Never Lift Slow ON PURPOSE (Why Tempo Lifting is OVERRATED For Hypertrophy)

[@EnkiriElite]

Unless you are injured and using tempo work as part of a rehab plan to limit loading (and/or speed of movement under load as a pain reduction technique), then tempo lifting is not "getting more out of less." Using self-limiting variations (e.g. a Larsen press instead of a bench press, a pause squat instead of a regular squat, etc.) that you still push with maximal intent is getting more out of less. Purposefully slow concentrics with deliberately sub maximal intent exerted into the bar is simply willfully getting *less out of less* where strength and hypertrophy are concerned.

[@TheEjEGUN]

Im a bit confused by this video, I haven't actually seen anyone recommend slowing down the concentric for working hypertrophy sets, only ever the eccentric. I think there is definitely benefits to be had from slowing down and controlling the eccentric, by how much is another question as I believe there is new research showing that eccentric tempo doesn't matter past a certain point but I personally for example feel the muscle lengthening and connect much much better with a slower 1-2s Tempo vs just letting it drop or minimally controlling it..

[@villamonke]

Yeah.. i discovered slow eccentric technique about six months ago and it has definitely made me stronger and bigger

[@darkclownKellen]

Dan John always talks about going down slow and then firing back up with squats

[@movestattoo4561]

If you talk purely about hypertrophy, slow eccentrics do nothing but create fatigue. The only requirement is to control the eccentric and you can easily do that with one second negative. And I don’t think anyone who advocates or pushes slow negatives means one second eccentrics when they talk about slow eccentrics. They usually mean at least 3-4 second negatives which are pointless for hypertrophy.

[@villamonke]

@movestattoo4561 oh yeah sure, for pure hypertrophy that can be true...

[@Calebanton]

@@movestattoo4561I think it’s just for injury prevention, because you can get the same hypertrophic stimulus with less weight and it’s more controlled

[@Beautiful-Sickening-Rolex]

a slow concentric seems to be an obviously bad idea that I don't see anyone recommending...taking an eccentric from 1 second to 2 seconds seems to make sense though? 🤔

[@Emptyssify]

"Obviously bad idea". Elaborate please. Why and for whom?

[@Beautiful-Sickening-Rolex]

@ what do you mean 'why?' For the reasons mentioned in this video

[@jeegee-cx7ss]

lol I've been saying this for years. Basically in short it comes down to - "If you're purposefully pressing a weight slowly, then your muscles aren't firing close enough to 100% of their potential."

[@Emptyssify]

If you go to failure it should. Type 2 fibres kick in when type 1 start to fatigue. So when training this way failure or very close to failure should be the goal.

[@dflatt1783]

4:30 Then based on your theory calisthenics would be next to useless ... Try thinking about all aspects of your theory.

[@Emptyssify]

Slow, tempo trainings biggest advantage is the elimination of momentum and peak forces that becomes the highest risk of hurting yourself. By training this way even your grandmother could get a good workout "risk-free". If you only care about training your muscles and train to failure this way, it is probably the better way with ita safer training. But slow training translates very badly to competition lifts or real-world heavy lifts and would be a real time waste if youre a powerlifter for example. But i can think of many reasons and scenarios why you would/should train slow. Are you old, sick, weak, and cant afford to be injured by your strength training it is the way to go. In other words: the people who would benefit the most by strength training. Summerized: On a grand scale this is probably the best type of training if taken to failure. Eccept for pros and athletes and people who want to excel and get the "most" out of their training. They can afford the higher risk.

[@postworld1185]

I'm trying to figure out how speed work increases your 1 RM. I did try it and my 1 rm is still very hard and slow.. I was hoping my current 1 rm would fly up after speed work - since i should move it faster, but it doesn't move any faster. Maybe speed work doesn't work?

[@publicrestroom5075]

I dont really think it works. I think strength is increased by optimizing technique at heavier weights and increasing muscle size in the primary movers in the lift. I dont think speed work does either of these to be honest

[@jahimuddin2306]

Speed work does not increase 1RM, it is just to be able to move the bar faster. It also does not work for everyone.

