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Unlock Your Strength: The Power of Slow Negatives

Unlock Your Strength: The Power of Slow Negatives

Lyle Agagon
October 30, 2025

Sponsored by

EXERCISE 🏋️‍♂️

You go to the gym, hit the bench, then start lifting. You push the weight, and once you reach the top, you let gravity take over, then drop it way down. Sound familiar?

What if I told you that the secret to getting really strong isn’t just about lifting the weight, but fighting gravity on the way down? This is called eccentric overload training, or as most people call it, “slow negatives.”

And it’s actually pretty simple.

What’s “Negative” About It?

Think about a simple bicep curl. You curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder. That’s the “positive” part. Your muscle is shortening and working hard.

Now, when you lower the dumbbell back down, that’s the “negative” or “eccentric” part. Your muscle is still working, but now it’s lengthening. It’s acting like a brake, controlling the weight so it doesn’t just crash down.

In a normal workout, we spend about one second lifting the weight and one second lowering it. Slow negative training flips the script. We focus all our attention on that lowering part.

How to Do a Slow Negative

Let’s use a push-up as an example. A normal push-up is when you go down and up at a normal speed.

In a slow negative push-up, you lower your chest to the ground very slowly—take a full five seconds or more to do it. Count it in your head: “one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand…” Then, when you get to the bottom, push up at normal speed. You might even need to drop your knees and push up from there. And that’s totally fine.

The strength building is all in that slow, controlled descent. You’re forcing your muscles to handle tension for a much longer time than they’re used to.

Why Negative?

Because the rewards are huge!

Get Stronger, Fast: This is the biggest benefit. Slow negatives create tiny tears in your muscle fibers. When your body repairs these tears, it builds them back bigger and stronger than before.
Build Toughness and Control: By controlling a heavy weight on the way down, you’re not just building strength, you’re building muscle toughness and amazing control. This is great for athletes and just for everyday life, like carrying heavy groceries.
Break Through a Plateau: If you’ve been lifting the same weight for weeks and can’t seem to get stronger, slow negatives are your secret weapon. They shock your muscles into growing again.
Help Your Tendons and Ligaments: This type of training also strengthens the connective tissues around your joints (like your elbows and knees), which can help prevent injuries.

Just Try It

You don’t need to change your whole workout. Just add one or two sets of slow negatives at the end of an exercise.

Pull-ups: Use a chair or a jump to get your chin above the bar. Then, lower yourself down as slowly as possible.
Bench Press: Have a spotter help you lift the barbell up, then you take over and lower it on your own for a slow 5-second count.
Squats: Slowly lower yourself down for 5 seconds, then stand up at a normal pace.

Safety First!

Because this is so challenging, you have to be smart.

You WILL Be Sore: The next day or two, your muscles might feel extra sore. This is normal. It means it’s working! Just make sure to rest and recover.
Don’t Do It Every Day: Your muscles need time to repair. Only do slow negatives for a specific muscle group once a week.
Start Light: Don’t try this with your heaviest weight ever. Try it with a weight you can normally lift for 8-10 reps, and focus on the slow lowering.
Form is Everything: If you’re so tired that you can’t control the weight slowly, stop. It’s better to do three good, slow reps than five sloppy ones.

So next time you’re at the gym or working out at home, don’t just drop the weight. Take charge of it. Slow it down. Fight gravity. You’ll be strong for life!

NUTRITION 🥑

Golden Key: The Protein Secret

You just did a killer workout. You’re tired, your muscles are sore, and you’re ready to refuel. So, you make a giant protein shake or cook a huge chicken breast, thinking, "The more protein, the better!"

It seems to make sense, right? But the reality is that your body can’t actually use all that protein at once. It’s like trying to pour an entire gallon of water into a small cup. Most of it just spills over and gets wasted.

Scientists have discovered a secret about how our muscles use protein. It all comes down to a special "golden key" called leucine.

What Is Leucine?

Protein is made of smaller parts called amino acids. Your body breaks protein into these amino acids and uses them to build and repair tissue, including muscle.

One amino acid, leucine, plays a major role in this process. Leucine tells your muscle cells to begin building new protein. This step is called muscle protein synthesis.

If a meal doesn’t contain enough leucine, that signal stays weak or doesn’t happen at all. Your body still has amino acids, but the muscle-building process doesn’t start.

The "Leucine Threshold"

Inside your muscle cells, the process of building new muscle is controlled by a specific signal. Research shows that you need about 2 to 3 grams of leucine to trigger this signal effectively. This specific amount is called the leucine threshold.

If a meal contains less than this amount of leucine, the signal to build muscle is weak. The process either doesn't start or it works very slowly.

However, when a meal provides 2 to 3 grams of leucine, it strongly activates the signal. This tells your body to fully use the protein you've eaten to repair and build new muscle.

What Does This Mean For Your Meals?

You don't need to eat a massive steak at every meal to hit this threshold. You just need to eat the right amount of high-quality protein.

Here’s a simple guide. To get that 2-3 grams of leucine, you should aim for about 30-40 grams of high-quality protein in a single meal.

What does that look like in real life?

A large chicken breast (about the size of your palm)
A cup of Greek yogurt with some nuts
A hearty serving of tofu or tempeh (about the size of a deck of cards)
A good-sized scoop of protein powder in a shake
A can of tuna or a couple of eggs

The key is to spread your protein out over the day. Instead of having a tiny breakfast, a medium lunch, and a huge, protein-packed dinner, try to get a solid 30-gram dose at each main meal.

Breakfast: Eggs and toast.
Lunch: A chicken salad sandwich.
Dinner: A piece of fish with quinoa.

This way, you're turning on that muscle-building switch three times a day, instead of just once.

What Happens to the Extra Protein?

This is the important part. If you eat 60 grams of protein in one sitting, you’ll probably hit the leucine threshold just fine. But your body can only build muscle so fast. It can't use all 60 grams for muscle right away.

So, what happens to the rest?

Some of it might be used for energy. Unfortunately, if your body doesn't need it for energy right then, it can be stored as fat. It’s a waste of good protein!

This is why chugging a giant 60-gram protein shake isn't the best idea. You're better off splitting it into two smaller shakes, one after your workout and one later in the day.

The Bottom Line

You don't need to count every single gram of protein. Just remember these simple takeaways:

Think "Per Meal," Not "Per Day." Hitting your total protein goal for the day is great, but it’s how you spread it out that really matters.
Aim for 30-40 Grams. At each main meal, try to include a portion of protein that gives you about 30-40 grams. This is almost a guaranteed way to hit that leucine threshold.
Don't Overdo It in One Sitting. Your muscles have a saturation point. More isn't always better. Consistency throughout the day is the real secret.

So, the next time you eat, remember the golden key. Give your muscles that 30-gram signal at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You’ll be keeping your body in building mode all day long, helping you recover from your workouts and get stronger, one well-timed meal at a time.

BIOHACKING⚡

A Simple Guide to Myofascial Flossing and Gadgets

Have you ever woken up with a stiff neck or a tight back that just won’t loosen up? Or maybe after a workout, your muscles feel like tight rubber bands? It’s been an on-and-off issue for me for a while now. I used to always blame this on “muscles.” But it might actually be something else… the fascia.

What Is Fascia?

Imagine a thin, sticky, spider-web-like material that covers every single part of your body. It wraps around your muscles, your bones, your organs, and even your nerves. This web is called fascia (FASH-uh). Its job is to hold everything together and help your body move smoothly.

But sometimes, this web gets gummed up. If you don’t move much, get injured, or are stressed out, the fascia can get sticky and tight. It’s like a piece of tape folded on itself. It gets all stuck together. This tight fascia can cause pain, stiffness, and limit your movement. This is often called "myofascial pain."

The good news is we can work on loosening this web. Two popular ways to do this are myofascial flossing and using fascia release gadgets.

