We were one of the first to introduce contrast training to the home video exerciser in 2008 when we released STS Plyo Legs video.
Contrast training is based on a concept called post-activation potentiation. This simply means your nervous system is maximally “primed” to generate force after you’ve just completed a heavy resistance exercise. This period of potentiation, where your muscles are capable of generating more force, lasts anywhere from a few minutes up to 30 minutes after completing a resistance exercise.
When you follow a heavy resistance set with a complimentary explosive exercise that mimics the movement you did during the resistance exercise, your nervous responds by recruiting more motor units. Plus, your nervous system better synchronizes those units while putting the brake on muscle inhibition that keeps you from generating maximal force. Because you’re recruiting more motor units and muscle fibers, this gives you the potential for greater gains in strength, power and hypertrophy than you would get through resistance training alone. This type of training is similar to what we did in our STS Plyo Legs video.
