Q: I’m getting great results with sets using six-second negatives [on every rep of a negative-accentuated set]. I’m bigger and leaner after one month. My question is, Should I do pure negatives to get even better results since I could increase the weight? My partner can lift the weight for me, and I’ll lower slowly [six seconds] for as many reps as I can get till failure. The heavier weight should cause more trauma and better muscle gains and fat loss, right?
A: That depends on your level of training and your recovery ability (genetics). Pure negatives are extremely traumatic and should be used infrequently…
Here’s a passage from The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout that explains…
A study performed in the 1990s by Frank G. Shellock, Ph.D., showed the extensive damage pure negatives can do. Subjects performed one set of positive-only curls with one arm and negative-only curls with the other, both sets to failure. Results…
The positive-work-only biceps showed no damage, while the negative-work-only biceps showed damage that peaked five days after exercise. Soreness finally dissipated by the ninth day, but some subjects didn’t regain all of their strength in the pure-negative-trained biceps for six weeks!
Yes, most of the test subjects were untrained individuals; nevertheless, you can see how damaging heavy pure-negative work can be. We believe that’s the case even in experienced bodybuilders. That’s why we prefer the negative-accentuated version most of the time—1.5 seconds up, six seconds down.
If you try pure negative sets with heavier weights, we suggest you do only one of those pure-negative sets per bodypart—and use it infrequently, maybe every third or fourth workout. Use a negative-accentuated set or two at the other workouts. NA sets are much less traumatic than heavy pure-negative work. (For more information on NA sets and metabolic-momentum training, see The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout).
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
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