How slow are we talking about here?

Our protocol specifies that you lift the weights (the positive phase) over a 10-second period and then lower the weights (negative phase) over a 10-second period. When you consider that the average gym-goer performs a 1-2 second positive and a 2-4 second negative, it’s appreciably slower than what most folks are used to.

To put it into perspective, try it yourself with a simple exercise like a push-up. When you start the exercise, count out loud “one thousand one, one thousand two...” such that your arms are straight when you reach “ten.” Then, without pausing at the top, return to the starting position while again counting such that your chest reaches the floor at “ten.” In other words, it’s SLOW.

Why 10 seconds? Well, the idea is to move as slowly as possible to minimize the momentum that can defeat the exercise. However, most people lack the motor skills to move a resistance smoothly at near zero velocity. The 10-second pace has proven sufficiently slow to achieve proper exercise and is practical for most people with a little practice.

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