The 4-Hour Body_ An Uncommon Guide to Ra - Timothy Ferriss [95]
Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy can be thought of as growth for maximal size or anaerobic fatigue resistance. The volume of fluid in the sarcoplasm increases instead of the myofibrils, adding primarily size and some strength to the muscle. This kind of muscle growth is achieved through metabolic adaptations—doing 8–12 reps to failure at a submaximal 60–80% of your one-repetition maximum, for example.
But which is better? Is sarcoplasmic hypertrophy useless, nothing more than water?
First things first: the claim that it’s “nothing more than water” doesn’t square with the science. Dehydration of even 4% bodyweight can decrease muscular endurance 15–17%. More relevant to tissue growth, researchers such as Dr. Clyde Wilson of UCSF School of Medicine believe that water effectively acts as a transcription factor—much like testosterone or growth hormone—for protein production. There is evidence that growth factors are triggered by cell volume regulating elements (CVRE) that, in effect, tell DNA to replicate when intracellular hydration is optimal. If that weren’t enough, as Dr. Doug McGuff has pointed out, when the water-containing interior of the cell is maximally hydrated, receptors for hormones, “sitting as they do on the surface of the cell membrane, become maximally convexed into the environment where the hormones are circulating, thus allowing for maximal hormonal interaction with the receptor sites.”
Just water. Bah.
Second: the sarcoplasmic volume increase is not just a fluid (water) increase. It also corresponds to more mitochondria, more glycogen, and larger stores of both adenosine triphosphate (ATP, the energy currency of cells) and phosphocreatine (PC, a high-energy reserve). Not to mention increased capillarization from such training, which results in more efficient nutrient delivery through additional blood vessels.
This is why Neil gained an average of 48.65% strength on his exercises (100% on one) in four weeks using what would be considered a sarcoplasmic lifting protocol. These strength increases are impressive by any measure, myofibrillar or otherwise.
Will Occam’s Protocol give you more strength than a protocol specifically designed for maximal strength? No, that’s what the chapter “Effortless Superhuman” is for. But can Occam’s make you much, much stronger and allow you to surpass most people in the gym? Yes.
The conclusion: to decide on the best program for you, you need to know your objective.
As usual, the more specific your goal and the more precise your training, the better your results will be.
End of Chapter Notes
19. “(f/2)” indicates “fast but controlled” on the lifting portion and a two-second lowering.
20. Also called sarcomeric hypertrophy.
IMPROVING SEX
THE 15-MINUTE FEMALE ORGASM
Part Un
The pleasure of living and the pleasure of the orgasm are identical. Extreme orgasm anxiety forms the basis of the general fear of life.
—Wilhelm Reich, Austrian psychologist (1897–1957)
An orgasm a day keeps the doctor away.
—Mae West, American actress and sex symbol (1892–1980)
9:00 P.M., OSHA THAI RESTAURANT, SAN FRANCISCO
My Thai food hovered between my plate and my mouth, broccoli dangling off the fork. Then it fell. I was focused more on the conversation than the eating.
“For almost all women, the most sensitive part of the clit will be the upper-left-hand quadrant from their perspective, around one o’clock from the man’s perspective.”
Tallulah Sulis, a specialist in female ejaculation, paused to take a sip of water and raised her eyes to meet mine:
“Sometime you should really try and meet Nicole Daedone.”
Tallulah was an old friend, and had now become my first orgasm consigliere. I wrote the name down on a note, and we meandered from our love-life catch-up to other topics.
Two hours later, we settled the bill and I walked her to her car. As we ambled over the crosswalk, I turned to her and joked:
“Now all I need to do is find a beautiful single girl who’s never had an orgasm.