eccentric or negative training

[pat1949]

Hello.

For about 4 months now I have been loving Cathe's workouts! AND the results.

I get a tips ezine from Nutrition Guys and found this article interesting, (clipped just a portion for you all) and have two questions about it:

"Interested In Muscle Growth? Emphasize the Negative!
By Bob Myhal

One of the most important things you can do if you’re interested in developing lean muscle mass is to emphasize the negative. That’s right! Eccentric or negative training may be just what you need to take your body to the next level.

Think about it this way: the eccentric portion of an exercise is simply the negative, often the lowering, portion of the movement. Research has shown beyond any doubt that the eccentric or negative portion of a movement is at least as important to muscle growth as the positive or concentric phase.

By periodically placing greater emphasis on the eccentric, you'll push your muscles harder than ever before . . . and as a result, you'll stimulate new growth."

I don't think except for some places in Power Hour (my first Cathe video purchase) that this concept is in S&H or MIS. Of course maybe I just can't picture it in my mind and would find it is.

Anwyay, two questions: 1) do you think there is truth to this negative training and 2) if so, which of Cathe's tapes would be best for this?

Thank you all.

Patricia

 

[kathryn]

From what I've read, it's true that the negative portion of the move can produce more strength gains than the positive portion. But it also produces more DOMS, so should not be used all the time.

Cathe does some exercises with an emphasis on the negative, such as barbell curls with one count up and 3 counts donw, but none of her workouts emphasize this type of training. However, you can easily turn Slow and Heavy into a workout that emphasizes the excentric phase of the move by doing a 2 up/6 down or 3 up/5 down count as they do the 6 up/2 down count. That's one thing I love about this workout: you can vary the reps (4/4, 5/3, 3/5, etc.) very easily.

 

[scm]

I believe there is truth to this. Negative training is a good way to break through fitness plateaus. A good workout to incorporate this type of training is Slow and Heavy ~ just lift on two counts and lower on six ~ just the opposite as Cathe does in the workout.
Susan C.M.

 

[FiddleFit]

In one of the SH workouts, can't remember which one, Cathe actually states that in the future she may do a workout that switches the counts from 6/2 to 2/6; just as you're suggesting. Maybe that will be part of the HardCore Gym series??

Sandra

 

[CathydsRNA]

Yes, I routinely do this with Slow and Heavy. I split my reps up between 2down/6 up and 6 down/2up.

 

[trevor]

This type of training does work for building some mass. I use it and have seen the results. Another thing to try is to "explode" through the concentric motion and then go slow on the eccentric.
T.

 

[pat1949]

RE: what is DOMS

Good suggestion Kathryn - reversing the counts in S&H.

What are DOMS?

Patricia

>From what I've read, it's true that the negative portion of
>the move can produce more strength gains than the positive
>portion. But it also produces more DOMS, so should not be
>used all the time.
>

 

[dss62467]

RE: what is DOMS

I was wondering what DOMS are too....

 

[CathydsRNA]

RE: what is DOMS

DOMS is Delayed Onset Muscle soreness .. you usually feel it the day after and sometimes up to two days after you exercise. It is thought to be due to microscopic tears in muscle tissue that occur with muscle exertion.