A very knowledgeable and respected friend of mine inspired me to today's topic of intra rep structure.

Most of us are aware that the tempo of each repetition affects the recruitment pattern of the involved muscles and thus the training effect.

Some trainers communicate the desired tempo of an exercise in a three digit code - for example: 302.

"3" is the duration of the eccentric or concentric phase - whatever comes first.

"0" is the duration in seconds of the transition time to the next phase.

"2" is the duration in seconds of the next phase.

In this code, a fourth digit can be used to indicate the desired rhythm between repetitions. For example, in the bench press 3020 would mean lower the weight in three seconds, reverse the movement without pause and complete the concentric phase in two seconds. Continue into the next repetition without pause.

To accurately define the tempo of each repetition, the four digit code must be used.

Tempo is an important training variable that can be used to make stimulating changes in the training program.

Observe here that this way of defining the tempo assumes that the speed of the eccentric and the concentric phases are constant.

It does not have to be that way!

Stay tuned for Thursday's tip to get the rest of the story.

Move with passion,
Karsten Jensen