Introducing my second community project, The Embodiment of Strength. The goal of this NFT is to increase physical strength to world class levels.
Check it out:
-Start of Field Descriptions-
Field 1: The Physical Upgrades
Subfield 1:
Genetic Optimizer - This field turns on all the genes that will help increase strength to superhuman levels.
Some of them are:
ACE
A gene for endurance
One version of the ACE gene has been found in elite endurance athletes and every climber tested to date who has ascended over 8,000m. The other version is associated with improved power and strength performance.
ACTN3
A gene for speed
ACTN3 is the most famous âgene for speedâ. One particular version of ACTN3 has been found in almost every Olympic sprinter ever tested.
ACVR1B
A gene for muscle strength
One variation of ACVR1B has been associated with increased strength.
ADRB2_1
A gene for adrenaline signaling
ADBR2 plays a key role in skeletal muscle, cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic and hormonal
systems.
CNTF
A gene for nerve activity
Variations in the CNTF gene affect the levels of CNTF protein and are associated with strength gains.
IGF1
A gene for regular growth/development
Variants of IGF1 have been associated with benefits for strength performance.
IGF1_2
A gene for regular growth/development
Variants of the IGF1_2 gene have been associated baseline strength.
IL15RA
A gene for muscle volume
The IL15RA gene is linked to lean body mass and muscle size (hypertrophy). One version is associated with muscle size and the other is linked to muscle strength in response to resistance-type training. For this field, we are working with the latter.
VDR_Taq
A gene for response to vitamin D
Variations in the VDR gene have been associated with skeletal muscle strength.
C18ORF25
Published in Cell Metabolism, the University of Melbourne-led study showedhow different types of exercise change the molecules in our muscles, resulting in the discovery of the new C18ORF25 gene that is activated with all types of exercise and responsible for promoting muscle strength. Animals without C18ORF25 have poor exercise performance and weaker muscles.
Project lead Dr Benjamin Parker said by activating the C18ORF25 gene, the research team could see muscles become much stronger, without them becoming necessarily bigger.
(source: Researchers discover gene that promotes muscle strength during exercise: Researchers have identified a gene that promotes muscle strength when switched on by physical activity, unlocking the potential for the development of therapeutic treatments to mimic some of the benefits of working out. â ScienceDaily)
Subfield 2:
The Neuromuscularly Adapted
All other things being constant, whatâs the difference between someone who can bench press 600lbs vs another who can âonlyâ bench 225lbs?
Answer: Neural adaptations.
Neural adaptations to strength training involve disinhibition of inhibitory mechanisms, as well as intra- and intermuscular coordination improvements. Disinhibition affects the following mechanisms:
Golgi tendon organs - sensory receptors, located near the myotendinous junction, that elicit a reflex inhibition of the muscle they supply when it undergoes excessive tension, either by shortening or passive stretching
Renshaw cells - inhibitory connecting neurons (interneurons) found in the spinal cord, whose role is to dampen the rate of discharge of alpha motor neurons, thus preventing the muscular damage derived from tetanic contraction
Supraspinal inhibitory signals - conscious or unconscious inhibitory signals that come from the brain
The components of intramuscular coordination are as follows:
Synchronization - the capacity to contract motor units simultaneously or with a minimum latency (that is, with a delay less than five milliseconds)
Recruitment - the capacity to recruit motor units simultaneously
Rate coding - the capacity to increase firing rate (motor unit discharge rate) in order to express more strength
Adaptations in intramuscular coordination transfer well from one exercise to another, as long as the specific motor pattern is established (intermuscular coordination).
For instance, the maximum voluntary recruitment of motor units developed through maximum strength training can be transferred to a sport-specific exercise skill as long as its technique is known by the athlete. The objective of maximum strength macrocycles is to improve motor unit recruitment of the prime movers, whereas power macrocycles work mainly on rate coding. Contrary to popular belief, these two aspects of intramuscular coordination - recruitment and rate coding - play greater determinant roles than synchronization does in muscular force production.
