Negative-Accentuated Repetitions

Bigger Stronger Leaner Ellington Darden HIT Coaching
21

Years ago, Dr. Ellington Darden wrote “Bigger Muscles in 42 Days.” In this book, which I might add was very detailed, contained a chapter or two on contra-lateral training. CL training is upper-body right side added to lower-body left side, and repeated during another training session for the other “contra-side.” Dr. Darden describes this technique well, however the method never became popular with the HiT crowd.

This technique facilitates recovery. As I have aged recovering from high intensity workouts has become very important. I have been experimenting with CL negative-accentuated leg extensions. Granted, I have the exceptional Nautilus (slick as grease) Next Generation leg extension , to perform this technique and ascertain the value of such a methodology.

What I learned!

  1. recovery is facilitated … how much … enough to feel good the next day.

  2. Concentration is enhanced with contra-lateral training.

  3. Most important! While doing the concentric with both legs for negative accentuated, following an extended eccentric, the resultant inroad into muscular fatigue is high. The concentric muscular endurance all but collapses after properly loaded extended eccentrics. One leg and done! Contra-Lateral!

  4. after eccentric failure with the chosen CL leg, continue on with regular speed “pulse reps” with the both legs as the fresher leg drives the CL to further fatigue. This helps muscular endurance.

22

Keep us up to date on your CL training. Thank you for applying it.

23

Dr. Darden,

I had a question about the evolution on your thinking on negative accentuated rep schemes.

I believe that you first proposed the 30/30/30 protocol in The Body Fat Breakthrough. Then, in a subsequent book (Killing Fat) you suggested the 30/10x/30 scheme. I believe you also had a later book for women (Tighten Your Tummy) where you talked about 15/15/15 plus 8 to 12.

So it seems that after experimenting with just slow reps (60-60, 30-30-30, and negative only), you went back combining slow eccentrics with regular reps.

Given the sequence of these developments, I’m tempted to conclude that you think 30/10x/30 and similar variants are in some way better than the original slow-only schemes? Am I reading too much into this? Perhaps this is a topic you plan to address in the next book? (Or is it discussed in Killing Fat?)

24

Right now, my thinking is that 30-10-30 is the best of the schemes you mentioned. But having all of the techniques you mentioned, available in your toolbox and mixing them into your routines, is better than sticking to the best.

3 Likes
25

Contra-Lateral is a good technique for the lats. Negative-Accuentuated on the Nautilus Next Generation Pullover machine can be tricky to do safely and productively.
Contra-Lateral (CL) simply facilitates recovery. Simply put! The Achilles heel of eccentric exercise is a lack of metabolic work. Simply put!

Resist full range movement on the pullover machine. Stop the movement with the arms at your side. Stretch the shoulder no more than the upper arms parallel to the ground.
Use the off arm to grab the middle of the pullover movement arm to assist the positive portion of the movement. Keep the off hand on the opposite working shoulder, out of the way of the machine movement arm. I like s-l-o-w eccentric reps. Quickly grab the machine movement arm to reposition for the next eccentric rep.
When eccentric reps become too fast for proper safety, quickly reposition and utilize both arms for standard pullover reps. It is surprising how many reps the fresh side can force the fatigued side to do.

26

planet_healh, would you mind explaining what static max pyramid means?

27

John Little’s Protocol. In my Leg Press Relative Illustrative Example:
Static Hold with legs at 90 degrees the following weights on stack each for 20 seconds than about a five second weight change …
250
270
290
310
290
270
250 … next session add 5 pounds. Large relative weights will require assist to get into position. In this exercise use arms/hands to hoist through knees

28

How many exercises are you doing per workout with that method?

29

Currently. Three Compound exercises per session, once a week. However, I am still regaining from Ch19a quarantine. I expect to be at machine stack limits by January and will then apply 303030. The typical machines where never designed for larger relative weight loads.

Many assume ultra-slow motion requires lighter relative loads, but when properly applied ultra-slow (near zero, zero) motion requires more weight. Every few months I perform a “typical” SuperSlow (20/20) set to re-check, and it is “easier” than the same static hold.

30

For those not familiar with Max Pyramid: This is an exercise protocol that John Little started promoting after he wrote the Advanced Max Contraction book. He did a pretty detailed blog post about it on Dr. McGuff’s Body By Science forum, which is (unfortunately) no longer in existence. However, someone did copy that particular post, and it can be found of the Scribd.com site, if you have account. There is also a series of 4 demo videos that Little posted to YouTube, and these are still available. Just google “John Little Max Pyramid” and you can find the links.

In his original BBS post Little stated the following:

“The Max Pyramid is simply a training option. I like it because I think if one can reduce the forces coming back to the body and the wear and tear, while retaining productive elements of the stimulus then it’s a step in the right direction. It also requires virtually a “zero” learning curve as you don’t have to focus on slowing down on the turnaround points, and moving at a specific cadence. Having said this, it’s also a new protocol as against the “Big 5” that has been employed successfully for decades. I don’t think the stimulus component is necessarily any better with Max Pyramid than with the protocol we recommend in BBS, so if it’s more practical to stick to a “Big 5” (or a “Big 3” performed as we recommend in BBS), then stick with that. The forces are also very low in the BBS “Big 5” workout and it has a much longer (and better established) track record. Don’t worry about switching over, particularly if it will require seeking out a special trainer. Just get to the gym, work hard, don’t overtrain, get adequate rest and recovery and you’ll be doing just fine.”

There is also a chapter on Max Pyramid in Little’s most recent book, The Time Savers workout. In that book, he describes the protocol as the unofficial “house protocol” used at his Nautilus North Facility.

I suspect that he prefers it for ease of application, rather than because it provides a superior stimulus.

When comparing it to 30/30/30, I would say that some of the same considerations apply as when comparing it to the superslow protocol. With 30/30/30, you still have to worry about executing smooth turnarounds, and are trying to again match a slow target cadence. As far as I can tell, executing such slow movements is a pretty demanding motor control task for humans; it is a willful, volitional movement which requires some level of skill. The static holds used in Max Pyramid are much simpler to execute. But then you don’t get much of either a concentric or eccentric contraction, and you also don’t get a full range of movement. It is just a mid point isometric contraction, which many will find unsatisfying.

So, pick your poisin. Probably just another tool in the toolbox, as they say….

31

You nailed it when you said “another training option”
Which is of course a good thing.