In weight-training exercises, is it better to do an exercise slowly once rather than perform multiple reps?

Question

Gary Null says yes. Are there any fitness pros who agree? Any who disagree, and why?

I want to increase general strength and aid in calcium absorption. My goal is NOT to look like Carla Temple or whoever the latest female bodybuilding champion is.

Answer 1

Hi, first weight-training/body-building is not a science. Every body is different, genes are different, and physical charachteristcs are different. Let me put it this way for you:

In order for your muscles to condition/strengthen/ or get bigger, the following MUST happen:

a. Lift the weight more (reps)
b. Lift the weight more often (sets)
c. Lift heavier weights

Now, how do we lift the weights:

a. Fast tempo builds
b. Medium tempo builds
c. Slow tempo builds

What I mean by tempo is:

Fast: Explosive movement from the start of the exercise, hold at the point where the muscle is under the most stress for 1 second, and bring the weight down (1 second)so 1-up/2-hold/3-down.
Medium Tempo: 2 seconds up/1 second hold/1 second down
Slow Tempo: 3 seconds up/2 seconds hold/2 seconds down

Sets & Reps: In the 60's weight lifting was taught pretty much as 3 sets of 10 reputitions. Although this is ok to start with, it is not necessarily the best technique...understanding again, that weight lifting has no sciencetific ground. 3 x 10 after a while does nothing, because your muscles have now gotten use to how much the muscle is being utilized. Sometimes we have to experiment with sets & reps. The following has produced allot of results in both men & women:

To build muscle endurance with some increase of strength you want to do 12 to 15 reps.

To build muscle strength with of course some size increase you want to do only 4 to 6 reps (of course this is very heavy weight).

To build muscle size with muscle endurance and strength you want to do 6 to 8 reps.

Now, Mr. Null has some good points. If you move a weight up very slowly, hold for 1 to 2 seconds, and bring it back down slowly you have used the muscle to move the weight and not momentum! But if you do this only once....I do not see how that improves muscle strength and growth.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I heard it is better to do them slow, but to do
at lest 12 reps of each and then do not let more
the 30 seconds pass before doing the next exercise
multiple reps like a hundred or more do not help no
more than 12 reps,

Answer 4

It depends on what you want. If you want to get big, lift heavy and do low reps like 4-6 5 sets, if you want to be really cut you have to go light and do many reps like 12-16. SO it all depends. If you are berly starting, you have to start light for like a month and then start goin up, you can hurt yourself.

Answer 5

proper form is important. One rep isn't going to do much for ya though as far as breaking down the muscle.

Low reps and high weight can build strength but always remember to use proper form.

Answer 6

Depends on what your looking for I subscribe to the bulking with increased strength routine if that sounds like what you are looking for look on the net for the HEAVY DUTY workout by
Mike Mentzer.

Answer 7

it is better to reps slowly to allow the muscles to contract and release the tension caused by the slow repeated moves builds muscle and tones

Answer 8

Yes. Research "the rule of tens" for muscle contraction.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

it depends, to tone, to tons of reps, with low weight, to get BIG, LOAD UP THE WEIGHT, and do low reps.