Lower Slowly
There is nothing new under the sun says Ecclesiastes…or moon either for that matter… adds Bonnie Prudden in her New York Times best seller Pain Erasure the Bonnie Prudden Way. “Everything was always here in one form or another.”
CONCENTRIC: Concentric strength exercises include squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pullups, bicep curls, and calf raises, all emphasizing the muscleshortening (lifting) phase to build force production and power.
I once had a well-known power lifter as a patient. One day he came in and told me he had started walking again. I asked if he was walking fast. “I can’t walk fast”, he said. He could lift an incredible load but he had no flexibility and couldn’t even reach around to put his hand in his back pocket. Muscle without flexibility is prone to injury. If you want to look like a bulky power lifter then use the concentric workout and expect injury.
Roll Back Slowly
ECCENTRIC: Eccentric is back in style. Examples of this are lowering slowly in the let-down from a push-up, lowering slowly into the chair, lowering slowly from a chin-up position, rolling back down slowly from a sit-up, lowering slowly from a wall or counter push-up. By performing the exercise in reverse you are providing the needed resistance for strengthening the muscles, but you are doing it when the muscle is lengthening. This is four times as efficient as when the muscle is shortening or contracting. Thus your DOWN movements, let-downs and roll-downs are more important to your improvement then your UP movements, chin-ups, push-ups or sit-ups.
Since your body is your equipment you don’t have to spend time going to the gym or spend money joining the gym. It does not require intense, painful or exhausting workouts that leave you sore or completely fatigued. So if you would rather look like a runner with long strong flexible muscles that are less prone to injury then include eccentric exercises during your workout.
During these movements, muscles generate high force while using less oxygen and energy than during lifting or pushing actions. This means you can improve muscle strength, size, and performance without feeling as exhausted.
Building muscle and strength does not require intense, painful, or exhausting workouts. That’s the finding of a study by researchers at Edith Cowan University in Australia. Their research challenges the common belief that effective exercise must leave people sore or completely fatigued. The study suggests that even short daily sessions — around five minutes a day — can produce meaningful health and strength benefits.
And don’t forget…strength plus flexibility in the proper timing and intensity yield coordination. One or the other is not an option if you want to perform at your best.
Let Down Slowly
Warm–up first. A warm muscle performs better and is 20% safer from injury.
Strength and flexibility. Long and slow…enjoy.
If you have questions or need help, email me at enid@bonnieprudden.com. For more information about Bonnie Prudden®, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®, books, self-help tools, educational videos, NCBTMB Approved Courses, videos free, for rent or for purchase, blogs, vlogs and newsletters, visit www.bonnieprudden.com or call 520-299-8064 if you have questions or need help. Enid Whittaker, Managing Director, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®
