Time under tension is an important but often neglected are of weight training. This is the case whether your goal is strength, recovery, endurance or muscle growth. So if you’re focusing just on the amount of weight lifted you’re missing out on a simple adjustment that can result in decisive progress. But what is Time Under Tension? Simply put, it is the total duration a muscle is actively held under load during a set.
This total time can be increased either by performing more repetitions (higher volume) or by slowing the speed of each repetition (controlled tempo). However, the method chosen is strategic. Increasing reps typically requires reducing the load (compromising absolute strength), while slowing the tempo can maintain a relatively higher load. This makes TUT a variable that is dependent on your goal. It works by affecting the amount of mechanical damage, metabolic stress and cellular signalling achieved. Manipulating the rep speed (tempo) and set volume (reps) can force muscle adaptation and growth(1).
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Why Tempo Delivers Faster Growth
Moving a weight quickly allows momentum to take over, which is like cheating the muscle out half of every rep. By controlling and extending the rep duration, we force your body to build muscle faster through three simple effects:
1. Better Muscle Activation
By slowing down the lowering (eccentric) phase of any exercise, you increase the resistance on the muscle fibres. This means they have to work harder for longer. When this happens a powerful signal to your body to build more muscle and grow stronger. An extension in the time under tension forces your nervous system to recruit more muscle fibres than a quick rep, maximising the quality of your workout.
2. Creating A Growth Response
Extended time under tension produces the deep, targeted muscle fatigue necessary for adaptation. This controlled stress is the body’s most effective signal for forcing new growth. With more emphasis on TUT you precisely hit this level of intensity every time, maximising the return on your effort.
3. Eliminating The Bounce
When you lift fast, your tendons store elastic energy like a stretched rubber band and “bounce” the weight back up. This makes the lift deceptively easier. By timing your reps and controlling the speed, you eliminate this elastic rebound entirely. This forces your target muscles to do 100% of the work from a near stop, accelerating strength gains and muscle growth..
Why Form Matters To Time Under Tension
Implementing TUT requires excellent form. The slower you move, the more every tiny weakness or restriction in your body is exposed. This is where relying on a regular gym trainer fails and where my dual expertise as a massage therapist and not just a PT provides the solution.
1. Correcting Structural Issues
The slow, lowering phase (eccentric) is where serious growth happens. But it’s often blocked by tight muscles and not just a lack of strength.
- The Problem: You try to lower the weight slowly for 3-5 seconds but your tight hamstring or stiff shoulder forces you to rush the movement. This can shift the tension from the target muscle making the lift dangerous and ineffective for growth.
- The Solution: Using my soft-tissue diagnostic skills I can identify and target that specific restriction. With mobility drills, stretching or even massage we can correct the issue so you can execute the full time under tension movement safely and effectively.
2. Perfect Form When Fatigued
When fatigue sets in, form usually breaks down, which is the quickest way to cause injury. My structural assessment allows us to predict exactly where your body will cheat.
- The Predictability: Before a heavy set, I know which small, deep-lying stabilising muscles are weak (such as rotator cuff or core). When you fatigue on a heavy TUT set, we have already ensured those critical stability muscles are “switched on” before you start.
- The Result: This ensures that even in the toughest moments your body remains stable and has good form. This keeps the tension exactly where it belongs – on the muscle you want to grow.
3. Prescribing Tempo for Joint Longevity
Your individual history of injury or asymmetry dictates which tempos are safe. An overly long eccentric phase might be best for hypertrophy, but it could stress a historically unstable joint.
- The Risk: A history of previous injuries, such as a shoulder impingement or lumbar disk issue, means blindly following a 4-second eccentric on certain movements is too much. For example, a slow Romanian deadlift might be great for your hamstrings but could be an injury risk if your lower back is a weak point.
- The Solution: I adjust the tempo to achieve the necessary muscle stimulation without putting excessive strain on your muscles or joints.
Mastering Time Under Tension With A Personal Trainer
Adding TUT to your worktous isn’t just a case of counting slowly as you train. Doing it properly first means losing your ego by focusing entirely on the correct tempo, not the weight. This ensures you use a load appropriate for the prescribed TUT while minimising injury risk. Furthermore, slower reps demand excellent technique. I provide constant observation and feedback so your form never breaks down during the eccentric lowering phase.
If your goal is to break frustrating plateaus, accelerate muscle development or simply maximise the return on every minute you spend training, time under tension is for you.
Book a personal training session today to transform your workout routine from simply moving weights to growing muscle and strength with precision.
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If you would like to book a personal trainer in the York area please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. For more information on booking click here