Negative CAN Be Good! Marathon Running!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Beth Ostrosky NYC Marathon Time 4:15:39 (Photos)

OK, who got the analogy? When NEGATIVE is a good thing!!! Fitness talk, anyone? Weight & resistance training talk anyone? Ya got it now???

Let's say you are going about your business weight lifting, weight training, resistance training. Whatever you want to call it. This means dumbbells, weight plates, cables, machines, resistance bands, any water bottle or source of weight you are using at home or at the gym.

HAVE YOU DONE NEGATIVES??? I think many of you know what a negative is in terms of weight training ... But, just in case you don't, read this from SparkPeople. I have a piece of the full article below as I want to talk about negatives BUT read the previous link as it discusses HIT, High Intensity Training, in relation to strength training. A very good post!

  • Slow, controlled movement. Without bouncing and without using momentum, take 2-3 full seconds to lift the weight (positive phase). Before lowering the weight, pause for half a second and "squeeze" the contracted muscle. Finish one rep by taking 4-5 full seconds to lower the weight to the starting position (negative phase). The key here is to keep the muscle under constant tension, without allowing the weight to rest on the machine or your body at the bottom of the negative phase.
  • Full range of motion. Each exercise should be taken through the complete range of joint movement, but don't fully straighten or “lock out” your joints.
  • Momentary muscle fatigue (MMF). You want to "feel the burn" in the target muscle by the end of your set—without sacrificing the perfect form described above. You will defeat the purposes of HIT by arching your back, rocking your body, or trying to use momentum to squeeze out another repetition or two. You will also limit training effectiveness by stopping at a predetermined number of repetitions per set if you could do more without sacrificing form.

    Negatives can really move your training & results to the next level. Use a lighter weight when trying this! If you are just "moving through" your weights or doing them with no thought to how fast or slow, getting back to your mind/muscle link will help you turn around "no or stagnated results" to moving past that plateau in terms of molding that body that is now showing off all your hard work at losing weight!!

    There are many different opinions & articles on negatives but for the average person, I think the key to working up to negatives & just improving your results in general is to slow down the move & really concentrate not only on the lift portion (concentric) but especially on the release or eccentric portion. Don't just do it without a thought in sight. Don't just drop it. Feel it & pay attention to what you are doing & get that form right! Negatives are a medium to advanced move so do read the SparkPeople link above!

    Anyone done negatives & want to sing their praise??? I am one singing their praise!

    Marathon Running - Want to try?????

    I got an email from Melinda at Finding Life's Secret Sauce. She has started on her third book, a how-to run a first marathon, for non-elite runners, by a non-elite runner, title TBD. 

    She wants to feature 5-6 first time marathoners in the book and on her blog. As part of the project, she will also provide free coaching. Her blog post with more detail is HERE.

    Melinda is really interested in a variety of ages/types of people who want to run a marathon as a means of improving their overall health and fitness. ARE YOU INTERESTED??? If yes, please read her post and contact her directly.

    Sounds exciting! Out of your comfort zone anyone????

    • Posted by truth2beingfit at 7/13/2010 9:00 PM
    Categories: Weight Loss, Weights, Workouts, Tips, Resistance Training, Weight lifting, Exercise
    Tags: resistance training Weight Loss marathon training Finding Lifes Secret Sauce negatives Exercise workouts weight lifting challenges cardio
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    • 7/13/2010 9:21 PM Emergefit wrote:
      My first marathon was a point-to-point race; Folsom to Sacramento. Start temp = 32 degrees. Finish temp = 32 degrees. My 13.1 split was best of my life; 1hour 45min. Fell at mile 15 -- went hypothermic, but never quit running -- just adjusted to shuffle mode. Finish time? 6hours 4min. Sad, very sad.

