resistance will always be the same every day.

 

also take care, if you keep tightening them like that then you better make sure you stretch them out at the end too.. they will look tighter because they actually are just getting tighter from being contracted for long periods of time (i'm assuming it's long periods because you mentioned building up a sweat and getting pump from it) and probably there's some risk there of tendonitis.

 

[OnlyHuman]

Yeah it works bro. But it only gives you virtual muscles so you have to imagine them as well.

*clapping**lol**ok*