[@yaywoot123]

read more of Hatfield / Simmons re CAT to understand the intention of "speed work" programming .. it's not simply "speed" .. anyone can move an empty barbell with "speed" ... you have a current max rate of force production .. you pick a (high enough) % (of your max) where you can consistently produce that max force ### for the FULL ROM (not just through sticking point and coast) and you program it .. and can toy with tools like weight releasers/bands/chains in the process E.G., the 8x3 1min off "speed bench" everyone knows should produce 24 reps of your max rate of force production (with no kinks) in a very small period of time .. essentially using the heaviest % possible to achieve that max rate from a to z all 24 reps (if the bar slows down, you went too heavy) "speed" refers to how fast x weight moves vs x force put into the bar .. which should be the same for every rep start to finish .. it's called speed work because it's "sub maximal" training, and with max force production the bar always moves consistently fast

[@kent6732]

Looks to me like your tempo in the video are pretty standard. Keeping the weight under control so you can maintain safe form and don’t cheat with a bunch of body english that will just end up in an injury. Reps will always get slower anyway as youre pushing closer to failure. The main thing I see in the gym is people wasting the eccentric parts of lifts and just letting the weight fall back really fast.

[@shlokgurudatta8466]

Who cares

[@Christopher-ko9op]

I'm reporting this video... To Mike Israetel. Slow! Slow! Slow! I know Mike only uses it as a form cue but still, new lifters like I was, saw this and took it as the only way to train. I'm so glad I realised fairly early there's more than one way to train.

[@laser9721]

mike is terrible and not even a bit science based

[@Christopher-ko9op]

@laser9721 I basically got taken in by it. I was like ok I'm the full ROM slow and controlled guy. It's a form of ego lifting. It wasn't until I saw Geoffrey Verity Schofield that I realised all this. It was his video; don't be a technique cyborg or something to that effect, that changed my entire outlook on it. After that I actually started to challenge myself and made just amazing progress. I _was_ a technique cyborg.

[@laser9721]

@@Christopher-ko9op i mean, you shouldnt have a bad technique, but being science based is not telling that, is teaching the mechanisms that cause muscle growth and how to extract the most out of them

[@Christopher-ko9op]

@@laser9721 oh I agree! Absolutely focus on technique, especially at the start but you don't need to be super slow is all. I absolutely focused on technique at the start and I'm very glad I did. In fact, the way things worked out, I don't know if could have been any better. It seems I found the right people at the right time. Even after I discovered people like Alec and GVS, I still focused on technique for new movements like the squat. That was a big one for me. It was Alec that taught me the idea of earning weight on the bar, something I still hold to and will absolutely always. Challenge yourself, use good form and technique and earn the weight!

[@vinny6_9]

@@laser9721 did he ever recommend going slow on the up/concentric part? doubt it. not his "fan", but c'mon, man...

[@R888ZZZZZ]

Hello Alec, how many grams of protein you take now daily?

[@opp619]

How Many sets per week per muscle would you recommend for strength and size?

[@whollybasil]

What if I’m so weak every rep is unintentionally slow?

[@tz7763]

then you're using too much weight. bar speed should start out at a nice quick tempo and get progressively slower as you finish your set because of the fatigue that sets in. if your bar speed is slow af when you start, drop the weight.

[@3-dreticle826]

I heard about lifting slow from some old dude in the gym. Then Dr Mike and Jared feather advocate it. SMH all these conflicting advice

[@Auxified]

I just watched a segment with Dr Mike and he appears to advocate for slow eccentrics for obscure reasons like injury prevention, but does not seem to disagree with explosive concentrics. He seems to agree with his guest that none of this matters unless you are intentionally moving too slowly.

[@landerhendrickx3522]

Standing behind the neck buffalo bar overhead press is S tier stuff

[@MuscularMontel]

can't tempo lifting be good for proprioception in certain scenarios? e.g. finding foot pressure/balance during squats

[@EnkiriElite]

Sure, to warm-up or prime a movement pattern. But that's not the same thing as treating it as an actual hypertrophy modality, which it is not. And even then, it's overrated. I've coached hundreds of people into good technique and I've used tempo work in exactly 0 of them.

[@selda2528]

isnt tempo just a variable to play with... there is a reason that its sucessfully used for neurological stuff and other stuff.. things like olympic lifts and modern fast landmine moves show its sucess... and even blackbelts like nsima inijang show its sucess.. but so many people just use it for the wrong reasons and in bs ways... olympic lifts also use tempo, but to many of these coaches miss the point... like why are u using it? and if i want to build muscle, why this tempo maximisation focus?

