Dooley Noted: 12/12/2015
Tonight, my training partner and I were kicked out of a commercial gym.
While deadlifting, we didn’t lay down the weight softly enough.
We were promptly warned by the manager.
So, my training partner encouraged me (and himself) to slow down the eccentric phase to help the weight land more softly.
Since we both lift a significant amount, it proved to be quite challenging to slow it down.
But I understood the challenge and noted how the eccentric phases of lifts have the potentially to catapult a person into a new level of power.
Consider the eccentric phase like pulling a rubber band back before firing it. There’s enormous potential gain from that.
While I have no intention in making all my deadlifts have a strong eccentric focus, I see the value in programming it in.
No matter how softly we laid down the barbell, we eventually got kicked out for not quietly setting down our rack pulls.
300+ pounds is 300+ pounds, after all.
But I did contemplate the benefits of eccentric phase focus as we went to another gym (on a ground floor).
Next time you do lifting or rehabilitation drills, consider slowing down your eccentric from time to time.
You might find a rubber band of power hiding there.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley
