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Originally Posted by
Shadeone
Way back when, I remember watching athletes unfamiliar with wrestling try to muscle out from under someone. They would try to apply their whole body in the effort, and sometimes they would shake and then experience muscle failure. When the person went limp, it was said they did the “chicken”.
The “big guys” at the local health club explained it was the Golgi Tendon Reflex. This safety mechanism was reported to kick in and make you relax your muscles before you injured yourself on too heavy a load. Persons who wished to lift heavy were instructed they needed to develop their strength of body and will to train past this safety mechanism.
I have seen people shake on other lifts, just not nearly as dramatic as a near max deadlift. Is this similar to the hand not being able to hold what the body cannot move?
I am not certain there is such a thing as a Golgi Tendon reflex, or if there is, if it applies here. The question was interesting, and I am enjoying reading the responses.