Fit Life: Simple workout hack to build strength quicker

KY3's Paul Adler visits with Pamela Hernandez of Thrive Personal Fitness to get a look at a simple strength building hack for your workout.

Here's what Pamela wrote:

Yes, a negative can be a positive in the gym!

Your time spent lifting weights is probably focused on the contraction of the muscle. Your focus is on the curl up during your bicep curl, not the lowering down. That is a missed opportunity. Taking control of the eccentric phase of the movement, or the lowering of the weight in your bicep curl, can be a great way to build strength without using heavier and heavier weights. This advanced technique, called negatives, could also help make your strength workout more challenging when you only have access to a limited range of dumbbells. It’s simple to practice. Practice the concentric phase (the curl up in a bicep curl) at an average speed. Then, when you lower the weight, do it slowly and with control to a count of ten. You can do this for all the reps in your set or just the last three. Another great exercise to practice this technique is the chest press. Position yourself on a flat or incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Press up at an average speed. Then, lower back to your starting position to a slow count of ten. If you’re looking to change up your upper body workout, try a set of negatives or two for a new challenge. Just try it one exercise at a time. Even if you’ve been lifting for a while, you might be surprised how sore you are the next day.