rep speed

[joos23]

i used to just rep my stuff out and be done... but i have lightened the wt up and go slow on the negative part... i feel it alot more cuuz u use that muscle and u dotn cheat as much... u see the pros in movies just reppin it out.... do they do that just to maintain because there not tryin to get bigger or wat? thanx

 

[Oldlifter]

i used to just rep my stuff out and be done... but i have lightened the wt up and go slow on the negative part... i feel it alot more cuuz u use that muscle and u dotn cheat as much... u see the pros in movies just reppin it out.... do they do that just to maintain because there not tryin to get bigger or wat? thanx

Usually the reasoning behind this is due to the fibers in the muscles. You have 3 different kinds. Slow, fast, medium twitch fibers as they are called. To make this short, basically by doing different speeds with reps causes certain muscle fibers to respond and build.

So, when you do fast power reps, this is suppose to hit the (fast twitch) fibers, which are the "power" fibers. If you do slow negative type reps, this is suppose to hit the "slow twitch" fibers. And then of course you have the "medium twitch" which can be worked by cardio. Usually endurance runners work on this category. They can run longer due to training the medium twitch fibers. This is all theory tho, *LOL*. Maybe someone can confirm.




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[NYC Diesel]

Switching between powerlifting and bodybuilding lifting routines help hit all types of muscle fibers imo, its just what works best for me

 

[sarcoplasm]

You are going to have a very hard time getting most on here to believe that a slower rep speed is more beneficial than fast explosive reps. I on the other hand firmly believe that slow negative rep is the best way to work the muscle efficiently and there is more science to back up the importance of the negative rep that the positive rep. So many are afraid to critique the form of the pros because of the obvious but remember most pros would make gains regardless of. the form or rep speed used Remember the idea of lifting weights is to alow them to produce tension on the muscle. if the weight is moved to fast the tension is lost. Its that simple

 

[maldorf]

Usually the reasoning behind this is due to the fibers in the muscles. You have 3 different kinds. Slow, fast, medium twitch fibers as they are called. To make this short, basically by doing different speeds with reps causes certain muscle fibers to respond and build.

So, when you do fast power reps, this is suppose to hit the (fast twitch) fibers, which are the "power" fibers. If you do slow negative type reps, this is suppose to hit the "slow twitch" fibers. And then of course you have the "medium twitch" which can be worked by cardio. Usually endurance runners work on this category. They can run longer due to training the medium twitch fibers. This is all theory tho, *LOL*. Maybe someone can confirm.

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Yeah, that is the old conventional way of looking at things. Back when I was in graduate school in exercise phys I was helping out one of the professors with his study on muscle. His results showed that there really is not distincy muscle fiber types, but that it is like a spectrum of light. An infinite range from fast up to slow, almost like how you can vary how much light a bulb puts out by using a dimmer switch.
Another thing we discovered, and I had to count thousands of these fibers in the microscope, is that the muscle fiber types could change in response to training. With weight training some of the slower twitch (slow oxidative) changed over to be more like fast twitch(fast glycolytic) fibers. If the person detrained, in this case we had them stop lifting, the fibers would switch their type back to how it was before. Sure there is more info out on this now, its been many years since this research was done. the prof I worked with was at the forfront of things here in the US.

 

[Oldlifter]

Yeah, that is the old conventional way of looking at things.

Well, I am an "Oldlifter", *LOL*.

Another thing we discovered, and I had to count thousands of these fibers in the microscope, is that the muscle fiber types could change in response to training. With weight training some of the slower twitch (slow oxidative) changed over to be more like fast twitch(fast glycolytic) fibers. If the person detrained, in this case we had them stop lifting, the fibers would switch their type back to how it was before. Sure there is more info out on this now, its been many years since this research was done. the prof I worked with was at the forfront of things here in the US.

Interesting bro! thanx for bringing that into clarity. I've never heard of this part before. I have only touched lightly on the twitch issue. I never really backed my research to see if this theory was indeed correct. You have confirmed tho, that muscles do have different fiber types.

