Slow-Motion Strength Training and Metabolic Stress
Slow-Motion Strength Training and Metabolic Stress
Mission Monday Episode 17
Mission Monday Episode 17
Have you watched someone perform a set of curls or a leg press at a public gym?
Typically, people pump through their sets very quickly.
I’ve observed many sets of 10-12 reps that were completed in less than 10 seconds.
Is this wrong?
Nope.
People regularly gain strength and muscle when lifting with fast tempos.
There is an advantage, though, of slow-motion strength training.
Slow Sets
A set of 6-10 slow motion reps requires around 60-90 seconds. On the surface, that might not sound appealing to you.
We get it, performing an exercise for 10 seconds is a more digestible thought than performing an exercise for 60 seconds.
However, a longer slow-speed set is ideal for your muscles.
Muscle growth results from a combination of mechanical tension and metabolic stress.
Mechanical tension is created by training with a heavy load through a full range of motion.
This is why we choose a challenging resistance for each exercise and continuously increase it over time as you get stronger.
Metabolic Stress
Let’s focus on the other part of the muscle growth equation: metabolic stress.
As a person exercises, substances like lactic acid and hydrogen accumulate in our muscle cells. Metabolic stress is the process where those substances are created and accumulated.
As metabolic stress increases, we stimulate more muscle growth.
The question then becomes, “how do we increase metabolic stress?”
We increase metabolic stress by asking our muscles to do more work. Slow-motion strength training is advantageous for muscle growth because it provides more metabolic stress with each set.
Instead of doing just 10 seconds of work, your muscles are getting 60-90 seconds of work with each slow speed set.
This is also part of why Slow Motion Strength Training is so efficient — you get more out of each set!
Ultimately, your muscles are stimulated to grow effectively in just 20-30 minutes, twice per week.
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If you would like to learn more about our method of strength training, read about our methodology. If you are new to The Perfect Workout, try a workout with us and book a FREE Introductory Session.
- De Freitas, M. C., Gerosa-Neto, J., Zanchi, N. E., Lira, F. S., & Rossi, F. E. (2017). Role of metabolic stress for enhancing muscle adaptations: practical applications. World Journal of Methodology, 7(2), 46.
- Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review of advanced resistance training techniques and methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(24), 4897.
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