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Is Training Slower Faster?
| by Jack A. Medina, M.A. and Roy E. Vartabedian, Dr.P.H. |
August 20, 2008 |
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When you are designing a training program,
there are a number of variables that can affect
your potential results. You have to consider
everything from the type of exercise and
number of sets, to how many weeks you are
going to train.
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What About Lifting Speed?
Many coaches and athletes believe that if you
train with very slow lifting speeds, taking
up to 20 seconds per repetition, you minimize
your momentum and maximize the work the
muscle has to do. Previous research shows
this is not the case, that slow lifting
speeds are not as effective as traditional
speeds for improving strength.
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New Research
An interesting study entitled "The Impact of
Velocity of Movement on Performance Factors
in Resistance Exercise" was published in The
Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research - 20:760-766, 2006, Hatfield,
D.L., et al.
After all the data was collected, the
researchers found that the subjects who
performed fewer repetitions had lower force
and power outputs, did less total work, and
had higher "rate of perceived exertion" (felt
they worked harder) when they did the
very slow movements as compared to the
movements at the speed of choice.
It's interesting to note that despite the
greater performance with faster movement, the
subjects felt they were working harder at the
slow speeds.
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What Does This Study Show?
It clearly shows that when you do very slow
lifting movements, you simply do not get as
much done in the training session. You do
fewer repetitions, you do less total work,
and the force and power outputs are lower. In
addition, you feel like you are working just
as hard to do less.
This was not a perfect study. Female subjects
were not included, so we don't know if the
results would be similar for women. Also, the
subjects were young (average age of 24
years), and the results might not be the same
for older subjects. However, there is no
physiological reason to think that the
results would be different for any other
type of subject.
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Final Thought
Very slow lifting might have some use in
improving muscle endurance or in muscle
rehabilitation, but it is simply not as good
a method to improve strength and power for an
athlete.
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New Winning Edge Package Available!
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See you next month!
Yours for fitness and health,
Jack A. Medina, M.A.Roy E. Vartabedian, Dr.P.H.
Designs for Fitness & Wellness
phone:
541-474-2454 or Toll-Free Order Line: 1-866-204-8786
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Author/speaker and an
expert in Sports Performance Enhancement”. Jack Medina is available for
speaking engagements, consultation and personal training of athletes in
various sports, professional and amateur. Jack has written a new book,
“The Winning Edge: Fueling & Training The Body For Peak Performance”
with Dr. Roy Vartabedian, an internationally known New York Times Best
Selling Author of the “Nutripoints” program for optimal nutrition. Both
books are available online at www.jackmedina.com. Jack also has a
monthly ezine (newsletter) available free which can be subscribed to on
his website. All subscriber’s addresses will be confidential and not
sold or given to any other organization or group.
This article contains copyrighted material. Copies of this article may
be reprinted without permission of the author only when this bi-line is
included with each copy. Jack can be reached at
jack@jackmedina.com
