Whenever you lift a weight using the
contractile force of your muscle you perform what is defined as a
positive movement; when you lower the weight, extending the working
muscle, you perform negative movement.
Negative repetitions (Bodybuilding
Intensity Training Techniques) actually put more stress on the tendons
and supportive structures than on the muscles themselves. This is
beneficial because you want tendon strength to increase along with
muscular strength. To get the full benefit of negatives repetitions in
your normal bodybuilding workouts, always lower the weights slowly and
under control rather than letting them drop.
To work harder at negatives repetitions,
first try cheating a weight up that would otherwise be too heavy to lift
strictly and then lower it slowly and deliberately. Your muscles can
lower a weight under control that they could not actually lift in the
first place. At the end of a set, when your muscles are very tired, you
can have your workout partner give you a little assistance in lifting
the weight, and then do strict negatives repetitions on your own.
Forced Negatives
To develop even more intensity in negative
repetitions, have your workout partner press down on the weight as you
lower it, forcing you to cope with greater resistance. This Forced
Negatives method should always be done carefully and smoothly so that
the muscles and tendons are not subjected to any sudden jerks. Forced
negatives are more easily done with machines or cables than with free
weights.
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