The Science of Hypertrophy: Why Slow and Controlled Movements Can Maximize Your Muscle Gains
Are you looking to build muscle and increase your strength? If so, you’ve likely heard of the importance of hypertrophy – the process of increasing the size and strength of your muscle fibers through exercise.
But did you know that the speed at which you perform your repetitions can play a critical role in your hypertrophy gains?
In fact, research suggests that slow and controlled movements, or time under tension (TUT), may be more effective than fast, explosive movements when it comes to building muscle.
So why does TUT matter when it comes to hypertrophy?
To understand this, we first need to take a closer look at the physiological processes that drive muscle growth. When you perform an exercise, your muscle fibers are subjected to mechanical stress. This causes them to break down and undergo microscopic damage. Then, this damage triggers a cascade of cellular signaling pathways that ultimately lead to muscle repair and growth.
However, not all mechanical stress is created equal. Studies suggest that longer periods of tension on your muscles, or TUT, may be more effective at triggering the cellular signaling pathways that lead to hypertrophy. This is because TUT creates greater metabolic stress, or the buildup of metabolic waste products in your muscles. This in turn stimulates the release of hormones and growth factors that promote muscle growth.
Let’s take the example of a bicep curl.
If you perform a bicep curl with a heavy weight and simply lift the weight up and down quickly, you may be using momentum to complete the movement rather than relying solely on your bicep muscles. This reduces the amount of time your muscle fibers spend under tension, limiting the mechanical stress placed on them.
On the other hand, if you perform the bicep curl with a slower, more controlled movement, focusing on both the concentric (lifting) and eccentric (lowering) phases of the movement, you will create more time under tension on your bicep muscles. This increased time under tension leads to greater metabolic stress. So it stimulates the release of hormones and growth factors that promote muscle growth.
TUT also allows for greater muscle activation and recruitment.
By slowing down your repetitions and focusing on the eccentric phase of an exercise, you can activate more muscle fibers and recruit more motor units. This can lead to greater muscle fatigue and micro-damage. This, in turn, can stimulate hypertrophy.
Of course, it doesn’t mean that explosive, fast movements are completely useless for hypertrophy.
In fact, a combination of both slow and fast movements may be the most effective way to maximize muscle growth.
By incorporating both TUT and explosive movements into your training routine, you can ensure that you’re targeting a variety of muscle fibers and stimulating a range of cellular signaling pathways.
So if you’re looking to build muscle and increase your strength, don’t overlook the importance of time under tension. By slowing down your repetitions and focusing on both the concentric and eccentric phases of an exercise, you can create greater metabolic stress, recruit more muscle fibers, and maximize your hypertrophy gains.
