In weight training, tempo is the amount of time it takes to do a move. A very common way to make muscles bigger. We talk about everything in this piece.
TEMPO TRAINING
When beginning a new training session, it is necessary to first determine the parameters that will be used to describe the “how” and “why” of each activity.
The most common parameters are:
- The intensity
- It lasts
- Time to recover
- Work completed during the session.
The load in strength training is represented by the intensity. It is often determined by a specific goal and expressed as a percentage of the so-called maximum load (1RM), which is the highest load that can be properly performed at one time during a certain exercise.
The length of time will indicate how many repetitions must be completed in a set as well as how many sets are ideal for a certain workout. The entire quantity of work completed throughout the session is indicated by the number of exercises and sets completed.
TEMPO EDUCATION
The recovery timeframes are also determined by the aims, and as a result, they have to fulfill the criteria for a recovery, which may be whole or partial based on the desired outcome.
These are the most widely used and well recognized parameters. It is evident that intensity is crucial and will even affect how the other settings are adjusted. Nonetheless, recent studies highlight one aspect that has not received enough attention so far: the length of muscular strain.
We may even say that the purpose of this parameter’s infrequent use is often variety enhancement rather than true effect amplification. This is the exact point made by these recent research, which demonstrate that varying the length of muscular tension during resistance training may be just as significant as varying the load’s intensity.
In strength training, tempo training is a relatively recent idea that entails adjusting the length of a movement’s eccentric and concentric phases as well as the transitional period that may be created between them.
It therefore comes down to giving the various stages of a movement a certain amount of time.
It is well recognized that the eccentric phase is critical for the growth of strength, hypertrophy, and even connective tissue reinforcement (tendons and ligaments).
The concentric portion is especially crucial because, depending on the goal(s) pursued in a particular session—power, maximal strength, speed, or strength endurance—the rate at which the load is mobilized is a crucial factor. A bench press research that was published in the Journal of Sports Medicine evaluated two ways to do the exercise with the same weight. One group maintained proper form while completing sets at 85% of 1RM at maximum speed.
The same load was employed by a second group, but they were not given any specific instructions on the execution speed. Throughout the course of the three-week research, both groups undoubtedly completed the same amount of sessions, sets, and repetitions. While the second group did not demonstrate any improvement, the first group had a 10% increase in their maximal strength. This sort of outcome has also been validated by other research. First of all
It is also feasible to apply isometric effort during the transition phases—that is, while moving from one concentric phase to the next and from one eccentric phase to the next—thanks to tempo training.
The ability to deliver accuracy and efficiency that might be decisive at the training level is made possible by the adjustment of these many aspects.
Four numbers are used as a convention to represent the lengths of each of these stages. For instance: 2 3 4 2. Choosing the squat in this instance means that the concentric phase (ascent) must take 4 seconds, the eccentric phase (descent) must last 3 seconds, the load must be held at the top (without locking the knees) for 2 seconds before descending again, and the transition phase 1 (down) must be held for 2 seconds.
That there are several options is evident from this. Using the above example, we might have coded the integers in a different way, such as 3 0 4 0. In this instance, we would have only eliminated the transition phases’ duration.
Naturally, how the parameters are handled depends on the goal. It is crucial to fully comprehend and be proficient in planning this strategy if one hopes to use it appropriately, maximize its effectiveness, and avoid taking any action.