Julian Smith stands up for some of the things that many lifters either love to hate, or just plain overlook. A few of his favorites: Smith machines, sissy squats, and drawing out the negative—and I mean really drawing it out.
This former multi-sport athlete had multiple collegiate offers to play football, but he realized the downside of such a punishing sport after sustaining multiple concussions his senior year. Faced with the closing of one athletic avenue, he turned to bodybuilding. Since then, he's built a pair of legs that earned him the nickname "The Quad Guy," as well as a cult-like following online for his open-minded approach to training and his ability to craft innovative updates of gym classics.
In general, Smith gravitates toward the old-school method of training—a no-bullshit approach that seriously controls the eccentric portion of lifts in each exercise to maximize gains.
"The negative is what is stopping the weight from actually going all the way down," Smith explains. "Lengthening the negative engages more muscle fibers and makes your muscle work more."
Here are Smith's top five exercises to turn around and slow down. Slow negatives can produce DOMS like nothing else, though, so handle with care, lighten the weight, and be prepared to struggle—in a good way.