Myofascial Flossing (Not What You Think)

We’re not talking about dental floss for your muscles! Myofascial flossing is a way of moving that helps "unglue" your sticky fascia.

Here’s the idea. You use a stretchy band to wrap a part of your body, like your thigh or arm. Then, while the band is on, you move that body part through its full range of motion. For example, you might wrap your thigh and then do a series of deep squats.

What does this do? The band creates temporary pressure, and when you move, it gently pulls and slides the fascia over your muscles and bones. Think of it like wiggling a piece of tape that’s stuck to itself to slowly peel it apart. It helps to rehydrate the tissue and restore smooth movement. People often feel an immediate sense of freedom and less tightness afterward.

Fascia Release Gadgets

If flossing sounds a bit complicated, you can start with gadgets. These are tools you use to apply pressure to your tight spots. You’ve probably seen some of these before.

Foam Roller. It’s the most famous one. It’s a simple cylinder of foam. You just use your body weight to roll on it, massaging your back, legs, or arms. It’s like giving yourself a deep massage.
Massage Balls. These are small, firm balls, like lacrosse balls or specially designed ones. They are perfect for getting into smaller, tighter spots that a big foam roller can’t reach, like your glutes, shoulders, or the bottom of your feet.
Percussion Massager. This is my go-to. These are those electric gadgets that look like a power tool. They deliver rapid, tiny pulses to your muscles. They’re great for really digging deep into a tight muscle, almost like a super-fast, targeted massage.

Keeping It Simple and Safe

Before you run out and buy every gadget you see, remember these simple rules:

Don’t Go Too Hard. This isn’t a “no pain, no gain” situation. You should feel pressure, maybe even a "good hurt," but it should never be sharp, shooting pain. If it hurts, stop. You’re trying to calm your nervous system, not fight it.
Go Slow. When you’re rolling on a foam roller or using a ball, move slowly. The goal is to give the tissue time to respond and release, not to quickly bruise yourself.
Breathe. This is the most important part! When you find a tight or tender spot, just hold there and take slow, deep breaths for 30-60 seconds. You’ll often feel the area start to "melt" and relax under the pressure.
Drink Water. Fascia loves water. Staying hydrated helps keep your fascia slippery and healthy, just like oil helps a machine run smoothly.

Unwind the Web

Your body is more than just bones and muscles. It’s all connected by an amazing web called fascia. When that web is happy, you move well and feel good. When it’s tight and sticky, you feel stiff and sore.

Myofascial flossing and simple gadgets like foam rollers and massage balls are just ways to show your fascia a little love. They are tools to help you take control of your own tightness and feel better in your body. So next time you feel stiff, grab a ball or a roller, find that tight spot, breathe deep, and help your body’s web unwind.

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CHALLENGE💪

Master the Negative

Your challenge this week: Add slow negatives to just ONE exercise in your routine.

Don’t change your whole workout. We're focusing on one move to teach your muscles what slow negatives feel like.

Here’s your challenge plan:

Pick Your Exercise: Choose ONE from this list:
- Push-ups (on your knees or toes)
- Bodyweight Squats
- Pull-ups (use a chair to help you get to the top)
- Bicep Curls (with a dumbbell, kettlebell, or even a gallon of water)
Do It Twice: Perform this challenge on two separate days this week (e.g., Monday and Thursday). Always rest a day in between.
Your Routine:
- Do 3 sets of your chosen exercise.
- For each set, perform only 5 repetitions.
- For each rep, take a full 3 seconds to lower the weight or your body. Count it out: "One-Mississippi, Two-Mississippi, Three-Mississippi."
- The lift or push back up can be at your normal speed.

The Key Rule: The lowering phase must be slow and controlled. If you start to drop quickly, the rep doesn't count. It's better to do 3 good slow reps than 5 fast ones.

Try it out and see how much more challenging a simple exercise can feel. You might be surprised by how sore you get—that's a sign you're getting stronger