TEMPO, why is it important for lifting?
Tempo is essentially time under tension for each phase of a repetition.
Eccentric: lowering the weight, lengthening the muscle
Isometric: pause, muscle is developing tension and contracting, but no joint movement occurs
Concentric: lifting the weight, contraction/shortening of the muscle.
A tempo you can start with is 3-0-1-0👉🏼 3s tempo for eccentric phase and 1s for the concentric phase.
Here are some practical rules that will work well for most exercises:
🎶 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 (𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭)
🎶 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐞/𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 (𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟) 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞.
🎶 𝐆𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 (𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐞)
• Control your weight as you lower yourself to the ground, 3s (eccentric)
• Pause at the bottom, maintaining control (isometric)
• Explode up back to standing position (concentric)
•Pause at the top
The eccentric phase is really important! Eccentric contractions can withstand greater muscular force, resulting in greater strength gains.
Incorporating intensifiers such as a two second isometric pause or a 3s eccentric phase are a great way to switch up a monotonous training routine as well💪🏻 Not to mention intensifiers are a great way to progress the difficulty of home workouts with limited equipment!