FAQs
Slow reps can be beneficial for strength gains in certain contexts. Controlling the pause, working through the sticking point, and slowing down the eccentric (lowering) phase can all contribute to strength development.
What are the benefits of super slow reps? ›
Super slow training reinforces good form while reducing the risk of injury. By taking the momentum out of the equation, the targeted muscles are forced to do all of the work. When the intensity of the exercises is higher, safety increases equally, and the duration of the workout becomes shorter.
Do slow negatives build more muscle? ›
Enhanced Muscle Growth
By increasing the time under tension, slow negatives amplify the stimulus for muscle growth. The muscle fibres are exposed to stress for a longer duration, which accelerates the hypertrophic response.
What is the best rep speed for hypertrophy? ›
A moderate repetition scheme with moderate loads (from 8 to 12 repetitions per set with 60% to 80% of 1RM) optimizes hypertrophic gains. A high repetition scheme with light loads (15+ repetitions per set with loads below 60% of 1RM) optimizes local muscular endurance improvements.
Why do bodybuilders do fast reps? ›
Advantages of Fast Reps
If your fitness goals involve max strength and power, then using a faster tempo may be more beneficial. For example, if you're training to improve your vertical jump, you need to be able to not only generate a lot of force, but do so quickly. Fast reps are going to be the best way to do that.
Do slow twitch muscles grow? ›
Unlike fast-twitch fibre, slow-twitch fibre is less likely to increase muscle size when trained via endurance activities (or weight training). However, well-trained endurance athletes will have slow-twitch fibres that are slightly enlarged, in comparison to non- athletes and speed or power athletes, such as sprinters.
Do slow reps burn fat? ›
That is for muscle growth, but what if your goal is weight loss? Posternak says that for fat loss, choosing slow reps vs fast reps should not make a difference in the amount of calories burnt at the end of the workout. If you hit a plateau in your fitness journey, you can also use this information to your advantage.
Should push ups be fast or slow? ›
Therefore, the experimental results suggest that push-ups should be performed at a faster speed when the aim is to achieve a certain number of repetitions, but should be performed at a slower speed when the aim is to strengthen the upper extremity muscles.
How long is a slow rep? ›
DENNIS JAMES: “When something doesn't work or I hit a plateau in my training, I always implement very, very slow reps. I'm talking super slow, as in 5–10 seconds up and 5–10 seconds down on every rep using 30%–50% of the weight you'd normally use.
What muscle is hardest to grow? ›
The calves are regarded to be one of the most difficult muscles to build for two reasons. people already have a degree of calf development, and this makes it harder to drive further development. endurance. As such, they have a high proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibres (50% to be exact).
How slow should the negative rep be? Studies have addressed a number of time intervals, and it's clear that too long of a negative can be counterproductive. While many eccentric-focused protocols call for a five-second negative, the one we're doing here lasts three seconds.
Do bodybuilders have fast or slow twitch muscles? ›
And strength or power athletes usually have a higher amount of fast-twitch muscle fibers. But the exact proportion of each fiber type can range from 15 to 85% of one type or the other, and the distribution also highly depends on the muscle.
Is 3 sets of 10 enough to build muscle? ›
Three sets are not enough to build muscle. Increasing the number of sets of each exercise, even while only performing 10 reps, can build muscle because you will be pushing your muscles to fatigue because they are under tension longer. Don't stop at 3 sets but complete 4 or 6 or 8.
Why are 8–12 reps best for hypertrophy? ›
It turns out that 8-12 reps is actually good advice. It sits in the Goldilocks Zone of reps and loading, it's time efficient in that it can maximize the number of tough reps per set, it's energy efficient in that it doesn't require too many reps to stimulate hypertrophy, or involve loads that are unnecessarily heavy.
Can you build muscle with light weights and high reps? ›
Can You Build Strength With Light Weights? Relying on lighter weights and higher reps can help you build muscle and strength, but your progress won't be as rapid as it would be with heavier loads and fewer reps, Sam says. Heavy weights stimulate muscle growth through fatigue and time under tension.
Is it better to do longer or shorter reps? ›
Research and years of training have previously shown that the rep range of 1-6 per set is best for increasing muscle strength; 7-12 reps per set is best for increasing muscle growth; and reps of 12 and higher are best for increasing muscle endurance.
Is it better to do push ups fast or slow? ›
Therefore, the experimental results suggest that push-ups should be performed at a faster speed when the aim is to achieve a certain number of repetitions, but should be performed at a slower speed when the aim is to strengthen the upper extremity muscles.
Is it better to do crunches fast or slow? ›
The speed of your crunches should depend on your goals. Doing them quickly speeds up your heart rate and burns more calories, while doing them slowly will help you to engage each muscle.
Does slow eccentric build more muscle? ›
Results showed greater increases in muscle cross-sectional area with the 4-second versus 1-second eccentric duration, indicating a slower eccentric phase is superior from a hypertrophy standpoint.