[@casperthegst]

What about using tempo work to rest joints and tendons or is there anything to that?

[@frododiddledeebipedybopedy9840]

What would you say for someone who switched from doing regular pushups with a 10kg vest to doing decline pushups with the same weight. Is there a difference between the two, or would you be better served by just adding more weight to the regular pushups? Of course, no slow movement bs in either.

[@TheBrick534]

The only time I've found using any sort of tempo to be useful is when doing isolation work and ONLY on the eccentric portion of the lift. Example: Doing bicep curls with an explosive concentric, as hard as possible, and taking 2-3 seconds on the way down IN ORDER to maintain near perfect form on the way down and keeping tension in the desired muscle group. Outside of isolation movements, I've found 0 benefit for hypertrophy/strength using tempo.

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

Where do isometrics fit in?

[@faithalone5081]

For hypertrophy they are horrible don’t even do it But for sports and other shit it’s fine because they are easy to recover unless it’s extremely heavy weight(ie rack pulls and farmers carries) They are good for ggp and may help with strength

[@dynaspinner64]

Great video! P.S. Have you ever tried handstand pushups as a substitute for OHP?

[@NiciO.G]

10 rep sets are more slow twitch and sarcoplasmic aren’t they??? I feel like 5x5 is better than 5x10 because every rep at 80-83% is an effective rep with 5x10 only half the reps are effective reps so I don’t see ur logic please explain what I’m missing B0$$ …

[@NiciO.G]

Okay maybe 5x5 isn’t all effective reps but close too

[@NiciO.G]

What _______ liked my comment & disliked it ……..

[@Emptyssify]

Slow twitch until you go to failure. The all motor units exhaust and fatigue.

[@batsquad2046]

What brand back extension you have

[@totallyraw1313]

Alec, have you ever had golfer's elbow?

[@LouisSerieusement]

Thank you ! Great reminder x)

[@daniellovesosrs]

Who tf are u watching that suggests slowing down concentric ?

[@Emptyssify]

Mentzer, Arthur Jones, Ellington Darden, Jay Vincent, Drew Baye, John Little, Doug Mcguff.

[@daniellovesosrs]

@Emptyssify Mentzer and Jones are obscure af, the other ones I dont event know.

[@h-k7804]

Best gain I had when I started to slow reps

[@MarkoTodorovic-d3z]

someone needed to say this ! it has been annoying me for years that people dont understand you need to lift as fast as possible. people lable it as powerlifting or whatever, no, its just maximum muscle activation simply because the weight is heavy enough.. but of course people want to make it complicated and avoid the fact that its hard

[@Emptyssify]

You can't reach maximum muscle activation by lifting slow and going to failure?

[@MarkoTodorovic-d3z]

@@Emptyssify not as effective as lifting a weight that u cant lift more than 12 times fast.. its just trying to find ways around training hard at this point with people who promote this.. and believe me I do a lot of high rep sets but never purposely slow on the concentric, so I am not against lighter weights, the point is to do sets close to failure not do junk volume

[@Emptyssify]

Thats why i added "failure". If you arent training hard you arent at or close to failure. Youre fooling yourself. Heavy squats close to failure have many times been less intense than slow tempo lifting to complete failure. But it loads the body completely different. There is somewhat benefits of getting your body under a heavy load but it can have a high price. The muscles can be stressed equally hard. There is also "skill" involved that may be important to you. Slow training does however NOT bring better results than other types of lifting. Only much safer.

[@MarkoTodorovic-d3z]

@@Emptyssify sorry bro, I just cant entertain anything after you say lifting slowly on purpose.. that is the most basic thing-muscles contract when they are forced to go explosive and hard, if the weight is so light that u can afford to lift it slowly, it will not cause good muscle growth no matter how hard u think u are squeezing and feeling the muscle even if its burning, which it will cause of the time under tension

[@sairam71]

Ok that RDL thing with huge low back stretch is impressive. I would certainly throw my back. How do I get there! In rdls I go past knees and pull up. Watch you workout is inspirational throwing around huge weights like burning.

