Exercise of the Week - October 26

It is another new week which means another new exercise for you to try out.

So, we all know that pushups are really great for us. Engaging many muscles in our body. Strengthening our abs (if we are doing them right), legs are tight. Shoulders, chest, triceps are all working.

This week we are going to do Negative Pushups.
The Eccentric phase (lowering) of an exercise is where we make the most strength gains! Many peop

Your muscles work much harder on the eccentric phase. Think of this, if you walked up several flights of stairs all day, but took the elevator down, your legs would be tired, yes. But, if you took the elevator up and walked DOWN the stairs all day, your legs would be much MORE tired.
Many people do not know this. So, if you want to improve your pushups, negative pushups are the way to go.

Here is how it should be done. Start in a pushup position (on toes or on knees depending on level). Then SLOWLY lower for 6 counts (one thousand one, one thousand two.....) and do 6 reps. You will lower yourself all the way to the ground, SLOWLY, with your arms at a 45* angle.

You can either push back up within the pushup position. Or you can go onto hands and knees and bring yourself to the starting position. I am not as concerned about the concentric contraction, here, so much as the eccentric contraction.

So 6 reps of a 6 count lower. See if you can do 2-3 sets and don't be surprised if it is a little harder to brush your hair  the next day ;)