I would like to know if what I stated earlier is in fact true, half-true or a complete fallacy.




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[maldorf]

Well, I am an "Oldlifter", *LOL*.



Interesting bro! thanx for bringing that into clarity. I've never heard of this part before. I have only touched lightly on the twitch issue. I never really backed my research to see if this theory was indeed correct. You have confirmed tho, that muscles do have different fiber types.

I would like to know if what I stated earlier is in fact true, half-true or a complete fallacy.



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I do not think that the subject has ever really been studied before. I believe that for the most part going so fast that you start using momentum to move the weight is really the only thing you want to avoid. It is also my opinion that going super slow is bad too since youre not able to fully load the muscle on both the concentric and eccentric parts of the lift since you have to use a lighter weight, and it starts to become more of an isometic contraction almost.

 

[kscowboy]

This year i have been using a very slow and strict motion and feel like i have benefited greatly from it. I think it keeps you strict and really trashes the muscles (In a good way).

 

[K-fed]

This year i have been using a very slow and strict motion and feel like i have benefited greatly from it. I think it keeps you strict and really trashes the muscles (In a good way).

I agree... I too have been doing the same thing and I've been growing like crazy. I use to rep stuff out as quick as i could and since i've switched it to slower negatives with an explosive positive i've been growing like a weed. I've just recently got off cycle and i'm STILL growing. I'm shocked but lovin it

 

[brazil]

I watch alot of guys here at my gym use their backs and throw a bunch of weight around. Thing is they have been the same size since ive been there.

I prefer doing controlled reps. Im not on anything at this point except replacement and gaining some weight and strength. Although when I was on tren e my lifts got a little sloppy cause i was lifting a ton.

 

[Flex2019]

I focus on strict form throughout all my movements. Slow and controlled on the eccentric portion of the rep with an explosiveness (is that a word?) on the concentric portion. Using sloppy form in an effort to move heavier weights has never done much more for me than causing tendon and muscle tears. Additionally, I feel that using a slower rep speed allows me to really focus my effort on the individual muscles that I'm trying to work with a particular movement.

 

[maldorf]

I focus on strict form throughout all my movements. Slow and controlled on the eccentric portion of the rep with an explosiveness (is that a word?) on the concentric portion. Using sloppy form in an effort to move heavier weights has never done much more for me than causing tendon and muscle tears. Additionally, I feel that using a slower rep speed allows me to really focus my effort on the individual muscles that I'm trying to work with a particular movement.

I guess its all relative, rep speed. What some think is fast may seem normal to others and vice versa. Its not rocket science. As you say just make sure to CONTROL the weight, dont throw it around and use your whole body to push/pull the weight, and focus on the major muscles moving the weight(along with accessory muscles). The movement should feel natural and move and a caidence that is nearly the same on each rep. So if its a count of 2 seconds down and 1 sec up, be sure to try to do the same on each. It should move rhythmically. Id say taking more time on the negative is better. You dont want to take it to the extreme though and go super slow on the negativ, because if you do you wont be able to move the weight on the positive part. This super slow would only work for growth if you have a spotter to assist on the postive portion.

 

[swedemiester77]

So what are we talking about here, 2-4 sec negatives depending on the ROM? Anything more and I have to decrease the weight by too much.

Also, dont slow eccentrics help increase connective tissue strength?

 

[Flex2019]

So what are we talking about here, 2-4 sec negatives depending on the ROM? Anything more and I have to decrease the weight by too much.

Also, dont slow eccentrics help increase connective tissue strength?

That's exactly what I do, though for me "slow negative" is more of a control issue than a timing issue. I make the rep cadence slow enough so that I am in complete control of the weight at all times. The negative may may be anywhere from one second to three or four seconds depending on the movement. I don't believe in super-slow negative reps lasting 5-10 seconds or more unless I am doing a negative-specific workout.

 

[repmks]

i control my reps on the negative but the weight is too heavy to worry about how fast im moving it on the way up....
i concentrate more on moving heavy ass weight for the most reps possible with controlled negatives.