Fast reps vs. slow reps

[jemckinney]

Is it better to do reps as slow as you can with far less weight or is it more beneficial to just stack as much weight on as you can and do the reps how ever fast you have to in order to complete the set?

I was under the impression that it is better to do them slow (especially the negative/extension part of the rep) and take 5-6 seconds to complete the rep, but I have no evidence to confirm this.

[ZoranM]

Is it better to do reps as slow as you can with far less weight or is it more beneficial to just stack as much weight on as you can and do the reps how ever fast you have to in order to complete the set?

Well,when you put it like that,neither.Esp. since you didn't say why you lift weights.

The way you lift may vary from one exercise to another,but as a conventional rule,concentric phase sould be somewhat faster then the eccentric(not counting the very last reps on the set),in a manner that you have full control over the weights on both,esp. on ecc.

[MuscleGainer]

Is it better to do reps as slow as you can with far less weight or is it more beneficial to just stack as much weight on as you can and do the reps how ever fast you have to in order to complete the set?

I was under the impression that it is better to do them slow (especially the negative/extension part of the rep) and take 5-6 seconds to complete the rep, but I have no evidence to confirm this.

Better for what? Strength or Size?

[jemckinney]

Better for what? Strength or Size?

I lift to gain size.

[JCTWP46]

Ive found doing slower reps can help alot with strength. I did a TUT (time under tension) program a few years ago and it worked well for me.

[MWheatley]

Ive found doing slower reps can help alot with strength. I did a TUT (time under tension) program a few years ago and it worked well for me.

Thats because the muscle fibers that are emphasized when doing slower reps are type 1 fibers and not really related to strength. Strength is more in conjunction with speed and triggers the type 2 fibers.

[gecko2424]

I like one second up, two seconds down. I will lower the weight and do much longer reps at the end of my workouts though.

If you're going so fast that the bar is just flying, add weight. Explosiveness and speed aren't the same thing. You can explosively push the bar up and have a slow controlled descent, or move at a consistent up/down speed.
























giggity.

[Vietgoboi]

Tension/slow reps are geared toward hypertrophy more, that my current understanding.

Ive found doing slower reps can help alot with strength. I did a TUT (time under tension) program a few years ago and it worked well for me.

Thats great it worked for you, but I believe this topic more sulted for imtermeiate lifters that has grown pass teen years.

Thats because the muscle fibers that are emphasized when doing slower reps are type 1 fibers and not really related to strength. Strength is more in conjunction with speed and triggers the type 2 fibers.

Thanks for addressing the issue. Was self doubting after reading few comments in this thread.