E-Lifts
Why you need some Explosive Lifts
in your strength training plan

Part I

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If you've been in the gym during the past few years, you've probably heard these strength training strategies tossed around; light weight / high reps and heavy weight / low reps. One of the newest strength training strategy on the block is Slow Reps, which refers to a slow moving weight lifting tempo. Think about doing a standard barbell curl in super-slow motion, and that's what Slow Reps look like.

I've been in the gym for 40 years and I've seen fitness movements come and go. I've even seen some great training inventions, and I've seen some old fitness gimmicks reinvented under different names, as if they were new revolutionary discoveries by marketers hoping to cash in. New training techniques can be very positive too, particularly if they evolve from an established and proven system of training.

Plyometrics is a good example of the positive evolution of training methods.

Plyometrics take different forms, but these exercises are closely related to calisthenics that were used by coaches and drill sergeants during the 40s - 70s. Then some Russian engineers took calisthenics, applied some basic science for sports specific training, and evolved this form of exercise to a new level. Today we call these exercises plyometrics. Coaches use plyometrics worldwide to improve athletic performance by developing fast-twitch muscle fiber.

The evolution of plyometrics teaches us that it's important to challenge training methods and improve them when possible. On the positive side, the Slow Reps method reinforces the need to isolate muscle groups during strength training. Since Arthur Jones and Dr. Ellington Darden revolutionized the strength training scene in the 70s with their versions of high-intensity training (HIT), the principle of isolation has been one of the three key concepts in my strength-training programs.

Isolation means to train one muscle group completely by eliminating other groups that attempt to jump in and synergistically assist the fatigued targeted muscle group to keep the exercise going. Isolation allows a muscle group to get more work so the targeted muscles achieve a superior adaptation by becoming bigger and stronger.

Isolation is an important training strategy and the Slow Reps method clearly helps to isolate targeted muscle groups. And that's positive. Slow Reps also adds to the intensity of the exercise so less weight can be used, and for many, this can be positive for the joints.

Slow Reps may also limit some exercises to work the fast-twitch muscle fiber. The reason why? Muscles adapt. Muscles adapt to the way they are trained, or not trained. You can't be around an exercise physiologist very long without hearing the word "adaptation," because that's what muscles do. When muscles are trained, they adapt. Slow reps, as well as the traditional lifting tempo of up-on-two and down-on-four, works slow muscle fiber. Again, that's positive because slow-twitch fiber is close to half of your muscle fiber, but that leaves you with the other half of your muscle fiber decreasing in size and strength unless they are worked.

Now, if you plan living life in slow motion, or play a sport where being slow is positive, then you may not want to add fast-fiber developing E-Lifts to your training program. But if you want to work all of your muscle fiber, then just try E-Lifts one time, and you'll know that this method is the real deal.

Will this method work for adults of all ages? Researchers report, yes:

More on E-Lifts in Part II, or pick up a copy of Ready Set Go Fitness today.

Have a great day!

Phil Campbell, M.S., M.A.
Author, Ready, Set, Go! Synergy Fitness