For example, when you do a two second pause in the middle of the rep, you play down the momentum, taking full advantage of the time
spent under tension, and recruiting more muscle fibers.
Simply pause at full extension, i.e. the bottom part of the movement and increase the time
spent under tension.
Tempo is crucial for growth because it influences the time your muscles
spend under tension, and the higher the tension, the stronger the anabolic response and the more you grow.
Not exact matches
Some exercises produce a low level of
tension throughout much of their range of motion with the exception of a certain point where the time the muscle
spends under high
tension is too short to stimulate significant hypertrophy.
Once a muscle fiber has
spent a certain period of time
under tension, it starts to show signs of fatigue.
Back to weight training - if you think about the total time
under tension of even a SERIOUS lifting workout, you'd be lucky if you
spent ten total minutes actively contracting over a 1.5 hour workout.
If you're not as strong and conditioned yet you can
spend a little bit more time
under tension because your central nervous system won't be able to compress as much as someone who is stronger.
You'll notice that by using a slower, more controlled negative, your stretch reflex will be slightly inhibited and you'll also
spend more time
under tension, limiting the amount of weight you can ultimately perform for the same number of reps.. The good thing about this method is that it allows the strongest muscle fibers to get trained.
Do more sets and reps,
spending more time
under tension.
«
Spending time
under tension is key for muscle growth,» says Jim «Smitty» Smith, C.P.P.S., a strength coach and owner of dieselsc.com.
Some of his stories wander in many different directions, and with «
Under the Pyramids» he interrupted the plot to reveal the outcome of the main character's survival, completely disrupting the immaculate
tension he had
spent whole pages building.