      RE Negatives: The controlled negative is also where the shape of the muscle is most enhanced -- during the lengthening phase. Also, negatives done through a full range of motion is where most soreness is fostered. Wanna get sore? Slow down the eccentric -- even 6-8 seconds. Agreed; control, length, concentrate, good things!!!
      Reply to this
      1. 7/14/2010 5:57 AM truth2beingfit wrote:
        Roy, I had no doubt you would love the negative post!
        Reply to this
        1. 7/14/2010 8:21 PM Emergefit wrote:
          I had no doubt that you would have no doubt
          Reply to this
    • 7/13/2010 9:21 PM Karma wrote:
      Hey Jody - I actually know what negatives are (yes, it's a miracle since I haven't lifted weights seriously for a long time), and you are 100% right, they are good for you. So many times at the gym I see people lifting weights with no control and definitely not emphasizing the negative part of the lift - they could get so much more out of it - but perhaps they would need to lower the amount of weight they are lifting, in order to do it right, and this probably keeps some of them from making the change. Anyway, your post and your love for weights keeps me enthused about getting started again...I am almost there.

      I visited Melinda's site because somewhere in my mind I think, yes, I want to run a marathon, but then I remember that running and I have a love hate relationship. I did love her site and the tips she gave for running injuries - I have a few injuries that are threatening so it was very helpful. Thanks for taking care of us with your posts.
      Reply to this
      1. 7/14/2010 5:58 AM truth2beingfit wrote:
        Karma, thx! Yes, a person has to use lighter weights & some people just can't mentally get that... they are too much into the amount of weight counts when doing negatives with lighter weights would help them even more!
        Reply to this
    • 7/14/2010 2:48 AM MizFit wrote:
      I swear it was almost as freeing the day I decided this bod would NEVER RUN A MARATHON as I imagine it might be to run one?

      not for me.
      to much cardio pushes this woman into overtraining.

      fast.

      now the NEGATIVES?

      I love me some negatives
      Reply to this
      1. 7/14/2010 5:57 AM truth2beingfit wrote:
        Miz, you & me both.. and Roy too.. love the negatives!
        Reply to this
    • 7/14/2010 4:28 AM Joanna wrote:
      I have no desire to run a marathon but I do love changing up my lift speeds in the gym. Good body changing stuff!
      Reply to this
    • 7/14/2010 4:33 AM South Beach Steve wrote:
      I am sure I have heard of negatives before, but I don't really remember reading it. This looks like something I could do with my resistance bands.
      Reply to this
      1. 7/14/2010 5:56 AM truth2beingfit wrote:
        Steve, YES! You can no negatives with just about anything & definitely with your bands. Give a little pause & squeeze at the top before releasing slowly.
        Reply to this
    • 7/14/2010 5:08 AM karen-fitnessjourney wrote:
      I'm a fan of negatives myself. Sometimes I see people at the gym lifting so fast you think they might take off in flight at any minute.
      Reply to this
      1. 7/14/2010 5:55 AM truth2beingfit wrote:
        Karen, that comment is so true & cracked me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
        Reply to this
    • 7/14/2010 6:58 AM sian-girlgetstrong wrote:
      Marthon? I don't think so but I do enjoy pushing myself hard..more with the weights...maybe 1/2 one day?!
      Reply to this
    • 7/14/2010 8:21 AM Lance wrote:
      Jody,
      It's been a long time since I've done negatives in the weight room....maybe it's time to mix it up a bit! Thanks!!
      Reply to this
      1. 7/14/2010 2:14 PM truth2beingfit wrote:
        Lance, glad to remind you & I bet your bod will tell you too!
        Reply to this
    • 7/14/2010 11:40 AM AndrewENZ wrote:
      Mizfit will run a marathon one day. You heard it here first!
      Reply to this
    • 7/14/2010 1:16 PM Melinda Neely wrote:
      Jody, Thanks so much for promoting my book. I had so many inspiring people volunteer to be featured in my book, thanks in part to you.

      And how ironic? My running partner is named Jodi!
      Reply to this
      1. 7/14/2010 2:12 PM truth2beingfit wrote:
        Melinda, glad to help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope it all works out for you & what a coincidence on the name! Me, my aging & flat, broken down, bunioned feet all do so much. Yes, I run & do my HIIT but that distance would be too hard on what is going on with my feet right now!
        Reply to this

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