[@jahimuddin2306]

I only go slow if I have trouble feeling a muscle or if the bar is hitting the ground. Other than that it is explosion.

[@landerhendrickx3522]

Second video on this topic, still as accurate. 🎉

[@CeroAshura]

For strength, sure. Tempo is not really allowing you to work with near maximal weights and hence it can only tangentially increase your strength (improve positional strength at a certain degree of joint angle, dial in technique and balance...). For bodybuilding this take makes zero sense. Given a movement like a squat I can perform it more or less upright, with more or less knee travel (which all have different 1RMs). Possibly producing higher local tension on my quads with potentially less absolute weight. Why would this suddenly not apply to slowing the tempo down (lower 1RM) assuming I'm using the adaquate minimum intensity threshold for growth that is backed by research? So far all studies regarding this, including the ones going the other direction (doing cheat reps) show similar growth.

[@Krzyshtoph]

Sound like a smart guy. I don't know, i'm not convinced. I get for athletes, performing, they need burts of energy and acceleration, for whatever sport there are different ways of training absolutely. For growing muscles i'm not convinced loading heavy weights and going fast is better than slow movements with good form. I've had significant gains the last two years from mostly 8-12 reps. I go on the lighter side, although not too light. I think mixing it up with both is great but that also entirely depends on the reason why you're training. One size never fits all. Also unrelated but i have found having 2 week breaks every 3 months is beneficial. Gives your body time to rest, and the whole "diminishing returns" idea, where just like anything. Your body develops immunity, a tolerance to whatever it does for prolonged periods of time. I've found huge increases after working hard and consistent for months then taking a week or 2 off and then returning. 10 days maybe. The body's tolerance to resistance lowers and so you reap more benefit as the body develops tolerance again. Maybe i'm wrong, but it's something i've noticed more than once.

[@weirdphax5406]

beautiful message brother

[@Auxified]

I agree with the analysis. Any time I have lifted slowly I never got stronger. I even tried bench press with 5-0-5 tempo reps last year and found zero improvement to my strength. Maximum force generation seems like the most important factor, therefore lifting as fast as safely possible seems best. I don't want to yank it up crazy fast and harm my joints either though.

[@Emptyssify]

Lifting slow would make weight increases much slower because you eliminate skill somewhat and momentum. Does it really mean you arent getting as strong as with explosive reps?

[@cjparkeffaking4551]

I haven't seen much advocacy for slow concentrics lately. But I do use them when teaching people who have zero experience or coordination and can not control the rep with any sort of speed.

[@ytpancho]

Jeff Nippard debunked it today

[@brianbachmeier34]

Please do a collaboration with The Stone Circle.

[@charliebroussard8505]

This is just plain wrong. @DrewBaye would like a word with you

[@NEIGH6699]

it's always been common sense to me that slow reps aren't better. I feel my muscles tear more (in a good way) when moving faster. Thanks for the clear explanation

[@caseykellogg707]

Really? Try doing 20 pushups as fast as you can and then do 20 pushups 4 seconds down, 4 seconds up. Let us know which feels more muscle fiber recruitment!

[@Masa6x]

@@caseykellogg707 the problem is when you go to "as fast as you can" form breakdown often occurs as you start to use momentum, which is not what he's talking about in the video. Also when you scale this, you might not able to do "20 reps" each way, so the point about "slow concentric and eccentric limits how many total reps you can do" makes sense

[@emperor_dan]

Muscles don't actually tear

[@Masa6x]

@@emperor_dan i mean they do, its just not what causes hypertrophy

[@NEIGH6699]

@@caseykellogg707 exactly where did I say I lift as fast as I can? nerd

[@TheJacali]

This is excellent advice. Whenever I progress to a new weight I start slower (no exaggerated) and build my tempo capacity. Pause and then flex out of it as explosively as I can. Then as I build capacity and after a few months of adapting to that weight I know my ligaments/tendons etc are capable of starting to handle fast but controlled eccentrics. I do those for a few months same weight and really dominate that weight before moving on and upping the weight. Now I’m way stronger than I ever thought I’d be when I was younger even though I’m partially handicapped. I can cheat curl 75lb dumbbell for 3 sets of 10-15 reps. And I can wrist curl 70lb dumbbell with 2.5” fat grip for 8 sets of 1-4 reps. Probably more now since it’s been awhile. And only getting stronger. So psyched for my progress the next few years. God bless brother ❤🤟

