Lift fast, lift slow

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/04/2013 (4711 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When it comes to the speed at which you should perform strength training exercises, there are varying schools of thought in the training world.  

The question is whether you should move in a slow and controlled manner, or lift as quickly and as explosively as possible. Both methods have their place.

For some types of exercises, you simply don’t have a choice. Certain exercises must be done explosively, such as Olympic lifts, many dynamic kettlebell exercises and plyometrics. However, there are exercises that can be done slowly or quickly, including many barbell exercises and calisthenics.

I recommend that you primarily train for what you want to be. If you want to be fast and powerful, train fast and powerfully. However, there are many reasons you might want to occasionally slow down your training. This is often referred to as tempo training, where the trainer will prescribe a specific number of seconds for each phase of the lift.  

The first reason I like tempo training is that it can improve quality of movement and make lifting safer for many people, particularly beginners. By slowing things down, the athlete is encouraged to be mindful and deliberate about each part of the movement.

We can also reinforce certain parts of the movement or certain positions by lengthening that part of the exercise. For example, if you have trouble maintaining good positioning at the bottom of a squat, we might prescribe a slow descent with a pause at the bottom. The athlete might use less weight but you will learn to maintain tension and improve that bottom position.
Another way slowing down can make lifts safer is by strengthening the muscles around a joint in various positions of the lift, thus reducing stress on the joints.  Tempo work also reduces injuries by reigning in egos. Tempo work can be a humbling experience when you have to slow things down and avoid cheating or bouncing.

Perhaps the best reason to do tempo work is that it can make you stronger. Varying tempo on a lift is a great tool to manipulate time under tension. In other words by changing the tempo, we can vary the exact amount of time your muscles are working in order to illicit further adaptation.

Slowing down the tempo can be a good way to make strength gains without otherwise increasing the volume or load, thus reducing the overall stress on your nervous system. Another great trick is to add an isometric pause at the bottom or top of the lift in order to force you to recruit more muscle fibres.

For example, by pausing at the bottom of a press instead of bouncing, it forces you to accelerate the weight from a dead stop, helping create power and speed. I am not suggesting that this type of training is right for everyone. However, tempo training can be a useful tool in your training arsenal.

Tania Tetrault Vrga is owner and head trainer at CrossFit Winnipeg. Send questions to her at www.crossfitwinnipeg.com.