Fast Reps Vs Slow Reps - Which is Better To Build Muscle? (Backed By Science)

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• published: 21 Mar 2016
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►If you found this video helpful hit Subscribe to support the channel and share the video with your friends to spread the word◄ In this video you'll learn which is better to build muscle fast reps or slow slow. Rep tempo aka. rep speed has been a debate for a very long time in bodybuilding. A lot of coaches still recommend doing very slow eccentrics up to 4 seconds to build more muscle and this might not be the most optimal way to train for size. For the high reps vs low reps video check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SozvXWjxs4s We know from looking at the research that volume is king when it comes to muscle hypertrophy. Now, the problem with slowing down reps is that you're gonna ultimately sacrifice the total amount of volume you can do. A simple example would be someone who has a 8 reps max with 225 lbs on Bench Press with a standard tempo. 2 second eccentric, no pause, and a 2 second concentric without a pause on top. If you tell that person to increase the eccentric, to slow the descent of the weight, they're unlikely to be able to do 8 reps. It will probably be closer to 5. So what happened there is that the total volume had to be reduced to accommodate the slow repetition speed. And by limiting total volume you're reducing the growth stimulants. Slow rep in essence means higher time under tension. And this is the big idea behind a lot of marketing out there. If you wanna build muscle you have to increase your time under tension. The problem is that time under tension itself doesn't override the volume principles. If we look at the research and specifically a study from Brad Schoenfeld he found that a 3 Rep Max group built the same amount of muscle as a 10 Rep Max group when the volume was equated. And if you think about it the 3 Rep group has A LOT less time under tension. So we know that TUT isn't that important compared to volume. Higher time under tension will generate more muscle damage but that's a secondary competent to growth. The Mechanical Overload component is the primary growth factor which we should aim to progress in over time. Mechanical Tension Overload is simple increase volume you can handle over time. That can come from increasing the amount of reps you can do with the weight or adding more weight depending how your program is structured. So the bottom line is, you don't want to put the "horse before the cart" or "miss the forest for the trees" by prioritizing time under tension and slow reps over the total volume of work. And don't fall for the "super slow training" marketing or the "slow eccentric" stuff you hear guys promote. Research is pretty clear on this. Demonstrate "deliberate control" on the eccentric portion of each rep. This means you don't slow down too much on the negative portion but you do control it so it doesn't free fall. When contracting the muscle on the concentric portion of the lift be as explosive as you can. This is currently the best way we know how to perform reps for size, and don't forget that volume is the key to building more muscle. For those that like to dive into research studies, here's some on workout volume: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24714538 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25546444 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16503695 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17326698 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20300012 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661829 And here's some studies on Rep Tempo and rep speed to check out: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24235981 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24343331 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18981046 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22158146 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15640387 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11710656 Also check out Eric Helm's presentation which is a great summary of all the research on rep tempo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM3Kgp9c7PE Let me know in the comments how you resonated with the content and if you have any questions. Talk soon, Mario Free Workout Plans: Beginner Routine ➤ http://shockingfit.com/workout-routine-for-newbies/ Intermediate - Advanced Workout Guide ➤ http://shockingfit.com/lean-and-strong/ Home & Travel Workout for Free ➤ http://shockingfit.com/full-body-no-equipment-routine For more fitness, nutrition and personal development tips check out: Facebook: http://facebook.com/shockingfit Instagram: http://instagram.com/mariotomich Website: http://shockingfit.com Music Used: Phlex - Take Me Home Tonight (feat. Caitlin Gare) [Creative Commons] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGqNDZUTyeI