super slow movements

[Tanman]

I know this is probably an old topic but it is new to me. I have used the super slow 10 second positive 4 second negative lifts for my last three workouts. Wow! Maybe its the lowering of the weight and concentrating more on the contraction of the muscle fibers but I have never had a workout quite like it. I don't really know how to explain it. I felt like I could feel the muscles that I lifting with exhaust by the second. Have any of you tried this? I have to admit that it is time consuming and gets a little tedious after a while. But I think it may be a good way to vastly improve form and move through some plateuas.

[bad brains]

yup yup....form is everything, you can't beat the burning sensation of a good slow negative.I stopped worrying about massive weight a while back and concentrated on strict form and paid much more attention to the negative part of the movement....the results have paid huge dividends thus far...keep with it bro, and feel those great burns.....

"Marshall to Friesen....score....Devils win, Devils win"....Stanley Cup Champions '95,'00,...03?

[E2]

yes it works well, but if you use it all the time you will find that your reaction times and your speed will seriously decrease, i use superslow workout occasionaly that's it.

[Beezers]

There's no doubt super-slow works. It brutally traumatises muscle fibers so they have no choice but to adapt. However, as E2 stated periodization/change is an absolute in the sport of weight training...whether it be for sport specific purposes or asthetic purposes. I've been utilizing it lately and it does work very well, but you MUST check your ego at the door as you will not be able to move your usual weights. I can break out a dozen reps, for example, on the nautilus leg extention with a weight of 275 in a "slow", controled tempo; but with "super-slow I am only able to do 150 pounds for 6 reps(tops)...which takes well over one minute to complete the set. The idea is time under tension, so that set, though only a "mere" one minute in existance, feels like an hour, and the following day you will find me, or my clients, grasping for any hand railing at our disposal. It's a great technique for bodybuilders, but cannot be used all the time. Should you use it every set of every training sesion on every exercise you will loose explosiveness, and eventually plateau. As with all training methodologies you have to have variety. I do agree though that the burn and subsequent pump as Arnold said is "orgasmic". Try it guys and gals and enjoy the fact that you're one of the few capable of enduring such "pleasurable" !agony!

[Tanman]

I was wondering how you guys do or would incorporate this into your regular workouts. I was considering doing super slow movements one week a month or something like that. I can tell you that my chest hasn't been this sore is a very long time. I guess I will try a trial and error method. I definitely agree that doing movements like this all the time will take away some of your explosive power. I can recall the strongest and fastest I ever was happened to be after doing box jumps and powerlifting to improve speed work in college. Maybe I can work to incorporate a variety of movements and exercises to take advantage of both power and concentration type exercises. Thanks for the responses and I will let you know what I come up with on my own.

[bigmag]

I usually perform slow reps during contest preparation b/c I seem to get better shape from them, however I don't go as slow as you're talking about. I usually take about a 3 second posotive and a 2 second negative and that seems to work best for me.

Success is my only option!!

[E2]

Personally i'll throw it in about once every two months, for one body cycle, 5 days for me.

[Nutzz]

I did some slow reps two days ago when doing my calves. At the time it felt great, long stretch to full contraction. Today they hurt more than ** prop in the quads... I seriously have trouble walking. Is this type of soreness indicitive of overtraining?

[BodyByFinaplix]

It works due to extreme time under tension. Sower slow training tends to seriously exceed the lactic acid threashold, and causes a corisponding massive release of hgh..you'll plateau very quickly within 3 to 4 weeks.
Right now I train half my body one day, half the next then repeat the cycle too more time, before a day off (6 on one off, each bp 3 times). Only 1-4 sets (average of 2) per bodypart. 1st workout per bodypart is 3-5 reps, second 6-10, 3rd 11-20. I do superslow often on the 11-20 rep range days, especially nice for back to back supersets for oposing muscle groups. You get no rest for 4-6 sets all superslow, with high reps. It definately burns the next day.