SAMPLE NEGATIVES CHEST ROUTINEExercise
4
Barbell Incline Press 3 – 4 10 –12* 2 min.
Flat-bench Dumbbell Flye 3 12–15*12–15* 1–2 min.1–2 min.*Do two to three negatives on the last two sets.WHAT IT IS:
An advanced method in
which, with the help
of a spotter, only the
eccentric (negative)
portion of each rep
is performed—and at
a very slow pace.
Traditionally, strength
athletes have performed
negatives as stand-
alone sets, but this
technique can also be
used at the end of a
regular set to train the
muscles past failure.WHY YOU
SHOULD DO IT:
Negatives provide a
unique shock to your
muscles and are very
efective at increasing
strength as well as
muscle growth. Most
people disregard theGOLDEN ERA
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still admired today.still admired today.NEGATIVES
eccentric portion of the
rep, thinking that the
muscle is working only
when you’re lifting the
weight, not lowering it.
Not true. Resisting
the weight on the
negative is a crucial
aspect of strength and
is actually the part of the
movement most closely
associated with muscle
soreness in the days
following a workout. And
that soreness equates
to increases in muscle
size and strength.HOW TO DO IT:
The speciics of how
to do negatives is
crucial. First, you’ll need
a dependable spotter.
After reaching failure
on a set doing regular
reps, you’ll do two tothree negatives in this
manner: Your spotter
will help you lift the
weight through the
positive portion of the
rep. Then, for the
negative, you’ll do all
the work, lowering the
weight slowly for a
count of three to ive
seconds. The spotterwill again do the
positive, and so on. But
even though you’ll be
lowering the weight
on your own, your
spotter will need to be
highly attentive while
you do so in case
your muscles give out
and you can no longer
resist the weight.FlexoNliNe.coM 75couRTesY oF weideR heAlTh & FiTNess
INTENSITY TECHNIQUES