Intermuscular coordination, on the other hand, is the capacity of the nervous system to coordinate the âringsâ of the kinetic chain, thus making the gesture more efficient. With time, as the nervous system learns the gesture, fewer motor units get activated by the same weight, which leaves more motor units available for activation by higher weights (see figure 2.5, a and b). Therefore, to increase the weight lifted in a given exercise over the long term, intermuscular coordination training (technique training) is the key. Nevertheless, intermuscular coordination is very exercise specific, so its transfer to other exercises (including sport-specific ones) is very limited. Even so, it remains the base for the athleteâs general strength development.
Over time, strength training for intermuscular coordination reduces the motor unit activation necessary to lift the same load, thus leaving more motor units available for higher loads.
(source: Neuromuscular adaptations to strength training â Human Kinetics)
This field works to optimize all of the above, so that our nervous system is as neurally adapted as a world class powerlifter/strongman/olympic lifter.
It will also increase muscular density to the fullest, which allows for as many motor units to be recruited as possible by the nervous system for our lifts.
Subfield 3:
Soft Tissue Strengthener
This field strengthens the bones, ligaments, tendons, discs, meniscus, cartilage, fascia and all other soft tissue structures in accordance with our strength gains so that we will not succumb to weight-lifting related injuries as a result of these structures being too weak and unstable.
Field 2: The Strength Manifestors
Subfield 1:
Automated Strength Training
This smart field automates a session of strength training of your choice. Such as 5x5, 531, Cube Method, Hepburn, Westside Barbell etc
When not asked to perform a specific workout, it scans your being to identify sticking points you have and come up with the best training session so that you can reach your goals.
Example:
Your squat isnât improving because your quads is the weakest link. This field will recognize that and design a training session to help your quads be stronger such that it is no longer the weakest link.
It will also automatically revise any bad lifts that you physically perform into the one that you wanted.
Lastly, this field also helps you plan your physical training as efficiently as possible. Communicate with it via meditation and it will lead you to make best decisions regarding rest days, volume, intensity, reps, sets, rest time in between sets, nutrition and everything related to your strength goals.
Subfield 2:
Subconscious Capture & Execute
This field allows your subconscious mind to work on achieving any feats of strength that you see in person, or on the internet so that you can replicate it yourself. It does so by installing beliefs to the subconscious mind that you have already performed it easily before.
Subfield 3:
Woven Worlds - Personal Records
This version of âWoven Worldsâ provides the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic push to help you break personal records in all your lifts. 500lb bench press? no worries, train hard and let this field weave your weight lifting journey with personal records after personal records.
Field 3: The Strength Boosters
Subfield 1:
MegingjörĂ° aka Thorâs power belt
In Norse mythology , the Megingjörð is a belt worn by the Thor. The Old Norse name megin means power or strength, and gjörð means belt.
According to the Prose Edda, the belt is one of Thorâs three main possessions, along with the hammer and the iron gloves JĂĄrngreipr. When worn, the belt is described as doubling Thorâs already prodigious strength. This field allows you to tap into the energy signature of MegingjörĂ° so that you can double your strength.
Subfield 2:
Enhanced APE - Strongman version
Letting Capt do his magic on this one, however much he can increase strength and other necessary attributes to achieve the goals of this NFT.
Subfield 3:
The Hyperbolic Time Chamber of Strength (0.1% - 1% increase in strength every day)
The Hyperbolic Time Chamber from DragonBallZ is a place where one can train and get stronger in a short amount of time.
There are a number of conditions that make the Time Chamber a perfect place to gain strength quickly.
To begin with, the flow of time within the Chamber is compressed .
We borrow this idea for this field, so that we too can enter and train in this chamber to reach our strength goals as quickly as possible. The goal is for us to be stronger by 0.1 to 1% everyday as compared to the day before. This works in tandem with the other fields such as Automated Strength Training so that we can instruct our workouts to be in this chamber (done via intention).
-End of Field Descriptions-
11 copies (everyone wanted 1 copy this time lol)
Audio + Mandala
I would like to thank my group members for trusting me to lead this project, and for their invaluable suggestions in coming up with a final draft that serves it purpose extremely well.
Of course, my immense gratitude to @El_Capitan_Nemo cannot be described in words. A few hours after I posted in the Friday NFT thread, he made it available to group. Thank you once again Capt!!