Up, Down, Up, Down, Hold! Surely doesn’t matter how fast I go, right?
Well, actually it might. Training tempos are something that can drastically change the outcome of our lifting. They can elicit muscle responses that can stimulate max growth in muscles, max strength/power production, or promote stability better- though these things are not mutually exclusive. For a better understanding of how exactly tempos can affect our training, let’s first define the phases of lifting:
1) Concentric Phase:
This is the force production phase of the lift. Typically, the muscles have to contract and create force to move the load. Think of the “standing up” portion of a back squat, or the “pulling down” portion of a lat pulldown. This is where the agonist muscles are at their shortest.
2) Eccentric Phase:
Opposite the concentric phase, this is the portion of the lift where the muscles are resisting force and lengthening. For this, think of the “lowering” portion of a barbell bench press, or the “landing” portion of a squat jump. Again, this is where the agonist muscles are lengthening. To use an example earlier, during the eccentric portion of a squat jump, the quadriceps muscles that were responsible for creating force to take off during the concentric phase of the jump, are now lengthening during the landing, or eccentric phase.
3) Isometric Phase:
This is the phase where the agonist muscles are at their shortest, and there is a period of stagnation or holding. This requires a fair bit of stability and strength, especially at heavier loads. Think of holding a plank, where the muscles of the core and back are contracting actively to hold stability. Don’t confuse this with the amortization phase seen in plyometric work, where there is a rapid SSC (stretch-shortening) between concentric and eccentric phases. Isometrics are a bit more intentional.
Now that we have defined the phases of lifting, let’s further delve into tempo. Focusing on tempo throughout each of these phases will elicit different results, yielding different benefits.
“Slow tempo”(anything greater than 3 seconds)
This is commonly associated with greater muscular hypertrophy (muscle growth). Studies show that following the theory of “time under tension” will elicit greater muscular hypertrophy, commonly associated with the bodybuilding style of training. Because the goal is to accentuate muscle growth, the longer the time the muscle is under mechanical stress, the more hypertrophy is stimulated. This response is even greater when focusing on the eccentric phase, where the muscle is undergoing a stretch.
“Fast tempo” (as anything 2 seconds and under)
This can greatly promote strength and power gains. Because the muscle has to rapidly absorb and produce force under load, typically slightly heavier loads can be incorporated- all the way up to the point where “cheat reps” are viable to ensure maximal strength/power gains are elicited. The key is to ensure that the primary movers are still responsible for most of the work- to avoid injury. Commonly fast-tempo lifts are associated with athletic style training, where forces often have to be absorbed and redirected very quickly.
Finally, the isometric phase of a lift is often an undertone but can be specifically focused when necessary. Isometric training is a great way to stimulate the activation of target muscles and maximize the potential for creating and absorbing force. Oftentimes, they can be a great way to notice and correct misalignment in muscles when focused. Because this is the period when muscles are shortest and under the most load, you can make corrections so that movement quality can be more optimal during other phases. What does this mean? Potential for less injury. Incorporating isometric-focused warm-ups can be a great way to complement dynamic warm-ups!
Hope this helps! Stay on the mats!
Sources:
- Ideal Repetition Speed And Rest Periods for Muscle Growth. (2011, July 14). Muscle & Strength. https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/ideal-repetition-speed-and-rest-periods.html
- Davies, G., Riemann, B. L., & Manske, R. (2015). CURRENT CONCEPTS OF PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 10(6), 760–786. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637913/
- Sands, W., Wurth, J., & Hewit, J. (2012). The National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) BASICS OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING MANUAL. https://www.nsca.com/contentassets/116c55d64e1343d2b264e05aaf158a91/basics_of_strength_and_conditioning_manual.pdf
