FORGED BY AND FOR THE WEAPON
The Evolutionary Roots of Terminal Impact by - Hunter “Chip” Armstrong
Amplified Terminating Force (ATF)
One of the most important aspects of functional force development in humans is the ability to develop impact force at the end of a striking action—“Amplified Terminating Force” (ATF).
The majority of conventional strength training exercises currently practiced are based on somewhat dated and restrictive Newtonian biomechanics. In these, the main physical effort takes place during the initiation of the movement. In most exercise movements, the need for force generation declines as the movement nears completion. The squat, push-up, bench press, pull-up, and power cleans all provide examples of this characteristic. Weather pressing and pulling movements, the initial portion of the movement is where the greatest force development is required to overcome inertia and resistance. At the end of the movement, the demand for force development drops off due to Newtonian biomechanics of the single-direction movements being used. This type of training is highly effective for developing muscular size (hypertrophy), but it develops a very specific and limited range of strength.
