negatives

[ShakesAllDay]

Well, with negatives, you are usually using more weight than you can press back up... you simply fight the weight on the way down and a spotter helps return it to starting position. So, IMO, a smith machine would be of no benefit.

Honestly, I'm sure they have their place, but I despise smith machines.

Originally Posted by vermillion52

if u guys workout by yourselves cant t=u try the smith mmachine thahts what i usally use if im bymself

[growstrong]

I guess i didnt undertand the true definition of negatives then... Thanks shakes

[ShakesAllDay]

Don't take my word for it. That's just my understanding. I may be wrong.

Originally Posted by growstrong

I guess i didnt undertand the true definition of negatives then... Thanks shakes

[usf97j4x4]

Originally Posted by vermillion52

if u guys workout by yourselves cant t=u try the smith mmachine thahts what i usally use if im bymself

Good advice. I *sometimes* do my last sets of bench on the smith machine. I like to do my initial sets on a regular bench so I am hitting my stabilization muscles and improving on form. Then I slam max weight on the smith machine and rep it. This allows me to focus on the negative and get a nice pause before blowin the weight back up.

[growstrong]

Originally Posted by ShakesAllDay

Don't take my word for it. That's just my understanding. I may be wrong.

i would imagine there are variations so i think both ways are prolly right...

[snakemw]

Originally Posted by growstrong

Great comments guys... very interesting article.

Snake where do you do the static hold? top middle or bottom of rep?

near the top 3/4 of the rep most of the time. Sometimes ill start there and hold it as long as i can then slowly work myself down until i cant hold any longer.

[growstrong]

Originally Posted by snakemw

near the top 3/4 of the rep most of the time. Sometimes ill start there and hold it as long as i can then slowly work myself down until i cant hold any longer.

nice nice... what EXACTLY does this do for the muscle?

[Train Heartnet]

Originally Posted by growstrong

nice nice... what EXACTLY does this do for the muscle?

From what I've read from Mike Mentzer's HIT, he mentioned that the muscle have 3 strength levels.

1. Positive Strength = Concentric Contraction
2. Negative Strength = Eccentric Contraction
3. Static Strength = Static Position

According to him you have to exhaust all three strength levels to reach total muscular failure, which will then result in maximum growth stimulation.

I usually only train to Positive Failure, but after reading the DC training thread, I will try to reach to Static Failure as well and finish off with Negatives using the Rest-Pause technique.