I simply cannot underestimate the importance of resistance training, in terms of improving or maintaining health and fitness. It encourages bone strength, develops coordination and balance, makes you stronger, increases kinestetic confidence, and countless other things. Most people believe these benefits come from what feels like the hardest part of resistance training, or the “push” phase of the resisted movement, rather than the relaxing phase.

Muscles contract and relax. When a muscle contracts, the fibers knit together and make the muscle shorter. Take a bicep curl as an example. As you curl the weight toward your torso, the bicep muscle contracts and shortens in order to lift the weight. As you lower the weight, the bicep relaxes and the fibers lengthen to control the weight as it lowers. The contracting phase of the exercise where muscles are shortening often feels like the hardest, or most important part of the exercise. It is easy to feel the muscle work against the weight. Many people pay little attention to the relaxing phase because it isn’t as easy to feel the action of the muscle fibers. However, this phase is also very important. Asking your muscle to lengthen, but contract at the same time is a difficult thing to do and oftentimes produces soreness. This soreness is evidence of deep and effective damage. Focusing on this phase also teaches patience, self-control, and the importance of timing.

The best way to focus on this relaxing, or negative phase, is to slow down. Take the time to ask your muscle to both lengthen and contract at the same time and you will achieve tremendous stimulation for stronger, more effective muscle fibers.