Negatives

[Geezer]

Hey,

New "old guy" here. Been lifting for about a year. Started at 60. Really enjoying the resuts so far.

I started doing negatives last month. WOW, they really burn. Some guy at the gym said not to do them over 2 weeks at a time with a 4 week break. Is this true? (The 4 week break would be normal lifting)

I've also seen guys doing reps very very slow with fairly light weights. I know you are not supposed to jerk the weights around but was thinking maybe this method with the lighter weights may be easier on my joints.

Thanks in advance for your input/advice.

[Eighth Wonder]

I would use them sparingly if at all. Two main reasons for not using them all the time would be the risk of injury to the pec or shoulder and also the fact that they are extremely taxing to the CNS. I would cycle them in only if you are having trouble breaking a plateau. Otherwise, just stick with heavy benching.

[mitchcumstein]

The negative portion of the rep is every bit as important as the concentric. According to DC principles, every rep should have a 3-5 sec negative and the last rep of each set should end on a negative. Dante knows his **** so i accept that without question.

[jlozan84]

Do slow-controlled negs w/ every rep.

[Eighth Wonder]

He isn't talking about the negative portion of a lift, he is talking about bench negatives. AKA using more than your max and just doing the negative while having a spotter pull the weight up. fags

[Geezer]

I certainly apologize for the confusion I have caused. I should have described what I "thought" to be negatives. Up normal and down very slow is what I thought they were. I've had to reduce my normal weight by 25-40% in order to do 3 sets of 10.

I am retired and can't afford a trainer and this stuff gets confusing!!!!

Again, sorry.

[mitchcumstein]

Originally Posted by Eighth Wonder

He isn't talking about the negative portion of a lift, he is talking about bench negatives. AKA using more than your max and just doing the negative while having a spotter pull the weight up. fags

Lol I've seen ur bench and you, like most, have no negative part. Its just up and down as fast as u can go. Point is u should
Be doing what u consider a negative on every single rep.

[Eighth Wonder]

Originally Posted by mitchcumstein

Lol I've seen ur bench and you, like most, have no negative part. Its just up and down as fast as u can go. Point is u should
Be doing what u consider a negative on every single rep.

You are right, I have no negative, the bar starts on my chest. Once again, he is talking about doing JUST negatives with a weight that is above his max. He didn't ask if he should do a slow negative.

Honestly if I gave a crap about anything that had to do with bodybuilding I might take heed of your advice. Slow negatives from a RAW power lift standpoint are a waste of my energy.

[mitchcumstein]

Originally Posted by Eighth Wonder

You are right, I have no negative, the bar starts on my chest. Once again, he is talking about doing JUST negatives with a weight that is above his max. He didn't ask if he should do a slow negative.

Honestly if I gave a crap about anything that had to do with bodybuilding I might take heed of your advice. Slow negatives from a RAW power lift standpoint are a waste of my energy.

Well the negative portion is where you really tear up the muscle. Youre missing the boat in a big way. Youre completely missing the point, most people who think that doing "slow negatives" so to speak is a different exercise than just "regular benching" are simply not doing the lift right in the first place. You for example.


Watch Hank(hrpiii) bench. Most people would consider this doing a negative but the fact is this is how every rep should look. YouTube - Hank the Tank - 465 lb Bench

From a "Raw Powerlifting standpoint" i dont think Hanks wasting any energy. In fact, I think hes got you smoked. lol

Thats why i love this board. Anothe classic case of the blind trying to lead the blind. lol

[Eighth Wonder]

Originally Posted by mitchcumstein

Well the negative portion is where you really tear up the muscle. Youre missing the boat in a big way. Youre completely missing the point, most people who think that doing "slow negatives" so to speak is a different exercise than just "regular benching" are simply not doing the lift right in the first place. You for example.


Thats why i love this board. Anothe classic case of the blind trying to lead the blind. lol

You have seen one of my benching videos, but feel free to assume. I have multiple vids of benching on youtube, many of them with "slow negatives". But apparently I am wrong, my bench is going up (just under 320 now) without any major plateau's and has been doing so since I benched ~235. I bring the bar down quickly and take a brief pause to eliminate the downward force of the weight, then I press up. It is the most efficient way to press without wasting energy.

I'm not worried about tearing the muscle up, I'm worried about getting stronger. Then you will say you can't get stronger without tearing the muscle up, but then my log would tell you otherwise. Not everyone benches the same. I have a post from Travis Bell on another forum who is one of westsides top benchers and he even he says that a quicker movement is more efficient in saving the energy on the eccentric. He must be blind too.

I love how this turned into a critique MY bench when the OP was talking about bench negatives NOT the negative portion of the lift.



edit- Hank's bench goes under my theory of do what works best. He lowers the bar extremely slow, but does that mean everyone should? Yes it smokes my lift, I'm sure hank takes great pride in knowing he benches more than me.

Here is vin dizenzo at the 07 IPA worlds, benching 600 raw, he definitely does not lower the bar slow:

YouTube - Vincent Dizenzo 550 & 600 bench press

[mitchcumstein]

I dont see anywhere in the original post that that this guy is concerned with just getting stronger. This is a BODYBUILDING forum. Most here ARE concerned with tearing the muscle up.

[Eighth Wonder]

Most people do bench negatives to break a plateau....to get stronger.

If you still don't understand what he is asking for, this is a bench negative:

YouTube - 405 lbs x 2 Negative Reps - Bench Press (at 205 lbs)

[mitchcumstein]

Originally Posted by Eighth Wonder

Most people do bench negatives to break a plateau....to get stronger.

If you still don't understand what he is asking for, this is a bench negative:

YouTube - 405 lbs x 2 Negative Reps - Bench Press (at 205 lbs)

Thats how Dante says your last rep on every set should be.

[Eighth Wonder]

Originally Posted by mitchcumstein

Thats how Dante says your last rep on every set should be.

Yes, but Dante says to do it at the end of your RP'ed sets, which are working sets. The point of the bench negatives that the OP is referring to are taking supermaximal weights or weights above your max and just doing the eccentric, which I don't see a point in other then acclimating yourself to the heavier weight.

Slow negatives at the end of your working sets or for each rep in a working set, I'm sure, have their benefits. But just doing the eccentric portion with a weight heavier than what you can press up is not smart imo and not worth the possible injuries.

[mitchcumstein]

Originally Posted by Eighth Wonder

Slow negatives at the end of your working sets or for each rep in a working set, I'm sure, have their benefits. But just doing the eccentric portion with a weight heavier than what you can press up is not smart imo and not worth the possible injuries.

I dont think that was what the original poster was even talking about. He asked about using lighter weights. Youre trying to turn this thread into something it isnt.

[Eighth Wonder]

Re-read his post

Originally Posted by Geezer

I started doing negatives last month. WOW, they really burn. Some guy at the gym said not to do them over 2 weeks at a time with a 4 week break. Is this true? (The 4 week break would be normal lifting)

this is the typical way people do those negatives. They take a break from them because they tax the CNS. Why would he say he would do "normal lifting" during the 4 week break from negatives. Is normal lifting just a concentric with no negative? I don't think so. And when he was talking about lighter weights he said "I also have seen people doing this......"

I'm sure when he posts again he can clarify it for you.

Type in bench negatives in youtube and you will see more vids of the like that I just posted.