A Quick Tip to Game Your Calisthenics
The most overlooked aspect of PT test calisthenics is technique.
And the way you control the eccentric (lowering) phase can make a major difference in how many reps you get on your timed push ups, sit ups, and pull ups.
The Core Principle
The faster you perform the negative while staying in control, the less energy and time you waste.
Because when you slow the negative, you’re actively resisting gravity (with the muscles you use on the positive). That means:
- More effort
- More local muscle fatigue
- More time spent per rep
Instead, on your PT test, you should let gravity do almost all of the work.
Why This Works
Actively controlling a slow negative is metabolically expensive. Even though you’re resisting and controlling the movement, you’re still producing force the entire time.
A faster descent:
- Minimizes effort
- Lessens local muscle fatigue
- Shortens the time per rep
- Allows you to rebound using the stretch-shortening cycle
That rebound at the bottom gives you way more force on the way up without paying for it metabolically.
This Is Exactly What Elite Powerlifters Do in Competition
Look at world-class powerlifters.
When they squat heavy, it can look like they’re dive-bombing the descent. But they’re not being sloppy. The eccentric is as fast as they can make it, while being controlled and timed to take advantage of the stretch reflex at the bottom.
How to Apply This to Training
Implementing this new technique, you may use 20% less energy per push-up rep, shorten your rep time by 30%, and that could easily leave you with 15% more reps.
But keep in mind, this is not optimal for maximizing strength or hypertrophy. This is simply a way to game the PT test.
So, go ahead and try out the new technique and reply with your results. Would love to get some more data on before and afters!
