The Right Way to Do Slow Negative Reps | Julian Smith, The Quad Guy
Using slow negatives and unique body positioning is the secret to building a show-stopping physique. Just ask rising fitness star Julian "The Quad Guy" Smith.n► Julian Smith's Top 5 Exercises for Slow Negative Reps: https://bbcom.me/3vewKZKn► Subscribe To Our Channel: http://bit.ly/2DK5lGDnnJulian Smith stands up for some of the things that many lifters either love to hate, or just plain overlook. A few of his favorites: Smith machines, sissy squats, and drawing out the negative—and I mean really drawing it out.nnThis former multi-sport athlete had multiple collegiate offers to play football, but he realized the downside of such a punishing sport after sustaining multiple concussions his senior year. Faced with the closing of one athletic avenue, he turned to bodybuilding. Since then, he's built a pair of legs that earned him the nickname "The Quad Guy," as well as a cult-like following online for his open-minded approach to training and his ability to craft innovative updates of gym classics.nnIn general, Smith gravitates toward the old-school method of training—a no-bullshit approach that seriously controls the eccentric portion of lifts in each exercise to maximize gains.nn"The negative is what is stopping the weight from actually going all the way down," Smith explains. "Lengthening the negative engages more muscle fibers and makes your muscle work more."nnHere are Smith's top five exercises to turn around and slow down. Slow negatives can produce DOMS like nothing else, though, so handle with care, lighten the weight, and be prepared to struggle—in a good way.nn1. Wide-Grip D-Handle Pull-upnWhen it comes to upper-body pulling strength, the pull-up is king. But by focusing on how many reps they can do—either to hit certain rep ranges or to finish high-intensity workouts—many lifters end up doing high-speed, momentum-heavy reps that limit their strength and muscle gains.nnSmith's solution is to push the time under tension through the roof by slowing the lowering half of the pull-up down to a crawl.nn2. DeadliftnThe deadlift is not the most obvious choice for increased time under tension. In fact, many lifters advocate straight up dropping every rep from the top, and swear that to do anything slower is downright dangerous. But as Smith explains, if you're not feeling deadlifts in your lats, hamstrings, and glutes, the answer isn't to chase bigger numbers—it's to pump the brakes and slow this movement down.nnSmith hits deads with 8-10-second negatives per rep. Seriously! As you can see in the video, he even uses the stopwatch on his phone to help keep him honest.nn"I rarely do deads anymore," he notes, "but I make sure I get them in every second or third back workout, and I've seen way more benefits slowing it down to make the back really work."nn3. Smith Machine Flat BenchnThink the only way to bench is with two feet on the floor, two hands on a barbell, and your heart set on big numbers? Smith asks you to consider an entirely new approach.nn"I'd rather do the lightest amount of weight possible if it's going to stimulate my muscles the right way," he says.nnMost spotters would snooze from boredom watching a 10-second negative on every rep of the bench press. That's why Smith opts for the friendly confines of the Smith machine as a safer option that lends itself perfectly to slow tempo lifting.nn"This will wake up every fiber in your chest," he boasts. "I like to lower the bar down toward mid to lower pecs, keeping the shoulder blades retracted during the entire exercise."nn4. Heels-Elevated Smith Machine SquatnWhy use a machine to squat when most coaches swear free weights are the superior option? Two words: quad dominance. As a 12-year veteran of bodybuilding, Smith is well versed in the ways of aesthetic lifting.nn"Smith machine squats are for pansies? Try this shit," he dares you.nn5. Incline Barbell PressnFor the final must-have negative exercise in his arsenal, Smith uses a standard bar and a spotter—albeit one who isn't paying much attention to the bar. On the incline press, Smith maintains a 4-second negative for each rep as he lowers the bar to his upper pecs.nnIf you are struggling to feel an exercise where you know you should, Smith suggests trying different grips and positions to find the one that works for you. In his case, he likes a narrow grip with flared elbows.nn"If you think this is too close of a grip for you, don't do it…that simple," he says.nn=============================================nn| Follow Us |n► YouTube: http://bit.ly/1RSJFa4n► Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1lomhprn► Instagram: http://bit.ly/1LzBxabn► Twitter: http://bit.ly/1RSJQlLn► Google+: http://bit.ly/1NRe8qun► Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1OOZgY4n► Spotify: http://spoti.fi/1NRebm0