[@RichPoor-j6k]

Best thing is if you just did the bodybuilding conventional training or even worse the new age pseudo science based one you'd look the same weigh same and be much weaker and slower probably spend more time in the gym All available research shows that isolation moves don't build more muscle recent meta analysis proved doing only compounds actually does maximise hypertrophy while getting same or more strength all markers of fitness improved more like vo2max and probably saved time I did a few years of bodybuilding training with lots of isolation and result I look the same weigh same as when I did compounds exclusively freaking pathetic ifam It's just entrained in the conventional bodybuilding culture to do tons of isolations as the real reason is they're way easier to do

[@Fitnessheretic]

But what about the soyence! 🤓👆

[@franciscogarcia8880]

Israetel had me CONFUSED THANK YOU

[@50_Shades_of_Nunya]

This is the way.

[@Thanos23]

Nice

[@TheMercilessJude]

💯 Respect. Great drop. I don't get why people have to make this so difficult. Lifters proved years ago that 'normal' reps work wonders.

[@vmontoya4]

Didn't the Denver Experiment prove it works though? I like it because less weight is safer.

[@colafarm1]

The Colorado experiment didn't prove anything. It had a sample size of 1

[@SaturnReturns]

b-b-b-b-b-but coach mike!

[@akshayebenezar]

🔥🔥🔥

[@JakeEatNow]

Why would Anyone listen to this guy when it comes to hypertrophy? He’s tiny. He does look pretty strong but doesn’t look any bit bigger than 170. I work out 2x per week using the opposite of what he is preaching and am much larger. Do what works for you.

[@Emptyssify]

How would he look without training at all? And how would he perform?

[@stoempert]

In practice i don't see a lot of people really purposefully slowing down their concentrics. I do see a lot of lack of maximal intent though, where they kinda phone-in the first ¾ of the set. Either way, you made both points, 100% agreed.

[@colafarm1]

I see people purposefully slow down the ECCENTRIC all the time, as that's what the science turds always suggest

[@StarcraftDr]

Slow eccentrics can work really well for hypertrophy and strength. And the conversion to power, power endurance, or muscular endurance phase(s) can go well after a period of elongated eccentrics as well

[@Keno313]

The fact this guy associates intensity purely with weight on the bar is hilarious and shows how little he understands. Your muscles dont know weight or reps. They only understand difficulty. The reason you have to lower the weight when doing slower reps is because its MORE intense on the muscles. Theres a reason there are no powerlifters who look as good as bodybuilders. And no, its not "steroids." Thats a simpleton answer. Pro powerlifters are on the exact same anabolic drugs as bodybuilders. "Just lift weight like a normal person" why? So i can look like the "normal" person in the gym? No thanks. Anyone selling courses is not natural. Ill trust the guys who actually competed and won titles over the low iq "just powerlift bro" advice that does not work for most people

[@MaxBadstibner]

Ronnie Coleman didn’t use slow reps. Jay Cutler didn’t use slow reps. Phil Heath didn’t use slow reps. Dorian Yates used slower reps than the other but also used relatively higher loads compared to most. Your stance listening to those who have “actually competed and won titles” proves that slow reps are BS and that Alec is right.

[@movestattoo4561]

⁠@@MaxBadstibnerSamson Dauda doesn’t use slow tempo, neither does Hadi, Derek, Andrew Jacked, Cbum, Wesley and the list goes on and on. Only top guy I have seen use a slow tempo is Nick Walker and he hasn’t really made any improvements in the last two years.

[@mysteriouscommentator]

⁠@@movestattoo4561Cbum uses slow reps

[@movestattoo4561]

@@mysteriouscommentator no he doesn’t. He controls the negatives but doesn’t do slow eccentrics. The people who advocate for slow negatives almost exclusively means 3-4 seconds or more and Cbum doesn’t use that slow of a tempo.

[@mysteriouscommentator]

@@movestattoo4561 definitely a lot more control than this creator has though

[@CarpDiemBaby]

Pencil necks have been angry ever since this one dropped today. Tempo work is just a coach’s attempt to seem novel and knowledgeable. Even Kinobody like 10 years ago was like “yeah it’s bs”