Negative repetition

Negative reps are used to improve both muscular strength and power in subjects.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Due to its mechanical properties, this form of training can be used for both healthy individuals and individuals who are in rehabilitation. Studies have shown that negative repetitions or "eccentric phase training" combines a high amount of force on the muscle with a lower energy cost than normal concentric training, which requires 4–5 times the amount of energy. In other words, lifters are stronger in the eccentric portion of an exercise, allowing for heavier weights and in turn, greater stretches under tension. Moreover, eccentric movements tend to improve stimulus to fatigue ratio and allow for more comprehensive training routines. This justifies why this type of training is more beneficial and less of a risk to subjects rehabilitating or with a limited exercise capacity.{{Cite journal|title = Eccentric exercise training: modalities, applications and perspectives|date = 2013|journal = Sports Medicine|doi = 10.1007/s40279-013-0052-y|pmid = 23657934|volume=43 |issue = 6|pages=483–512|last1 = Isner-Horobeti|first1 = Marie-Eve|last2 = Dufour|first2 = Stéphane Pascal|last3 = Vautravers|first3 = Philippe|last4 = Geny|first4 = Bernard|last5 = Coudeyre|first5 = Emmanuel|last6 = Richard|first6 = Ruddy|s2cid = 2678369}}

Eccentric training is often associated with the terms "muscles soreness" and "muscle damage". In 1902, Theodore Hough discovered and developed the term DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness),{{Cite web|url = http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/doms-the-good-the-bad-and-what-it-really-means-to-your-training|title = DOMS: the good, the bad and what it really means to your training|date = 4 December 2013|accessdate = |website = |last = |first = }} after he found that exercises containing negative repetitions caused athletes to have sore muscles. Hough believed this was causing a rupture within the muscle; when he looked further into the subject, he found that when performing eccentric exercise that exhibited soreness, the muscle "quickly adapts and becomes accustomed to the increase in applied stress".{{Cite web|url = http://www.mc.uky.edu/athletic_training/docs/nzsmsc-2010/Eccentric_Training_Spring2011.pdf|title = Eccentric training|date = |accessdate = |website = |last = |first = }} The result of this was that the muscles' soreness not only decreased, but the muscular damage did too.

It has been proven that eccentric resistance training improves the functional mobility of older adults. Studies have shown that eccentric training of the lower body, in particular the knee extensors, are essential in preventing falls in older adults and helping them maintain their independence.

A study conducted focusing on eccentric training for the age group 65–87 years of age showed that, over 12 weeks, they had strengthened their knee extensors by up to 26%.{{cite journal | last=Gault | first=Mandy | title=Aging, Functional Capacity and Eccentric Exercise Training | journal=Aging and Disease | volume=4 | issue=6 | date=November 1, 2013 | issn=2152-5250 | pmid=24307968 | pmc=3843652 | doi=10.14336/ad.2013.0400351 | pages=351–363}} With this evidence, it is reasonable to suggest that negative repetitions can help improve the health of older adults.

Studies have shown that eccentric training may be successful in the treatment of certain tendonitis. Studies have shown that the use of eccentric training for twelve weeks may be an alternative to therapy for people suffering from Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee).{{Cite journal|title = Surgical Treatment Compared with Eccentric Training for Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee)|url = http://jbjs.org/content/88/8/1689|journal = The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery|date = 2006-08-01|access-date = 2015-04-16|issn = 0021-9355|pmid = 16882889|pages = 1689–1698|volume = 88|issue = 8|doi = 10.2106/JBJS.E.01181|first1 = Roald|last1 = Bahr|first2 = Bjørn|last2 = Fossan|first3 = Sverre|last3 = Løken|first4 = Lars|last4 = Engebretsen|url-access = subscription}} Eccentric training has also been proven successful in the treatment of chronic Achilles tendonitis, using a twelve-week eccentric calf muscle program various studies have shown the ability for people to return to normal pre-tendonitis levels.{{Cite journal|title = Chronic Achilles tendon pain treated with eccentric calf-muscle training|journal = Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy|date = 2003-08-26|issn = 0942-2056|pages = 327–333|volume = 11|issue = 5|doi = 10.1007/s00167-003-0418-z|first1 = Martin|last1 = Fahlström|first2 = Per|last2 = Jonsson|first3 = Ronny|last3 = Lorentzon|first4 = Håkan|last4 = Alfredson|pmid=12942235|s2cid = 4064152}}{{Cite journal| title=Eccentric overload training for patients with chronic Achilles tendon pain - a randomised controlled study with reliability testing of the evaluation methods| doi=10.1034/j.1600-0838.2001.110402.x| pmid=11476424|volume=11| issue=4|journal= Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports|pages=197–206|year = 2001|last1 = Gravare Silbernagel|first1 = K.| last2=Thomee| first2=R.| last3=Thomee| first3=P.| last4=Karlsson| first4=J.| s2cid=36942476}} The reasoning behind the benefits of eccentric training for tendinopathy is still unclear.{{Cite journal|title = Clinical improvement after 6 weeks of eccentric exercise in patients with mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy – a randomized trial with 1-year follow-up |journal = Scand J Med Sci Sports|doi=10.1111/j.1600-0838.2004.378.x|volume=14|issue = 5 |pages=286–295|pmid=15387802|date=October 2004 | last1 = Roos | first1 = EM | last2 = Engström | first2 = M | last3 = Lagerquist | first3 = A | last4 = Söderberg | first4 = B|s2cid = 6682148|url = http://lup.lub.lu.se/record/127202}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/doms-the-good-the-bad-and-what-it-really-means-to-your-training]
• [http://www.mc.uky.edu/athletic_training/docs/nzsmsc-2010/Eccentric_Training_Spring2011.pdf]
• [http://www.criticalbench.com/benchpressnegatives.htm Heavy negatives are positively a good idea]

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