Using slow negatives and unique body positioning is the secret to building a show-stopping physique. Just ask rising fitness star Julian "The Quad Guy" Smith.n► Julian Smith's Top 5 Exercises for Slow Negative Reps: https://bbcom.me/3vewKZKn► Subscribe To Our Channel: http://bit.ly/2DK5lGDnnJulian Smith stands up for some of the things that many lifters either love to hate, or just plain overlook. A few of his favorites: Smith machines, sissy squats, and drawing out the negative—and I mean really drawing it out.nnThis former multi-sport athlete had multiple collegiate offers to play football, but he realized the downside of such a punishing sport after sustaining multiple concussions his senior year. Faced with the closing of one athletic avenue, he turned to bodybuilding. Since then, he's built a pair of legs that earned him the nickname "The Quad Guy," as well as a cult-like following online for his open-minded approach to training and his ability to craft innovative updates of gym classics.nnIn general, Smith gravitates toward the old-school method of training—a no-bullshit approach that seriously controls the eccentric portion of lifts in each exercise to maximize gains.nn"The negative is what is stopping the weight from actually going all the way down," Smith explains. "Lengthening the negative engages more muscle fibers and makes your muscle work more."nnHere are Smith's top five exercises to turn around and slow down. Slow negatives can produce DOMS like nothing else, though, so handle with care, lighten the weight, and be prepared to struggle—in a good way.nn1. Wide-Grip D-Handle Pull-upnWhen it comes to upper-body pulling strength, the pull-up is king. But by focusing on how many reps they can do—either to hit certain rep ranges or to finish high-intensity workouts—many lifters end up doing high-speed, momentum-heavy reps that limit their strength and muscle gains.nnSmith's solution is to push the time under tension through the roof by slowing the lowering half of the pull-up down to a crawl.nn2. DeadliftnThe deadlift is not the most obvious choice for increased time under tension. In fact, many lifters advocate straight up dropping every rep from the top, and swear that to do anything slower is downright dangerous. But as Smith explains, if you're not feeling deadlifts in your lats, hamstrings, and glutes, the answer isn't to chase bigger numbers—it's to pump the brakes and slow this movement down.nnSmith hits deads with 8-10-second negatives per rep. Seriously! As you can see in the video, he even uses the stopwatch on his phone to help keep him honest.nn"I rarely do deads anymore," he notes, "but I make sure I get them in every second or third back workout, and I've seen way more benefits slowing it down to make the back really work."nn3. Smith Machine Flat BenchnThink the only way to bench is with two feet on the floor, two hands on a barbell, and your heart set on big numbers? Smith asks you to consider an entirely new approach.nn"I'd rather do the lightest amount of weight possible if it's going to stimulate my muscles the right way," he says.nnMost spotters would snooze from boredom watching a 10-second negative on every rep of the bench press. That's why Smith opts for the friendly confines of the Smith machine as a safer option that lends itself perfectly to slow tempo lifting.nn"This will wake up every fiber in your chest," he boasts. "I like to lower the bar down toward mid to lower pecs, keeping the shoulder blades retracted during the entire exercise."nn4. Heels-Elevated Smith Machine SquatnWhy use a machine to squat when most coaches swear free weights are the superior option? Two words: quad dominance. As a 12-year veteran of bodybuilding, Smith is well versed in the ways of aesthetic lifting.nn"Smith machine squats are for pansies? Try this shit," he dares you.nn5. Incline Barbell PressnFor the final must-have negative exercise in his arsenal, Smith uses a standard bar and a spotter—albeit one who isn't paying much attention to the bar. On the incline press, Smith maintains a 4-second negative for each rep as he lowers the bar to his upper pecs.nnIf you are struggling to feel an exercise where you know you should, Smith suggests trying different grips and positions to find the one that works for you. In his case, he likes a narrow grip with flared elbows.nn"If you think this is too close of a grip for you, don't do it…that simple," he says.nn=============================================nn| Follow Us |n► YouTube: http://bit.ly/1RSJFa4n► Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1lomhprn► Instagram: http://bit.ly/1LzBxabn► Twitter: http://bit.ly/1RSJQlLn► Google+: http://bit.ly/1NRe8qun► Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1OOZgY4n► Spotify: http://spoti.fi/1NRebm0
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