Do TEMPO really matters?
- Thread starter amarula
- Start date
Abe Lincoln
Well-known member
I say it depends on movement. Like leg extensions I like to go as fast as possibly up and than slowly control it down. Can really feel the burn this way.
HIT4ME
Well-known member
Important how? This can be somewhat goal dependent in my opinion. If you are looking to generate as much force, like in powerlifting, as possible, then exploding may improve your performance. If you are looking to build muscle mass and prevent injuries, then yes, I think tempo is very important.
I think many lifters move the weight too fast, because their ego guides them, and this allows them to move more weight with less effort. This puts enormous strain on the muscle and a lot of people never think about inertia when lifting. What goes up must come down. We don't realize that if we throw a weight up, at some point that force reverses and comes crashing down. That means impact on our joints and sudden stress on our muscles.
There is also evidence that slow negatives induce damage that creates hypertrophy.
Because of all of this, I do slow reps. Not super-slow, but maybe 3-4 seconds concentric, 2 second contracted pause, 3-4 second eccentric. That is still much slower than most people go.
I think many lifters move the weight too fast, because their ego guides them, and this allows them to move more weight with less effort. This puts enormous strain on the muscle and a lot of people never think about inertia when lifting. What goes up must come down. We don't realize that if we throw a weight up, at some point that force reverses and comes crashing down. That means impact on our joints and sudden stress on our muscles.
There is also evidence that slow negatives induce damage that creates hypertrophy.
Because of all of this, I do slow reps. Not super-slow, but maybe 3-4 seconds concentric, 2 second contracted pause, 3-4 second eccentric. That is still much slower than most people go.
Abe Lincoln
Well-known member
The guy above hit it on the nail. Goal dependant.
TheMovement
Well-known member
In my mind Tempo is very Goal dependent. From the speed of the weight your moving to keeping an accurate eye on your rest times Tempo is indeed everything and can make or break a training session. Efficiency is the name of the game when you know what outcome you are trying to achieve.
Swolbraham
Banned
I think tempo definitely matters.
Training for power/strength/max velocity then you want quicker tempos. For example sprinters sprinter or track & field athletes.
Training for hypertrophy, slower eccentric portions of the lift are extremely challenging and can cause great hypertrophy responses
Training for power/strength/max velocity then you want quicker tempos. For example sprinters sprinter or track & field athletes.
Training for hypertrophy, slower eccentric portions of the lift are extremely challenging and can cause great hypertrophy responses
Abe Lincoln
Well-known member
Very much agree on this. I have found that timing between calve work should be minimal, rest times short and really focus slowly on the entire movement.
jaces
Active member
For me it is 'rep' and. Time dependent ,, if I go for heavy reps(lower than 10) I go wth a slow negatiwe and moderate pos. ,, if its higher reps il go wth faster reps bcuz time undr tension is long enough ,, as for timing il do faster reps at the end of my workout bcuz I get mre of a pump and it realy taxes the muscles
jaces
Active member
Isnt slow negatiwe training also good for strength?
Swolbraham
Banned
Correct. But it should be done in phases as well, which is why you'll see powermifters also train for velocity.
For a track athlete, he may squat to build strength but I have my clients do so a diff tempos in different phase . And work on explosive velocity as well, since his primary goal is speed and developing more efficient / stronger fats twitch muscle fibers
jaces
Active member
Ah I see ,, we did squat jumps for explosive power ,,
Swolbraham
Banned
Now that's something I'm hesitant to do with weigh . Too much potential for injur . Rather do heavy squats, then bodyweight jump squats immediately
jaces
Active member
Did it with a 10kg sand bag or 40kg kenetic bands
Rodja
Board Sponsor
No, it's not at all. A slow eccentric reduces the stretch-reflex within the Golgi.
HIT4ME
Well-known member
I don't know the science behind this, but are you saying that a slow eccentric won't improve strength? Or that a slow eccentric reduces explosive force on a particular rep? i.e. - If I do slow eccentrics on my bench presses, I won't be able to use as much weight and it will hurt my "strength" in that workout? Or are you saying that doing slow eccentrics will not help me improve my workout from today to next week, etc.?
jaces
Active member
Ah ok so your talking about the golgi located at the point were the tendon and muscle are conectd?? but im talking about just negatiwes were the partner helps lift the weight and you control the negatiwe?
Rodja
Board Sponsor
When I say strength, I mean absolute 1RM strength.
Yes, that what I speaking of and negatives are a poor technique for strength especially when there are many more efficient methods for overload.
jaces
Active member
Ok thank you for the info bro