WHAT SHOULD BE THE PACE DURING LIFTING?
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
In weight training, the appropriate tempo for repetitions is a highly debated topic in the modern sports world. This debate is accompanied by differing opinions. Some argue for slow and controlled movements, while others advocate for fast and explosive tempos, each presenting their own reasoning to fuel the argument. This article will objectively address this debate, referencing the 2021 article "The Influence of Movement Tempo During Resistance Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy Responses: A Review."
Movement tempo is the rhythm that defines the eccentric (lowering the weight), resting phase, concentric (lifting), and top position pauses of a repetition. This seemingly simple variable influences both immediate physiological responses and long-term adaptations .
WHY IS PACE IMPORTANT?
In theory, the tempo of the movement determines the time-under-tension (TUT) that the muscle experiences during a set . When a muscle remains under tension for a longer period:
metabolic stress increases,
hormonal responses intensify,
muscle signaling becomes more effective.
Fiber activation changes.
However, the reality is not as simple as " slower tempo = more time-under-tension (TUT) = more muscle growth" as it is in theory. Muscle growth consists of a complex mechanism involving the effects of various factors. Muscle growth is affected by weight, number of repetitions and sets, amount of rest, and type of exercise. These factors can also be directly and indirectly affected by tempo. We can better understand how tempo affects these factors with an extreme example: if we spend 120 seconds doing just one repetition of dumbbell curl, it will be impossible to reach 8-12 repetitions. If we want to reach this repetition range at the same tempo, we will have to reduce the weight drastically.
THE EFFECT OF PACE ON HYPERTROPHY
Muscle hypertrophy depends not on a single variable, but on many factors such as load, repetition count, number of sets, rest time, and how long the muscle is under tension (TUT). One of the most subtle yet powerful variables directly influencing these factors is tempo . Tempo defines the eccentric (lowering), isometric transition, concentric (raising), and hold durations of a repetition, and variations in duration in these four phases determine how the muscle perceives mechanical and metabolic stress. Therefore, when tempo changes, not only the "duration of the repetition" but also load selection, repetition endurance, muscle activation, and the metabolic response to training change.
Most research shows that consciously slowing down repetitions increases TUT (Touch-Up Reduction) , and that muscles under tension for longer periods can generate stronger hypertrophic signals. However, this doesn't always directly translate to growth; because tempo alone doesn't have an effect, but rather in conjunction with load, repetitions, and fatigue. When a slow tempo is used, the number of repetitions decreases, and the need to use lighter loads arises. Therefore, tempo can increase hypertrophy, but in some cases, it can also limit it. As emphasized in the article, hypertrophy tempo should be evaluated in conjunction with load and repetition number, as these variables directly influence each other.
A significant number of studies show that eccentric and concentric phases should be evaluated separately. This is because in the eccentric phase, the muscle can withstand higher tension and the tempo is changed in a more controlled manner, while in the concentric phase, the tempo is often determined by the load. Therefore, extending the eccentric phase produces controlled and noticeable results, while extending the concentric phase generally does not benefit hypertrophy. For example, Tanimoto and Ishii's 12-week study showed that slow tempos such as 3/1/3/0 (50% 1RM) produced much more hypertrophy than a fast tempo with the same load. 3/1/3/0 refers to a tempo of: 3 seconds eccentric (lowering the weight), 1 second pause, 3 seconds concentric (lifting the weight), and 0 seconds pause at the top. Furthermore, slow tempo + low load produced similar hypertrophy to fast tempo + high load; that is , the right tempo can compensate for the lack of light loads .
