Women really should lift heavy like a man...
Super Slow The Ultimate Exercise Protocol Review
You’ve probably seen them, the weight lifting crowd who pick up a set of relatively light weights and toss them back and forth like hot potatoes they can’t wait to put down. Many people – particularly women who believe the myth that lifting heavy weights will make them bulky – make the classic weight training mistake of lifting weights that are too light. The other classic mistake is they perform repetitions too rapidly. Both of these mistakes mean they are engaging less muscle fiber. This means little or no muscle growth.
What’s the answer? Isn’t it obvious, lift heavier (while performing a set of 8 to 12 repetitions you should barely be able to complete the last few reps) and lift slower to engage as much muscle fiber as possible. Try the Super Slow technique for better results in your muscle building program.
“Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol” by Ken Hutchins is not a new fad or a big secret in serious bodybuilding circles. The book was published in 1984 and this technique, simply put, involves performing each repetition very slowly, taking from 8 seconds up to 15 seconds to perform both the concentric movement (contraction), then eccentric movement (extension) of a single rep. (Concentric contraction occurs when a muscle shortens in length and develops tension e.g. the upward movement of a dumbbell in a biceps curl. Eccentric contraction involves the development of tension whilst the muscle is being lengthened e.g. the downward movement of a dumbbell in a biceps curl).
I cherish my copy of Super Slow and at $45.00 for a used copy at Amazon I plan to hang onto it. If you’re not up to the high price of the (rather technical and tedious) book, there are DVDs for $20.00 plus shipping at the Super Slow website and workshops available at some gyms for the hardcore trainer.
And this technique can be applied on your own by simply SLOWING DOWN. Don’t sling those weights around, don’t set the weight on machines so light you can push or pull at a fast pace (a sign you’re lifting too light), and don’t use resistance bands that offer little resistance. Effective weight or resistance training should be hard to perform, done with strict form, and done slow enough to stimulate muscles.
Research shows that this simple and effective weight training technique can have dramatic effects on muscle gains. Simply lifting a weight slowly and steadily and taking 8 to 15 seconds to perform both concentric and eccentric movements will drastically improve muscle recruitment during exercise and lead to better gains in muscle (assuming your diet, stress control, and sleep habits support maximum muscle growth. Weight lifting will accomplish nothing if the rest of your lifestyle does not support anabolism).
Super Slow effectively exhausts muscles by taking them to momentary failure in fewer repetitions, as low as 5 repetitions per set. The results of studies show up to 50% more muscle and strength gains in 8-10 weeks for both men and women.
I’ve owned my copy of ‘Super Slow’ since the late 1990’s and have applied the principles from time to time but not as often as I should have, although the principle is always in the back of my mind swirling in my sub-conscious. This has caused me to slow down my repetitions and pay attention to effective muscle contraction even when I wasn’t going ‘super slow’. Since I recently resurrected my super slow training I’m experiencing harder muscles, I’m lifting heavier, and my lean mass has gone up (measured by bio-impedance meter).
Is this technique harder to apply than your typical toss ‘em around and rack ‘em workouts? You bet. But if you’re going to take the time and energy and expense to bother to go to the gym and train, why not make your training as effective as possible.
Performing Super Slow on a regular basis or as a stand alone program may not be an optimal approach to weight training. Like all exercise regimens it should not be regarded as the only approach to muscle building or fitness. The true ultimate approach to fitness is keeping variety in your workouts and preventing adaptation and plateau. But Super Slow is certainly a valuable method that should belong in your fitness repertoire.
More information:
Super Slow Training: Destroying the Dogma by David Barr
If someone promised you that you could make the most dramatic gains in muscle size and strength by using a particular training method, you’d do it, right? No, you’re too smart to fall for such common false claims… But what if this technique were rooted in scientific theory, and was actually supported by scientific studies? Would you do it then? Bet your ass you would! Well I can tell you now that Super Slow Training has both a scientific foundation and scientific literature supporting its effectiveness!
How Much Muscle Can You Really Expect To Gain?
Super Slow Zone
Super Slow Resistance Training by Jeff Nelson, M.Ed. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D.
Super Slow Wiki
Tempo and Tension Maximization by Tom Venuto
